Arequiem mass organised for the late Socrates of the Supreme Court, Justice Chukwudife Oputa at his country home in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State was disrupted yesterday, when the first son of the former erudite judge, Charles Oputa, a.k.a Charley Boy prevented Governor Rochas Okorocha from paying tribute to his father.

Eye witnesses said that the mass which was conducted by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rt Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Oguta, went on smoothly until Okorocha was permitted by the
Bishop to pay his tribute to the fallen judge.

However, Chief Okorocha, was stopped midway into his speech, by Charley Boy who was visibly infruiated with Kukah for granting the governor the permission to speak.

He walked up angrily to the altar and snatched the micro-phone from the governor, to the embarrassment of all the dignitaries present. It was a disgrace to the governor.

Among eminent Nigerians present at the church service included representative of President Goodluck Jonathan, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Governors Willie Obiano (Anambra), Theodore Orji (Abia); the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha and former governors of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige and Mr Peter Obi respectively. Also present, were the former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim,, Senator Uche Chukwumerije and the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, the state Police Commsiioner, Almajid Ali and the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, for Oguta, Ikembuchukwu Abugu.

The intervention of Bishop Kukah could not assuage Charly Boy’s anger as he insisted that no politician would take advantage of his father’s burial to score “cheap political” goals. He insisted that the Governor should not speak at the event.

However, obviously embarrassed by Charley Boy’s action, the Governor and members his entourage hurriedly left the church service mid -way, despite entreaties from the officiating Bishop Kuka for them to stay on.

It was gathered that Charly Boy’s action followed a recent statement by Government House, Owerri, to the effect that the Oputa family was given N20 million to assist it in the burial arrangements.

Sources told Saturday Vanguard, however, that “the family never received a dime from either Okorocha or the state government, not to talk ofthe alleged N20 million said to have been made available to them,’’ as reported by a section of the media.

Earlier in his sermon, Bishop who lauded the virtues of Justice Oputa, stressed that “to tolerate a son like Charley Boy by a man of late Justice Oputa’s reputation, is a measure of the greatness of the
man.” He called on Nigerians to stand up in defence of justice and equity, adding that late Oputa had serious liking for the concept of justice and equity during his life time.

”Oputa before he died, was worried about the quality of Nigerian lawyers and judges because he believed in the judiciary as the last hope of the nation. Today, his legacies are beyond his
immediate family,” Bishop Kuka said

Meanwhile, the state government has described the incident that played out at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Oguta, as “ugly and regrettable.” According to a statement by the Seniour Special Assistant, SSA, Media, to Governor Okorocha, Mr Sam Onwuemodo, “It is highly regrettable that the son of the late Justice, Mr Charles Emeka Oputa, aka,
Charly Boy, threw caution to the wind and turned the church service into a political theatre that saw him acting or playing out the script he drafted in
Abuja with some Imo politicians, who have remained cowed by the overwhelming popularity of Governor Rochas Okorocha.” Onwuemeodo insisted that the state government
made “substantial financial input and also organized a special day of tributes for the late Justice Oputa at the expense of state government with Charly Boy also present with other members of the family.

”We condemn that ugly incident and also wish to advise politicians from the state to stop heating up the polity over power since God is the giver of power.

In 2015, God will decide who will be
governor of Imo State and when God decides that, there is nothing anybody can do about it.”

He did not make to reference to the N20m said to have been given to the family.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/06/n20m-controversy-charly-boy-disgraces-okorocha-oputas-burial/#sthash.zN7xETxc.dpuf

#BringBackOurLikes

Bro u are not alone, my likes have been reduced to the lowest minimum. Well, it was an attack thank God we didn't lose nairaland itself. *why would the government want to cash in on the burial of the icon the score a cheap political score? RIP Oputa!

lol

Odunharry: lol

harry z not a laughing matter o

i support charly Boy on this one. Most of these politician are only after where they will score some cheap popularity

Picture/video of Charly boy grabbing the microphone from Okorocha or I refuse to believe.

berem: Picture/video of Charly boy grabbing the microphone from Okorocha or I refuse to believe.

Picture/Video of Berem taking bath this week or i refuse to believe.

serves him right, nigerian politicians are always looking for the slightest opportunity to score cheap points, propaganda everywhere, talk, talk, talk, talk with no action.

...he is over 60 but he is still a boy!......#politics

It was very foolish and insensitive of Rochas Okorocha not to respect the wishes of late justice Oputa not to turn his funeral into a political carnival of any sort.
He did that at the Imo international conference centre when he called up APC chairman, John Oyegun to come and eulogise the late justice during the colloquim event and Charly boy walked away with the whole family and he still replicated that by trying to score political points that he gave the Oputa family N200 million for the funeral when it was obvious that he was lying.
Though Charly boy went too far in snatching the microphone from his state governor publicly, but Okorocha should learn to draw a line between lies, politics and family wishes.

berem: Picture/video of Charly boy grabbing the microphone from Okorocha or I refuse to believe.

Are you this dumb just because your Party member was insulted and you are trying to hold briefs for him?

@OP, what Charley Boy did was uncalled for and utterly despicable. There's something called 'respect', and he'd have displayed some decorum before acting like a dumbàss. There are better ways to air his grievances than stooping this low.

fingard02k: i support charly Boy on this one. Most of these politician are only after where they will score some cheap popularity

True, like Ameachi

Nobody respects the iidiot, Okorocha, because he has no common sense and can't control the urge in him to run his mouth.....The man who opened his mouth and insulted the Anambrarians. This is just the beginning . If I were Charley Boy I would have rendered a sweet hot slap on the fool.

Mr Renaissance: Are you this dumb just because your Party member was insulted and you are trying to hold briefs for him?

@OP, what Charley Boy did was uncalled for and utterly despicable. There's something called 'respect', and he'd have displayed some decorum before acting like a dumbàss. There are better ways to air his grievances than stooping this low.

Some people has lost all sense of morality, like Rochas like his dumb supporters....I'm not surprised....lol

Serves okorocha right. Am sure senator Chris anyanwu will be laughing her B utt off.

Lmao but his actions are so uncalled for.

Mumu rochas, APC/Northern houseboy. Useless slave. Serves him right.