By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

NNEWI—TO ensure that it gives its illustrious son and former 2nd  Republic Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, a befitting burial, the Oko community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, has constituted a burial committee for the late former Vice President, to make all the necessary arrangements for the burial that has been fixed for February 2, 2018.

Dr Ekwueme

President General of Oko Peoples Union, OPU, Chief Cyprain Nwamuo, who disclosed this to newsmen, said: “We are aware of the Federal and state governments’ involvement in the burial of our late illustrious son; we will work with them where necessary, but we are working assiduously at our local level because Oko, as a community owns Dr Alex Ekwueme.

“We are not expecting less from the Federal and state government, but as Oko people, who own late Dr Ekwueme, we are leaving no stone unturned to give him the burial he deserved. We are so proud of him and will show the world that he was a son we were proud of any time, any day and even in death.”

Chief Nwamuo stated that “the Oko community is rehabilitating its civic center that will be named after Dr Alex Ekwueme.

“We are also building a statue we will name after ‘Ide’s name. Late Dr Alex Ekwueme is popularly known in Old Aguata Union and Anambra State in general.

“We normally give every Oko man three days funeral activities, but we are giving Ide (Dr Alex Ekwueme) ten days funeral activities; we will allow the visitors to complete their funeral activities for him, and then we start our own.

“This Christmas, our sons and daughters in the country and in the Diaspora are coming home to join in the burial arrangements for our late son, Dr Alex Ekwueme,” he stated.

Chief Nwamuo said that apart from the security arrangements being made by the Nigerian Police, the Army, Navy, Department of State Services, DSS, other security agencies and paramilitary agencies, OPU is making serious mobilization with its local Vigilantes to ensure adequate security before, during and after the burial of Dr Ekwueme.

Ohanaeze extols him, calls for his immortalisation

Meantime, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Barr Nnia Nwodo has lauded the statesmanly qualities of the former Vice President who joined his ancestors recently.

Barr Nwodo stated this during his interactive fora with Ndigbo in the USA.

He lamented the death of Dr Ekwueme at a time Ndigbo   were in search of a better deal in Nigeria and called on the Federal Government to give him a befitting honour and burial. He also called for a monument in his remembrance.

Igbo in diaspora converge

In another vein,  Igbo in the daispora and at home will converge at Mbaitolu , Imo State on 28th December, 2017; at Abagana in Anambra State on January 2nd , 2017 and at Gregory University Uturu Okigwe on 22nd December, 2017 to observe the Igbo International Xmas Retreat , Igbo International Leadership/Good Governance Retreat and the Akuruoulo Lecture Series One respectively.

The events are packaged by the World Igbo Leadership ,Education and Cultural Council, WILECC and the Igbo Information and Communication Network, IICON and hosted by Prince Eze Madumere for the Mbaitolu event; Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze(Igbo World Assembly President for the Abagana event and Gregory University Uturu Okigwe for the Akuruoulo Lecture Series.

The events are expected to attract who is who in Igbo land according to the secretary of the planning committee of the event, Edomobi Promise.