By Our Delta Reporter.
As controversy continued to trail the burial arrangements of Nigerian first Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Dr. Abel Kpogidi Ubeku, his family has raised the alarm and accused some Isoko politicians of using the name of their late son to go about extorting money from the society.
Late Dr. Abel Kpogidi Ubeku, third republic presidential aspirant of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) who hails from Araya, Isoko South local government area of Delta state, died on Sunday, 9th, March, 2014 in a hospital faraway in Dubai after a protracted ailment.
Following the way and manner the burial arrangements of the late Ubeku is been carried out by some Isoko political, the Ubeku family members have accused these set of politicians of using the name of their late illustrious son to extort millions of naira from state governments, groups, cooperate bodies and individuals across the nation under the guise of burial arrangements.
The family, why specifically accusing the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Chief Solomon Ogba, Mr. Fred Odueme, staff of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Ogrih and Mr. Johnson Erijo, member representing Isoko South constituency 11 in the state house of Assembly among others, alleged that without the knowledge of the family they have gone round extorting millions of naira from governments of all level, cooperate bodies and individuals.
“They branded themselves political sons of our late illustrious son, going about collecting millions of naira from people, governments of all level even cooperate bodies without carrying along the only son of late Dr. Abel Ubeku or any member of the family. These fraudulent persons who have branded themselves as political sons of our son even went ahead and singlehandedly fixed a date for the burial of our son. What an insult and desperation to amass wealth corruptly. Most annoying is that Ogba, Odueme and others have insisted that the only son is not actually the son to the late Ubeku unless a DNA must be conducted. On his own too, the only son have insisted that an autopsy must be conducted to know the cause of the death of his father before hurriedly to burial his father.” an aggrieved family member stated.
The branded “Political Sons” had fixed May, 3rd, 2014 for the burial ceremony of late Ubeku, but this the family members revolted against saying they have no right to fix any date for the burial of their son without their consent.
In a press statement made available to the press, signed by the only surviving brother of late Ubeku, Pastor Elkanah Ubeku on behalf of the entire family dismissed the said date stressing that no date has been fixed yet contrary to speculation making the round that the burial is schedule to commence May 3rd.
The family also said that they haven’t set up any committee to plan the burial or mandated anyone to do so adding that the family have not mandated any individuals or groups to oversee the burial plan of the illustrious Isoko leader.
“The family is yet to meet with regards to the burial of our late father, uncle and brother. Any arrangement with these individuals is at own peril. Therefore, the family will communicate the date of the burial to the entire public in due course”.
Meanwhile, in a suit NO. HCO/35/2014, between the only son of late Ubeku, Mr. Emetomo Ubeku (Claimant/Applicant) and Mrs. Beatrice Obiageli Ubeku, Miss Flora Ubeku and Venerable .S. Igein Isemede (Defendants/Respondents) at the Oleh high court, sitting in Oleh, Isoko South local government area of Delta state, the claimant prayed the court to grant him an order of interlocutory injunction.
The court yesterday granted the claimant, an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants/respondents, their agents, servants and/or removing from the military hospital mortuary in Ikoyi-Lagos or dealing with the body/corpse and carrying out any ceremony relating to and connecting with the burial of late Abel Kpogidi Ubeku, pending the substantive suit.
An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Ist defendant/respondent interfering, operating the current Account No. 000190401901 with Citi bank plc, Victoria-Island branch, Lagos, First Bank of Nigeria plc, Diamond Bank plc, Zenith Bank plc and any other account owned by the late Dr. Abel Ubeku pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Our correspondent authoritatively gathered that the so called “political sons” through the power that be in Asaba, have reached out to a newly elevated Isoko born Court of Appeal Judge to prevail on the presiding Oleh high court Judge to suspend the court injunction granted the only son of late Ubeku.
In another release on behalf of the family, the spokesperson of the family, Mr. Jefferson Ubeku informed the general public that the burial date of late Dr. Abel Ubeku has still not been officially announced or fixed.
According to the family “More worrisome is the fact that, the activities of the so called “Political Sons” who breached with impunity the normal burial tradition, discussing, fixing and agreeing on a burial date without the consent and involvement of the only son (Emetomo Ubeku), comes as a shock to the family.
“The only son has said “I am amazed to know that my step mother and eldest step sister in connivance with the so called “Political Sons” with reckless impunity abrogate powers and impose burial arrangements on me. My patience has been trampled on and taken too far and I have sought the courts by a court injunction to exercise my fundamental rights as a son”. We thank the general public and all well wishers in these trying times that we need to address these axis of evil causing rift within the family.” the release stressed.
All effort to reach the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Chief Solomon Ogba, for comments proved abortive as he was said to be out of the country but when a text message was sent to another actor in the whole saga Mr. Fred Odueme, staff of Vanguard Newspapers been used to block all publications by the only son in Vanguard Newspapers rebuffed sms sent to him.
Also contacted, one of the “political sons”, Mr. Sam Ogrih, who narrated how the “political sons” financed the overseas treatment of the late Ubeku till his demise and none of the family members accusing them came out.
“ Where were all these family members crying wolf when their son was sick, where were they when we took him abroad for treatment till he died, they all abandoned this man to his fate and now that is dead they are coming out in order to use him to make money or share his properties. We have always carried the family members along from day one and there was nothing we have done in secrecy since the demise of the man. The man, Ubeku is larger than the family, even the Araya community because of his status in life.
“We have never collected a dime from Delta state government, cooperate bodies, groups or individuals as been insinuated by some members of the family. We only communicated the state government of his demise and date chosen by the family members. We have to tax ourselves, use our own money for the burial and we have never collected a dime from anybody for the burial. We said, we will not solicit for funds or borrow from anybody to bury this man. I have received several threat messages from some members of the family that we should back out from the burial arrangements and the question is that where were they when this man has been sick.”
As at the time of this report, tension has continued to mount Araya community following the stand of the “political sons” who have concluded plans to flood the area with soldiers and insisted to go ahead with the burial despite the warning of the family and court injunction.
