NEW POST: ‘Why Alamieyeseigha hasn’t been buried’

THE volatile political situation in Beyelsa State is responsible for the delay of a heroic burial of former governor of the state, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, it has been learnt.
Since the former governor, who hailed from Amassoma in Ogboin North Local Government Area and ruled the oil-rich state between 1999 and 2005 died on 10 October, 2015 at the age of 63, the Nigerian public has waited with a bathed breath as regards when exactly he would be buried.
The retired air force chief was reported to have died of cardiac arrest at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. 
However, in a later interview, a Bayelsa State official revealed that the former governor “died of complications arising from high blood pressure and diabetes which affected his kidney.”
In the meantime, the Ebedauowei of the Ogboin clan, HRM, Jones Ere, posited that Alamieyeseigha would have been buried but for the political situation in the state. The supplementary governorship election in Southern Ijaw council and the 101 polling units in five council areas of the state where the election was cancelled is being held today.
Also, Chief Abel Ebifemowei, a younger brother of Chief Alamieyeseigha, said all rites would be accorded the “hero” traditionally, in line with the custom and law of Ijaw land to demonstrate the love of the Ijaw people and the state for his strides in Izon nation.
Governor Seriake Dickson had earlier said a glamorous burial of the self-styled leader of the Ijaw nation would be held after the completion of the governorship election. 
The governor promised to give the late Alamieyeseigha a state burial.
According to him, traditionally, it is improper to bury a hero in an atmosphere devoid of peace and tranquility, hence the decision to fix a later date for the event.
Dickson has since set up a committee to begin preparations for the burial rites of a one-time occupier of his office. 
The Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the committee was constituted at an enlarged emergency State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa.
The committee has the deputy governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd) as chairman; the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Kombowei Benson, vice chairman and the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Edmund Alison-Oguru, secretary. 
Other members of the committee are Senator Foster Ogola; a member of the House of Representatives, Henry Ofongo; commissioners for information and orientation, health, works and infrastructure and culture and Ijaw national affairs. 
Also included in the list are the Chief of Staff, Government House, Yenagoa and the Principal Executive Secretary to the Governor. 
Others are the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), secretary, women and youth leaders of the party, representatives of the Alamieyeseigha family, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Chief Thompson Okorotie, Professor Steve Azaiki and the Chief Historian and Archivist of the state.

Source ; Nigerian Tribune