The curtain was drawn on Friday for victims of the May 30 fuel tanker accidents at Asaba Park of the Upper Iweka section of Onitsha as Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State performed mass burial for 32 of them that could not be identified.
It was a sorrowful ceremony at the inter-denominational church service which took place at Akorah Square, Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area, prior to their burial at St. Andrews Anglican Church Cemetery, Obosi.
The Governor commended the Church and the management of Toronto Hospital for their roles during the accident, noting that “the hospital deployed all its resources to the disposal of the affected victims”.
“We took specimens of the corpses which we placed at the General Hospital, Onitsha, and it will last there up to 10 years for their remembrance. It is to show for further reference. It is a basic calamity,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Akabike, hinted that initially there were 39 unidentified corpses but later seven of them were claimed by their relations.
Akabike commended the Governor for all his support, stating that he made sure that the burial was done with international standard.
He said: “All the necessary things and normal procedures were followed in having the mass burial for them. We are dealing with statistics.
“Like His Excellency has said the bodies have been preserved and some identifications put on them so that they could be easily identified in future”, he stated.
Contributing, the Vice President of Nigerian Red Cross Society, Anambra State chapter, Prof. Peter Emeka Katchy, commended the Governor, adding that “he is a true Igbo man and a title holder for understanding that the dead must be buried for his/her soul to rest in peace”.
“He has done marvelously well and I appreciate his efforts. He has a large heart and I commend him for getting a burial ground for the dead”, Catchy stated further.
The proprietor of Rojenny Sports Stadium, Oba and Ogilisi Igbo of Igboland, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, disclosed that he had earlier stressed the need for the burial of the dead so that their souls would stop hovering around.
Ezeonwuka commended the Governor who he said has shown that he is a father both to the dead and the living.
“He did the right thing the right time and Anambrarians will not forget this kind gesture he did to unidentified corpses”.
Earlier in his sermon, the Anglican Bishop on the Niger, Rt. Rev. Dr. Owen Nwokolo, reminded the people that they should always be ready for death as the world is not a permanent living place.
The Bishop who was ably represented by Ven. Oswald Ezekwere, said that “life is vanity, life is like vapour that disappears after a little time”.
He thanked the Governor for organising the mass burial stating that others should emulate him
