By Onyebuchi Ezigbo

There are indications that the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu will be accorded full military honours in keeping with the tradition of the Nigerian Army.

The plan by the Army came just as the Chairman of the national committee for the burial of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, former Supreme Court Justice, Chukwudifu Oputa described the late Ikemba as a rare patriot who lived a life of unflinching love for his fatherland.

THISDAY learnt that the move by the military to take over Ikemba's burial has the support of the Presidency which has directed the Military High Command to take charge of the body till it is interred.

Ojukwu was a very senior military officer and the first Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria before the civil war broke out. After he was granted full pardon, Ojukwu had all his benefits restored as a retired officer.

A family source told THISDAY that with the involvement of the army, all protocols relating to the movement of the body, including the coffin, clothing and logistics is to be taken over by the military.

"The Army has assured that it would be involved in the burial of late Ojukwu and that it would accord him all the military rites due to a senior military officer of his stature," he said.

Meanwhile, as part of the burial activities for the late Igbo leader, a ceremony is being held today in Zungeru, Niger State where the Ikemba was born.

I wonder how MASSOB and other Igbo separatists would take having to watch the Nigerian Military handle the burial ceremonies of their leader and mentor. I sincerely hope this burial will pass without incident.

This was a man who ditched his kinsmen after bringing the wrath of Nigerian soldiers on them.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/641056_Oju_running__jpg888d71a0b0c6970f990d5f854995ae9a

[size=28pt]. . .On his way to Abidjan!
[/size]

Disguised like a woman.

Love aboki, hate aboki; aboki is still the savviest political animal in Nigeria -by far.

I knew that they (through the army) would do something like this-basically kill two birds with one stone: (1) claim Ojukwu as theirs, and (2) deny MASSOB an opportunity to shine in the limelight which may even enable them to garner some international clout through contacts with foreign visitors.

I started smelling a rat when[b] ndu_chucks[/b] put up a thread here asking that Ojukwu be buried in Zungeru, Northern Nigeria.

Well, o ji ihe nwata welie aka ya elu, emechaa aka egbube ya, owetuo aka ya! FACT.  

This move has IBB written all over it.

Onlytruth:

This move has IBB written all over it.

This move has sanity written all over it. If he's a Nigerian hero as most seem to agree why allow his burial rites to be handled by a group of clandestine disorganized separatist? IMO, this is the ultimate honour Nigeria can grant the former rebel leader. Anything less would have made a mockery of the pardon he received and the accolades from all quarters that followed his death.

wesley80:

This move has sanity written all over it. If he's a Nigerian hero as most seem to agree why allow his burial rites to be handled by a group of clandestine disorganized separatist? IMO,[b] this is the ultimate honour Nigeria can grant the former rebel leader. [/b]Anything less would have made a mockery of the pardon he received and the accolades from all quarters that followed his death.

If you believe that this is aimed at stopping only MASSOB, then you may have missed part of the deal.
Methinks that this is meant to prevent ALL separatists from taking advantage of Ojukwu's burial to make hay.
This has LITTLE to do with honoring Ojukwu. It is a preemptive strike against separatism. There is an ongoing contest for the Igbo soul.
Those doing this will have to do much more than this to pull the Igbo back into Nigeria.

Massob are buncha thugs.

It won't happen. Watch out

Well said, he deserved it 100%.

Osiris.211:

This was a man who ditched his kinsmen after bringing the wrath of Nigerian soldiers on them.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/641056_Oju_running__jpg888d71a0b0c6970f990d5f854995ae9a

[size=28pt]. . .On his way to Abidjan!
[/size]

Disguised like a woman.

Is that Ojukwu's when he was running to Abidjan?

massob has failed again

~Bluetooth:


Massob are buncha thugs.

I concur

Osiris.211:

This was a man who ditched his kinsmen after bringing the wrath of Nigerian soldiers on them.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/641056_Oju_running__jpg888d71a0b0c6970f990d5f854995ae9a

[size=28pt]. . .On his way to Abidjan!
[/size]

Disguised like a woman.

may God punish you seven times a day.
@topic, this will not happen. i am sure that this will not. massob will fight with the last drop of the blood to stop the nigeria army. the army should just prepare for a show down

Chei! see Billions of Naira 'running away'!

Will all these people with various burial committees then
refund the money raised already

Osiris.211:

This was a man who ditched his kinsmen after bringing the wrath of Nigerian soldiers on them.

www.nairaland.com/attachments/641056_Oju_running__jpg888d71a0b0c6970f990d5f854995ae9a

[size=28pt]. . .On his way to Abidjan!
[/size]

Disguised like a woman.

are you sure of this?

Ojukwu deserves full military burial.  Reason is that though he rebeled against the nation, he has been granted national pardon along with all those who fought as soldiers on the side of Biafra, and all his entitlements restored before he died. Thus, he died like any other retired military officer who is entitled to full military burial commensurate to the rank on retirement. That is to say, Ojukwu will be buried like any late Lieutenant Colonel of the Nigerian Army.

For those of you claimnig, imagining or concocting some hidden motives of govt, there is nothing hidden here. Therefore, delete such notions from your minds immediately, for the national good.

In all respect , he deserves it  as the stae has granted him full pardon.   It will be a dishonour to him if anybody in the name of anything either as government or separatist deny him that.   This to me is a plus on the part of the government. There is no ulterior motive here except from those who having it all will never be transiently satisfied with.

we don't need the army to be involved. this will only bring wahala. massob will not stand by and watch their leader desecrated by the same nigeria army that committed genocide against her people. biafra alive because it is God who made it so.

