Afikpo North local government council chairman, Mrs. Obiageri Oko Enyim, is at loggerhead with her elder brother, Chief Ogbonnia Oko Enyim, over whose right it is to bury their late father’s corpse.
Late Simon Oko Enyim from Amasiri community Afikpo North local government area of Ebonyi State, died on 25th February, 2020.
Obiageri and Ogbonnia are of the same father but not same mother. Ogbonnia Oko Enyim was the immediate past chairman of Afikpo North local government area, owhile Obiageri succeeded him last year when local government and councillorship elections were conducted across the 13 local government area of the state.
Ogbonnia had secured a return ticket for another term as Chairman of the local government when PDP primaries was conducted before the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic. The local government and councillorship elections after the party primaries, could not hold following the pandemic and the primaries was repeated. But Ogbonnia Oko Enyim, was asked not to re-contest the primaries by the powers that be while his younger sister, Obiageri contested the primaries and was elected the local government chairman.
Governor Dave Umahi appointed Oko Enyim, his Special Assistant on School Monitoring in charge of Afikpo North LGA. But Oko Enyim resigned the appointment last week citing the state government’s interference in the burial of his father.
His resignation letter read thus “Your Excellency, your preference to my younger sister to me for reasons best known to you have compelled me to take this decision in order to avoid rancor and acrimony.
“Your Excellency, against every known traditions and good conscience, your decision to interfere and deny me my right as the first son to organize a befitting burial for my father in line with my already concluded arrangements, after spending fortunes is not acceptable to me.
“I hereby resign my appointment as SA under your administration with immediate effect. Kindly accept the assurances of my warmest regards. Thanks for everything”.
The former council Chairman fixed the burial of his father for April 8, 2021 while Obiageri fixed the burial of the same person for May 8, 2021.
A burial announcement released by Oko Enyim stated that there will be traditional wake and cultural service songs at the late sage country home Uhu Oka Ihie, Opi autonomous community in the area on 7th April, 2021.
But Obiageri yesterday warned against the burial of their father on 8th April, 2021and vowed that law enforcement agencies will arrest and prosecute anyone planning cause breach of public peace by doing any burial of their father on the date other her chosen date for the burial.