A
abujagirl
Guest
On Friday, the corpse of Dr Ifeanyi Nwobodo, first son of Chief Jim Nwobodo, former governor of old Anambra State was carted away by unknown persons hours before his burial.
Trouble started when Chief Nwobodo refused to have his son buried in his family compound.
The incident which occurred at Chief Nwobodo’s family house at Amechi-Awkunawnaw in the Enugu South Local Government Area, got villagers, friends and sympathizers, who thronged the community perplexed.
Sympathisers, who came as early as 9 a.m. for the commendation service at St. Mathew’s Anglican Church Amechi-Awkunanaw and those at the reception arena left in anger as the controversy raged.
As at 3.30 p.m., family members, the clergy, politicians and other concerned friends were still meeting and pleading with the father of the deceased to resolve the issue.
The entrance to the family house of the first civilian governor of the old Anambra State was securely locked with heavily armed security operatives deployed to prevent entry into the compound.
A close family source, who preferred anonymity, told newsmen that the controversy started years ago between the mother of the deceased and his father.
"Elders in Amechi had in the past two days pleaded with Jim to allow the corpse of his son to be buried in his compound, but he blatantly refused, saying that he does not want the deceased to enter his compound weather dead or alive.’’
The source noted that according to tradition, the moment a first son dies before his father, he automatically loses his right of inheritance to the second son.
The source regretted that even when the second son, who would inherit the compound, agreed that his brother be buried in the compound, their father refused.
Commenting on the development, the second son, Mr Chukwudi Nwobodo, said that whenever his father agreed that his brother would be buried in the compound, the corpse would be provided.
Reacting to the development, the Archbishop of Enugu Arch-Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, described the situation as "a disgrace to the nation, Christianity, the Igbos and humanity’’.
He said that the church had accepted to bury the deceased in the church compound since it was rejected by Chief Nwobodo.
Another clergyman, who would not want his name to be mentioned, said, "I have never seen this type of situation anywhere in Igboland. This is food for thought for all of us that are still alive to make peace with our neighbours because nobody knows when death will call.
Some of the dignitaries who came for the burial include the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremmadu, Mr Peter Obi, Chief Victor Umeh, Sen. Chris Ngige, Mrs Fidelia Njeze and Mr Frank Nweke Jnr. among others.
#Nwobodo #Umeh #Ngige #Nweke #Ekweremmadu
Trouble started when Chief Nwobodo refused to have his son buried in his family compound.
The incident which occurred at Chief Nwobodo’s family house at Amechi-Awkunawnaw in the Enugu South Local Government Area, got villagers, friends and sympathizers, who thronged the community perplexed.
Sympathisers, who came as early as 9 a.m. for the commendation service at St. Mathew’s Anglican Church Amechi-Awkunanaw and those at the reception arena left in anger as the controversy raged.
As at 3.30 p.m., family members, the clergy, politicians and other concerned friends were still meeting and pleading with the father of the deceased to resolve the issue.
The entrance to the family house of the first civilian governor of the old Anambra State was securely locked with heavily armed security operatives deployed to prevent entry into the compound.
A close family source, who preferred anonymity, told newsmen that the controversy started years ago between the mother of the deceased and his father.
"Elders in Amechi had in the past two days pleaded with Jim to allow the corpse of his son to be buried in his compound, but he blatantly refused, saying that he does not want the deceased to enter his compound weather dead or alive.’’
The source noted that according to tradition, the moment a first son dies before his father, he automatically loses his right of inheritance to the second son.
The source regretted that even when the second son, who would inherit the compound, agreed that his brother be buried in the compound, their father refused.
Commenting on the development, the second son, Mr Chukwudi Nwobodo, said that whenever his father agreed that his brother would be buried in the compound, the corpse would be provided.
Reacting to the development, the Archbishop of Enugu Arch-Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, described the situation as "a disgrace to the nation, Christianity, the Igbos and humanity’’.
He said that the church had accepted to bury the deceased in the church compound since it was rejected by Chief Nwobodo.
Another clergyman, who would not want his name to be mentioned, said, "I have never seen this type of situation anywhere in Igboland. This is food for thought for all of us that are still alive to make peace with our neighbours because nobody knows when death will call.
Some of the dignitaries who came for the burial include the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremmadu, Mr Peter Obi, Chief Victor Umeh, Sen. Chris Ngige, Mrs Fidelia Njeze and Mr Frank Nweke Jnr. among others.
#Nwobodo #Umeh #Ngige #Nweke #Ekweremmadu