Constitution review: ‘Won’t bury our monarch until…’

By Chinenye Ozor

Nsukka—Traditional rulers in Enugu North Senatorial District of Enugu State have said the former chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe of Eha-Alumona, Dr. Charles Abangwu, who died on July 14, will not be buried unless the proposed Adada State was created as an additional state for the Igbo.

The traditional rulers gave the condition for the burial of their late colleague at the public hearing on constitutional amendment at Obollo-Afor.

Late Abangwu had asked for the creation of Adada out of the present Enugu State as a parting gift for before he died. The proposed state topped all the issues discussed during hearing in the South-East zone.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers and Igwe of Essodo Kingdom, Igboeze North Local Government, Dr. Simeon Itodo, said Abangwu’s corpse would remain in the morgue as long as the prayers of his people were not answered by the Federal Government.

Itodo, a Second Republic member of the House of Representatives, explained that Abangwu, who died at 96, had been in the fore-front for the creation of the new state in the last 25 years.

He said about four months before Abangwu died, the late monarch had pleaded with the Presidency and National Assemblies to give him Adada State as a parting gift, which was wildly published in the media.

Last week, members of the Enugu State House of Assembly in a unanimous decision, urged the National Assembly to create Adada out of Enugu State.

Itodo said: “Abangwu had asked and pleaded for the creation of Adada State and we cannot bury him unless his request is granted. Until Adada State is created, let the government do whatever it wants with his corpse, but we will continue to keep it in the mortuary. His spirit leaves on.”