All set for Ekwueme final journey

By Nwankwo onyinye

AWKA- AFTER months of preparations, everything appears set for Friday’s interment of the late second republic Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme. Ekwueme died in a London hospital last year and programmes for his burial started on January 19, 2018. When
South-East Voice visited Oko weekend, most of the preparations were in advanced stages of completion.
*Ngige interacting with Oko Chiefs who were planning for the burial of Dr. Alex Ekwueme
For instance, all the driveways inside the former vice-president’s compound were being asphalted by the Anambra State Government, which is also rehabilitating most of the internal roads in Oko and its environs to ensure free flow of traffic. Mounting of the gigantic tent where dignitaries would be entertained had also reached advanced stage and hotels and guest houses in Oko have been fully booked. Parking lots had been created on the outskirts of Oko from where shuttle buses would be stationed to ferry visitors to the venue of the burial.
The major road that passes through Oko is already wearing a new look with posters of the late Ekwueme mounted on the electric poles, with banners adorning all the entry points into the town.
At the palace of the traditional ruler of Oko, Igwe Laz Ekwueme, community leaders were seen putting finishing touches to their programmes. Igwe Ekwueme said during the visit that Oko people were taxing themselves physically, financially and labour-wise to give Ide Aguata a befitting burial. He, however, said that his community still needed assistance in many areas, suggesting that instead of relying sorely on the contractor appointed by the Federal Government to construct Ekwueme’s Mausoleum, government could give the community the fund to fast track it, knowing how important it is to the people. “If we wait for the government’s red tape, we might wait forever and time is no longer on our side,” he said