Insecurity forcing bereaved families to perform funeral rites outside hometown – transport magnate, others

By Phil Okose, Onitsha

An Onitsha, Anambra State  based transport magnet, Chief Godwin Okeke, Chief Executive Officer, G.U Okeke Group of Companies, has disclosed that insecurity in the country especially in the Southeast geo-political zone, has forced bereaved families to perform burial rites of their beloved ones in cities outside their hometowns where security is assured.

Making this disclosure to newsmen during the burial ceremony of late Mrs. Paulina Nwamaka Mbaji, wife of an industrialist/oil magnet, Chief Cletus U. Mbaji, who hails from Achina community, Aguata Local Government Area, but held the funeral ceremony at All Sts. Anglican Cathedral Church field, Onitsha, Okeke prayed God to give the family the heart with which to bear the loss.

“I wish the bereaved family good luck, the children have to bury their mother. Their father, Chief Cletus Mbaji, myself and others live in same GRA, Onitsha. We jointly organised the security outfit in GRA and Mbaji is the pillar of security in GRA. We have been holding meetings in his house till today.

“God in His infinite mercy will give Chief Mbaji and his children the heart with which to bear the loss. The deceased was a mother to all who lived a life worthy of emulation,” he further disclosed.

In his own contribution, the chairman of Isi Achina community, Onitsha branch, Chief Donatus Ezeanuna, (a.k.a. War Material), corraborated the position of Chief Okeke that insecurity has caused people to bury their dead or perform burial ceremony outside their hometowns.

“It is because of insecurity that they shifted the burial ceremony to Onitsha instead of Achina, their country home. However, it may not be only insecurity that made them to hold the burial in Onitsha, but maybe they resolved to hold it here. The insecurity situation may not be for the Mbajis but for those that would travel to Achina and the family may not want any unforeseen catastrophe to happen to those who have come to mourn with them.

“When my mother died we did her burial ceremony in Achina, without having security and nothing happened.

“I pray God to give the bereaved family the heart with which to bear the loss, their father, Ide, and deceased morher, are loved by all,” he further explained.

Also in his contribution, the former chairman of Isi Achina community, Onitsha branch, Chief Ochili Vincent, advised the Federal and State Governments to beef up security to curtail fear of uncertainty which people continue to nurse every now and then.

“It is because of insecurity in Anambra State that they resolved to organize the burial ceremony here in Onitsha instead of Achina to avoid any unpleasant situation that may befall those who may come to sympathize with the bereaved family,” he hinted.

The ex-chairman, an ex-offcio, added that, “All people from Aguata Local Government Area are in fear of uncertainty, Government at all levels should come to our rescue, we no longer go home as we used to do,” he stated.