From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka

Oko community in Orumba North Local Government of Anambra State, hometown of late former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, will close markets and shops, in his honour, tomorrow.

President General of the town, Chief CY Nwamuo, told Daily Sun, yesterday, that the community is devastated by Ekwueme’s death.

Consequently, the community has decided to start the process of mourning him by declaring all indigenes of the town, wherever they live, should close shop on Thursday, just as the Eke Oko Market would also be closed, same day, in Ekwueme’s honour. Ekwueme, who died in London, last Sunday, at 85, was the Ide of Oko.

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Nwamuo said the community would seize tomorrow to remember their “illustrious son and would meet briefly at the Oko Civil Centre probably for prayers.”

In a text message to sons and daughters of the community, the president general said: “Oko decided to start the process of mourning our departed son and father, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Ekwueme by closing shops (both home and abroad) including Eke Oko on Thursday, November 23. Wherever you may be, please do participate.”

 Speaking further about Ekwueme’s death Nwamuo added: “We are in mourning mood. The traditional ruler, Igwe Prof. Laz Ekwueme, came down at about 5:00pm, yesterday, and there was a short meeting. He officially announced the death of Ide. Before then, people and newsmen who came for interviews and stuffs like that were told to wait until the Igwe came down.”

Nwamuo said with Ekwueme’s death, “the community has been thrown into darkness” as “he was the rallying point for the people of the town. Ide’s death is quite devastating because he was the only man who coordinated everything. Maybe as the PG, you are the Igwe, you are whatever, once there is difficulty, he will call everybody together and whatever he said was taken as the final position. So, we had peace because we had him, we looked up to him and we respected him. Today, I don’t know who else we shall respect or who else we shall regard. His death has created a big vacuum because no other person can take up that his position as Ide or work the way he did for this town, because, he loved this community; he was a one-man riot squad. The developments you see today were singlehandedly brought by him. He was even planning to build another technical college. He had acquired the land and was about building, as it stands now, I don’t know whether that would still go on.”