Available information to 247ureports.com through sources close to the State government of Enugu State reveals a cantenkerous fete appears on the offing over the Enugu leg of the festivities sorrounding the burial of the Late Chief Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, Ezeigbo Gburugburu slated for February 29 and March 1, 2010.
According to information gathered, the burial festivities in Enugu State – choosen home of Ezeigbo and capatal of the former Eastern Region and the defunct Biafra nation – has begun exhibiting signals of trouble/problem – within the planners of the event, the Ojukwu family and the governor of Enugu State.
This is as the governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime has publicly given strong indications of his limited interests towards the burial of Ezeigbo. Gov Chime, as learnt, has boycotted the entire festivities held for the Late Ezeigbo. He was the only South East governor to have failed to attend all festivities. He did not attend the event in Zungeru, Niger State, Abuja, Owerri, Imo State, Umuahia, Abia State and Enugu State.
Due to the lack of eagerness to aide the burial committee in Enugu, the governor hasmanaged to ground the activities of the committee.
The governor, according to a source in his cabinet, has been at odds with the family of the Onoh’s in Enugu. The widow of late Ezeigbo comes from the Onohs. Governor Chime belongs to the political camp of the Jim Nwobodo – and the Onohs belong to another political camp – of which, both have been at daggers drawn. The source explained that the governor may have taking his political game a bit too far. “Ojukwu is Ojukwu, Death is Death”, added the source.
The Presidenct who was previously scheduled to arrive Enugu State on March 1, 2012 for the final honor to the Late General, according to a source, cancelled his already concluded visited to Enugu State on the grounds of Governor Sullivan Chime ill-attitude towards the burial arrangment. This is as the President’s security handlers received informational report of the potential scantiness in the preparations put in place against security of the President and participants -particularly citing the importance of the Enugu State leg of the burial to the Eastern region and the Nation. On this note, the President cancelled the planned visit to Enugu. Mr President shifted his visit to March 2, 2012 at Nnewi, Anambra State.
The Chief Press Secretary [CPS] to the Enugu State Governor, Chukwudi Achife, in responding to inquiries from 247ureports.com on why the Governor boycotted the Enugu leg of the burial festivities, he said that the Governnor was busy in Abuja with the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan confering over the security arrangements for the February 29 and March 1 events. He added that the governor had sent his deputy to the airport to received the corpse of Ojukwu.
Members of the governor’s team are reported to be unhappy/angry with the actions of the Governor. Particularly, the deputy governor is said to be livid with the actions of the governor to boycott Ezeigbo’s burial. “I am ashamed”, states the deputy governor. Other cabinet members expressed their discomfort over the actions of the governor.
