Nkpa community, home of Professors, shun burial of monarch

There were indications over the weekend that highly placed sons of Etiti Nkpa community in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State may have abandoned the remains of their highly revered traditional ruler, the late Eze Chijioke Duruibe, to his immediate family alone to bury.

This is because, according to privileged information, all attempts by members of the burial committee of the late monarch to get the many professors, doctors, business moguls and other professionals that litter the area has failed as the people has decided to shun their financial responsibilities towards the burial of the Eze Udo II of Etiti Nkpa Autonomous Community, Eze (Dr.) Chijioke Duruibe, even few days to the burial date.

Amongst those who are the high and mighty in the area include legal luminaries from the state to even ECOWAS level, and a business merchant, Ambassador Okechi Mbatu, who shuttles between Lagos and USA in the course of his business.

Others include Prof. Okechi Egekwu who is based in the US, an NNPC senior Manager, Noble Uwaoma and a retired managing Director of defunct Citizens Bank and now a businessman, Chukwunweike Uwaoma.

There are also Hon. Solomon Chibuzor Okogbue; the APGA member representing Bende South in Abia State House of Assembly, and the Minority Leader in the House, a Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church, Ukwa District, Rev. Emeka Adiele and Comrade Chris Ndubuisi Okoro, the state Chairman, Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) of NLC.

Amongst the list also is a US-based medical doctor, Dr. Ekugo and all other wealthy Ekugos in the Central Bank of Nigeria and overseas.

There is Dr. Onyemachi and his brothers who are successful Engineers, Medical Doctors, Pharmacists and many more.

Report has it that following the fixing of the date of the burial soonest, a burial committee was formed where it was expected to raise up to N2.5 million to assist in the burial of the late traditional ruler who was said to be good to his subjects while alive.

However, few days to the burial date, according to a source, people of the community have not been able to live up to their financial obligation towards the burial, thus making it imperative that Eze Duruibe may be buried like a foul, quietly or the burial may be postponed to a later date due to fund scarcity.

Not even Etiti Nklpa community alone, the entire Nkpa community has over 20 professors and other educated and wealthy men at home and abroad who are in the position to ensure that the “nice” royal father was buried gracefully.

Other Nkpa people include the former Director General of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Professor Godswill Obioma; Prof. Ogbonnaya Onwudike, the Head of Administration of NLC National Directorate in Abuja, Emmanuel Ugboaja and the Egejurus in London.

Others include the Idimas, Barrister Okpom and his brothers, both at home and abroad.

The list of those from Nkpa community that would make the burial of the late traditional ruler tick is inexhaustible, even when they contribute peanuts to that effect.

All efforts to reach the family proved abortive as the first son was allegedly expected from Port Harcourt where he resides, while also all attempts to get in touch with the person said to be the chairman of the burial committee and the President of the community and who is also the State Chairman of NC arm of NLC in Abia State, Chris Ndubuisi Okoro, was not successful.

The burial, it was said, may bring shame to the home of Professors in Bende LGA, Nkpa should all who were contacted to assist continue to abstain from their financial obligations towards the ceremony that would come at the end of the week.

However also, all attempts to find out from Hon. Solomon Okogbue why the burial of the late Eze Chijioke Duruibe, the Eze Udo II of Etiti Nkpa Autonomous Community, could not hold proved abortive as he was not seen in his constituency office or in his House of Assembly office.

Solomon Chibuzor Okogbue as the APGA member representing Bende South in Abia State House of Assembly, and the Minority Leader in the House, is in the position to mobilise others from his community to give the late royal father a befitting burial, but as it is today, this may be far from actuality.

The source said in utter disappointment and dismay: “This is bad, as the community parades an array of professors and people that matter in the state, country and the world at large. One person or two can bring in the money but they don’t want to do so. We heard that as at today, (Saturday), barely one week to the burial, not more than N200, 000.00 has been realised. We should be ashamed of ourselves and the rich in Nkpa should bury their heads in shame should this happen”.