Buried by government or Massob, Ojukwu status as a hero is just beginning with his death.

Besides, who said MASSOB cannot rebury him?

At this guy.  Do not stay in you house behind one laptop and be thinking of some persons to fight what you  wish you fight  go out on your own if you are disgruntled and fight the Nigerian Army with your last blood, Silly      There is no desecration here, when the man alive, he, didn't refuse the military entitlements given to him because He worked for it and deserves it if not more.  So who are you to deny him in his death. I guess Massob and the rest will remove all pictures that had him wearing the army uniform and insigna.    "Emotions could really blind reason trully" Bishop TD Jakes.

^^^^^ point B God bless you

If this is true, then the family of Ojukwu should be grateful to Gen. Yakubu Gowon cos without the pardon, this honour would never have been possible. No victor, no vanquished.




Oh btw, no one's fighting for the soul of igboland. Just saying.

The poverty striken disoriented and disenchanted few in this forum are just busy dying in anger over every single accolade given to this Icon, when the people that matter, the high and the mighty are falling over themselves, trying to identify with the man Ikemba, atleast for one more and the last time.

KDULAR:

At this guy.  Do not stay in you house behind one laptop and be thinking of some persons to fight what you  wish you fight  go out on your own if you are disgruntled and fight the Nigerian Army with your last blood, Silly      There is no desecration here, when the man alive, he, didn't refuse the military entitlements given to him because He worked for it and deserves it if not more.  So who are you to deny him in his death. I guess Massob and the rest will remove all pictures that had him wearing the army uniform and insigna.    "Emotions could really blind reason trully" Bishop TD Jakes.  

i hope you will be alive to see what will happen on that day

IYA NGBALI:

massob has failed again

On the contrary, Massob has wresttled Nigeria to the ground. If not for their (Massob) activities, Nigeria would have buried Ojukwu like a nobody. This is just the beginning, next is to beg Igbo to become president in other to fight Massob. I laf in "asusu anyi". I am glad, let Nigeria continue to fight Massob this way, who knows, even our infrastructures will be developed and morons will continue to laugh that Massob is being defeated.
as for Ojukwu's burial, Nigeria can take his body to Abuja and that wont stop a thing on the impending honour for him.

As for Biafra, Nigeria should stop the injustice and accept us as fellow Nigerians with equal rights. If this current trend continues, Biafra is inevitable. Ojukwu's burial is not really the issue.

Weldone Massob!!!

Irrespective of how he going 2 b buried he still remain hero in Nigeria, yesterday, 2day n 2moro. So no body can take that away 4rm him, GA NKE OMA IKEMBA NILE. Am out.

Ogbonaikenna:

we don't need the army to be involved. this will only bring wahala. massob will not stand by and watch their leader desecrated by the same nigeria army that committed genocide against her people. biafra alive because it is God who made it so.

They can't handle Azikiwe of Africa, why give 'em Ojukwu?

GEJ shld at least intervene in this one for the igbos.

Not hope I'll be there and give you full details and Guess what it will be one of the best moment of my life because the Man is not just a Nigerian,that embodies some of the qualities I look for, my Hero but the few that deserves a thing like that.  

I guess some of this , are just being puerile and jealous of the Man. HE DESERVES AND HE SHOULD GET IT
AND NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO DENY HIM. EVEN IF THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT LIKE IT, IT HAS GOT TO CHOICE TO DO IT. OJUKWU WAS AND IS NOT AN ENEMY OF THE STATE BUT M, B IS. THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT CAN STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING IS HIS FAMILY

NIGERIANS f'n complain a lot, if they didn't honour Ojukwu (r.i.p.) by giving him a befitting burial now,na so so complain you go dey hear. Now they've chosen to do this,people still dey complain. Ojukwu was a soldier of the Nigerian Army & the military has chosen to recognise theirs as a veteran (even though he retired a long time ago). What is wrong with that? All the cost of the burial would probably be on the army, what is wrong with them giving him a military burial if the military chose to honor theirs?

Onlytruth:

Love aboki, hate aboki; aboki is still the savviest political animal in Nigeria -by far.

I knew that they (through the army) would do something like this-basically kill two birds with one stone: (1) claim Ojukwu as theirs, and (2) deny MASSOB an opportunity to shine in the limelight which may even enable them to garner some international clout through contacts with foreign visitors.

I started smelling a rat when[b] ndu_chucks[/b] put up a thread here asking that Ojukwu be buried in Zungeru, Northern Nigeria.

You and all members of MASSOB, Movement for the Actualization of the Soveriegn State of Biafra, belong in jail for treasonous offences.  By the very name of your organization, you declare that your cause is indeed treasonous. You want to take control of Ikemba's burial and use the ocasion for political purposes, yet you expect the rest of us patriotic Nigerians to allow you to do it without any reaction?  You and your lot are the most self destructive and political novices that I've ever encountered.

I'm glad the Army has picked up Ikemba's body now -  that will prevent any barbarian rituals that you are planning. Ikemba should be buried where fallen decorated Generals are buried - let's hope they pick a location in Zungeru. I'm not sure any such burial facilities are located in Nnewi.

NIGERIANS f'n complain a lot, if they didn't honour Ojukwu (r.i.p.) by giving him a befitting burial now,na so so complain you go dey hear. Now they've chosen to do this,people still dey complain. Ojukwu was a soldier of the Nigerian Army & the military has chosen to recognise theirs as a veteran (even though he retired a long time ago). What is wrong with that? All the cost of the burial would probably be on the army, what is wrong with them giving him a military burial if the military chose to honor theirs?