GOVERNOR'S PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO THE GREAT ODUMEGWU OJUKWU.HIS FUNERAL

*Governors Obi, Okorocha, Orji, Elechi pay tributes

ENUGU – FROM Owerri to Aba through Enugu to Abakaliki, the South-East geo-political zone was literarily shut down yesterday as the outpouring of grief and tributes ushering the remains of late Elder statesman and former Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu into the country hit his native Igbo land.

Owerri, the Imo State Capital has been charged since Monday afternoon when Ojukwu’s corpse was flown into the city and the showers of tributes on the late Eze Igbo Gburugburu continued yesterday as his remains were carried through the heart of the territory he once carved out as the Republic of Biafra.

To enable residents participate fully in the funeral activities, the Enugu State Government, which received the corpse yesterday has declared tomorrow a public holiday just as President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to arrive the Coal City for tomorrow’s ceremony in the city.

Governors of the South-East states such as Peter Obi (Anambra), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Theodore Orji (Abia) and Martin Elechi (Ebonyi) led a host of Igbo leaders and politicians to shower tributes on Ojukwu, yesterday.

The carnival in Owerri
In Owerri, the night of tributes organized by Imo State Government turned out to be a political carnival of sorts. Every inch of the Ikemba Ojukwu Convention Centre and the Heroes’ Square was covered by a combination of Ikemba’s political allies, military personnel, friends, relations, government functionaries and loyalists of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB.

Addressing the mammoth crowd, Governor Okorocha, called for the creation of an additional state in the South East geo-political zone, stressing that this would be a befitting way to immortalize the departed Igbo hero.”The late icon was courageous and religiously committed to Igbo cause. He fought for justice and for the interest of his people. Ndigbo believe in the nation’s unity and have over the years shed their blood in this regard.”

A Crowd during the funeral rites in honour of Late Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, yesterday, in Aba, Abia State. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Noting that Igbo were upwardly mobile and live in all nook and crannies of Nigeria, Okorocha however, regretted that Ndigbo were first to be killed whenever and wherever there was any crisis in the country..

Other dignitaries that paid glowing tribute to the fallen hero included Imo State Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso; State Chief Judge, Justice Benjamin Njemanze;  National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh; and Senator Osita Izunaso.

…Enyimba City agog
In like manner, Aba, the Abia State industrial hub, stood still as Ojukwu’s corpse was brought into the city.

As early as 8am, thousands of Aba residents had trooped to the Enyimba Stadium, Aba, where Ojukwu’s body was being expected. And thousands of residents lined the streets of Aba, particularly the streets leading and those adjoining the stadium, waving and singing Ojukwu’s praises.

Security in and around the stadium, coordinated by senior army officers, was heavy. At least three Armoured Personnel Carriers, APC, and scores of patrol vans belonging to the army, police and navy were stationed in and around the stadium.

Governors Obi, Okorocha and Orji were present at the ceremony.

At about 11.10am, a military helicopter painted in army camouflaged colour, which brought Ojukwu’s remains to the stadium landed at the stadium, and the governors led by Orji went to receive the corpse.

At about 11. 50am, the casket bearing Ojukwu remains, draped in Nigerian colour of green-white-green, carried by senior military officers and overseen by Major General Sylvester Audu, the outgoing Commander of 14 Brigade, Ohafia, was ushered into the middle of the stadium amid cheers from the crowd.

In his remark during a short sermon, Catholic Bishop of Aba, Most Rev. C.C. Ezeonyia commended the leadership qualities of late Ojukwu, whom he described as very talented. “We have suffered a great loss. We lost so excellent a man, who pulled himself out for Igbo race. He laid down his life for the people, he will be missed by all,” he said.

Why we’re celebrating Ojukwu – Orji
Governor Orji said that Abia people were celebrating Ojukwu because his impact on Abia would for ever be felt. According to him, the War Museum and Ojukwu Bunker in Umuahia, the state capital were everlasting monuments.

Describing Ojukwu as as a detribalized Nigerian, having been born in the North, schooled in theWest and hailed from the East, Orji said the revered Igbo leader fought for injustice and stood firmly for the liberation of his people from injustice.

