Despite a successful burial ceremony for the former Anambra state governor, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, organized by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, tension allegedly rose between the Igboukwu community and the governor due to alleged violations of the state’s burial laws.
Ezeife, who died few months ago, was buried on Saturday at his Igboukwu country home in Aguata local government area of the state.
However, Anambra state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, is not happy that despite the existing law in the state, the kinsmen of Ezeife went ahead, ignoring the government’s earlier warning
During the burial, the family printed brochures, banners, flexes among other things that made the burial more expensive, which were against the burial law of the state.
The Anambra burial law was passed by the state house of Assembly and signed into law by the former governor Willie Obiano in 2019
Soludo said: “Okwadike that I knew was a stickler for process, for the law and that’s why he held Nigeria accountable to observe the principles of the federal character in everything because he believed in the law.
“So all these fanfare that make burial very expensive, run contrary to the Anambra burial law which was passed three years before I became governor. I didn’t pass it. It has been there. It is the law.
“Those things that play no role should be avoided. All that is required is for us to respect the dead. We have given Okwadike for God to grant him eternal rest as we lay him to rest in accordance with Anambra burial law.
“That law also says that all burial funerals, condolences must be for one day. You don’t have a waiver for laws, you can only waive for rules.
“You either obey the law or amend it. Once it remains the law, it is to be obeyed. And that’s not the society that Okwadike dreamt of. The foundation we are working on, is the one he left for us” Soludo said.
However, two of Ezeife’s kinsmen, who spoke with The Nation, said the governor was on his own on the burial law of Anambra state, describing Ezeife as a national figure and not a local man.
The High chief, who did not want to be mentioned, warned Soludo not to cause the body of Ezeife not to rest in peace.
A lawyer from Ezeife’s community, commended Soludo for his support in the late Octogenarian’s burial, but warned him to desist from raising such issue in Okwadike’s burial.
“Yes, we know the law, but the great man is not the type of person you expect to bury like a fowl, though, law is for big and small, but Soludo should think twice” he said
The Nation, gathered Sunday that Soludo is already, preparing a document to be served on the Ezeife family very soon for flouting the burial right, despite his earlier warning.
[TheNation]