Joy knew no bounds in the hearts of widows of late monarchs of Imo State as they individually received N1 million burial rites of their late husbands from the Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chairman, Community Policing, HRM, Eze E.C. Okeke, The Eze-Udo 11 of Amaifeke Ancient Kingdom, Orlu Local Government Area.
The money was given to the Ugoezes on Thursday at the Ezeimo’s Palace in company of their Local Government Area Council of Traditional Rulers Chairmen, with Ezeimo encouraging them to use the money judiciously, even as he told them to bear the loss of their beloved husbands with fortitude, believing that God will not let them suffer as He knew better why their husbands died.
Eze Okeke who noted that such a gesture was in line with the “tradition and agreement with all our traditional rulers, that any of our member who passed away- we give N1 million burial rites and some other rites to his Ugoeze or family. Our office generally always releases the money to them. Chairman of the monarchs in that zone has right to visit them every two months and giving them something because they belong to us. Their husbands came, saw and conquered by controlling their kingdom well till death. It is our tradition to honor the dead and we do such through their widows or Ugoezes.
Eze Imo noted that eleven Ugoezes benefited from the money, saying the gesture was first of its kind in the state since this year, reflecting that the tradition and culture of Imo State remain solid and the same hence the monarchs are mourning the late monarchs. “We felt bad on the death of our fellow Ezes and we heartily condole with their loved ones, families and subjects”.
Thanking Ezeimo for the kindness shown on the widows and families of the late monarchs, Chairman, Njaba Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH, Eze Anthony Ndubueze Onyeka, said that the benevolence demonstrated by the Council of Traditional Rulers of Imo State led by HRM, Eze EC Okeke, was a mark of good leadership, love and care for widows and the needy, thanking God for saving his life.
However, the late monarchs whose widows got their N1 burial rites were: Eze ACA Ojinaka, Njaba, Eze Stephen U Ugochukwu, Aboh Mbaise, Eze Fortunatus Nwoke, Isu, Eze Hyacinth O Onyenakeya, Isiala Mbano, Eze AU Chikezie, Mbaitoli, Eze GA Mbionwu, Ideato South, Eze VA Onuoha, Ehime Mbano, Eze Barr. AEA Durueburuo, Njaba, Eze Sampson Osenwa, Njaba, Eze AEO Emeforonu, Ehime Mbano and Eze Pharm Edmund Nwosu, Orlu.