In his remarks, Gov. Peter Obi, who, with his wife, Margaret, accompanied the remains of Ojukwu back from London on Monday and who visited him nine times when he was sick, said he was always overwhelmed by the type of honour Nigerians accord Ojukwu both at home and elsewhere.

Obi said that Ojukwu’s name had become a byword for justice and asked rhetorically how many Nigerians today would support such an ideal without asking what material benefit would come out of it.

The governor however, advised Nigerians to go beyond sloganeering about what Ojukwu lived for by striving to embrace peace and love. “We all must move beyond mouthing of slogans about how Ojukwu was married to justice to turning those ideals into what will be of benefit to humanity,” he said.

Ojukwu product of historical circumstance –  Elechi

In Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State Capital, Governor Elechi described the late Ikemba Nnewi as a product of historical circumstance, whose demise had caused an outpouring of grief and sorrow to the Nigerian state and Ndigbo in particular.

Speaking at the Obsequies in honour of Ojukwu held at the Sports Stadium, Abakaliki, he noted that the late soldier with his indomitable courage, personality, colour and action would have been able to proffer useful solutions to some of the socio-political challenges facing the nation at this time.

“For Ojukwu, the world was not simply a stage upon which he came and had his exit but rather a stage upon which he came and left with a difference.”

He said: “Although Ezeigbo Gburugburu has caused an outpouring of grief and sorrows to the Nigerian state and Ndigbo in particular, it is not so much the fact of death which is our common heritage that makes us sorrow at his passage, but that our war hero, a soldier of great prowess, a man of indomitable courage and a personality of colour and action, died after many months of motionlessness in his bed of pains.

“But with the convulsion on the Nigerian political scene, secession became synonymous with Ojukwu; Biafra became synonymous with Ojukwu and rebellion became synonymous with Ojukwu. These historical circumstances have become inseparable for the name of Ojukwu. Each of these clinches is an alter ego of a historian who shaped the history of his fatherland and at the same time, became a product of historical circumstance.

“For Ojukwu, the world was not simply a stage upon which he came and had his exit; he came upon it and left it with a difference. Within the coordinates of his own time and space, he twisted the state; he rocked the stage and reconstructed the stage with a firm imprint of his personality on the thoughts and memories of his contemporaries”

The event witnessed laying of wreaths by guests including former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu, governors of Imo and Anambra states and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Dave Umahi among others.

Enugu declares public holiday for Ojukwu

In Enugu, the  state government has declared Thursday,  March 1, 2012, a public holiday in honour of Odumegwu Ojukwu.

A statement signed by Chukwudi Achife, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sullivan Chime, said that the holiday was to enable Enugu citizens attend and participate actively in the National Burial and Funeral ceremonies of the deceased statesman that will hold the same day at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu.

According to him, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Goodluck will be in attendance at the ceremony which will commence by 10am.

The statement, enjoined all citizens, market associations, traders, artisans and students to turn up en masse to participate in the activity and give due honour to the departed hero.

It also reminded the public of the Requiem Mass that will be held in honour of Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu at the Holy Ghost Cathedral on Wednesday, February 29, by 10am and the evening of tributes that will hold at the Enugu Sports Centre same day.

Enugu  receives Ojukwu
Meanwhile, yesterday evening, the remains of Ojukwu arrived Enugu, where he had spent the rest of his life after returning from exile in 1982.

He was received at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport by Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr Sunday Onyebuchi, who led members of the State Executive Council, top military officers and  eminent personalities.

His remains had earlier been received at Aba, Abia State and Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital before returning to Enugu.

From the airport, the long convoy drove to the Government House at exactly 6.18pm and was greeted with the traditional 21 gun salute before a solemn mass was conducted for the late Ikemba Nnewi.

Professor Monsignor Obiora Ike of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu conducted the mass where Ojukwu’s widow read the first lesson from Acts of Apostles chapter 20 verses 11 to 21. Wife of Enugu State Governor, Mrs Clara Chime took the second lesson from St Paul 17 verses 7 to 14.