BURIAL rites for the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu are expected to begin this weekend in all parts of the old South East zone with the popular Igbo culture of “Icho mmadu” (searching for the dead) which will be carried out by the youths in the major cities.

Releasing the new programme for the burial, the Central Burial Committee of the late Eze Ndi Igbo expressed regret that the initial arrangements were disrupted by the last nationwide strike and protests which led to the postponement of all proposed activities. The committee said the new programme was agreed upon after due consultations with Ojukwu’s family as well as the state governments in the old Eastern region.

Chairman of the committee, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, who was represented at the occasion by the Vice Chairman, Senator Uche Chukwumerije disclosed that Ojukwu’s body is expected to arrive Abuja on February 27, from where it will begin a tour of all the states of the region, beginning from Owerri in Imo State where it is expected to lie in state before it will tour Aba, Enugu and Abakaliki on February 28.

According to Chukwumerije, Igbo leaders will observe the “Onye ije nno” (welcome home) ceremony for the body when it arrives Awka on February 29 before it begins a journey to his ancestral home of Nnewi where it will be finally laid to rest on March 2..

-Guardian

Posted by admin on Feb 9 2012. Filed under Biafra, Latest Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry