The Ndikelionwu community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State recently hit by the sudden transition of her traditional ruler and one of the nation’s literary icons, Eze Professor Chukwuemeka Ike, OFR, NNOM, has announced the burial rites of the departed king.
In a press release issued at the weekend by the Eze Ikelionwu Xi Transition Council, commencing March 6 to April 5, flags will fly at half mast in the eleven villages of the community to honour the distinguished king who will be interned on April 2 at the Eze Ikelionwu Xi Palace, Ndikelionwu.
Already various Committees have been inaugurated to accord the departed literary giant a befitting farewell. A strong federal government delegation is expected at the event, even as President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed federal government condolences to the family and to the people and government of Anambra State over Eze Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike’s demise. The State government has also expressed interest in giving the one-time Pro-Chancellor of the Anambra State University and Deputy Chairman (South) of the state Council of Traditional Rulers, a well deserved burial.
According to the release signed by the President General, Ndikelionwu Welfare Association, (NWA), who doubles as Chairman of the Transition Council, Chief Sir Edozie Obasi, Palace Secretary, Prince Fortune Ike, and Chairman, Publicity/Liaison Committee, Prince Chidi Nwafor, the town will play host to the crème de la crème of the society comprising top officials of the federal and state governments, West African Examination Council (WAEC), where he was one-time Registrar/Chief Executive, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) where the Professor was Registrar and several other universities within and outside Nigeria, where he was either honoured with Awards or had played one key role or the other, Authors as well as Publishers, Clergies and a host of others.
Explaining further in an interview in Lagos, Chike Uchime, a member of the Publicity/Liaison Committee and Editor-in-Chief of FORWARD MAGAZINE, said Prof. Ike was a literary colossus who influenced the course and cause of literary profession in Nigeria and Africa. “His legacies can be found in University administration, literary development, community development, philanthropy, accountability and probity advocacy, as well as in pleading the cause of the poor and down-trodden in the society, among others”.
A Literary Day/Book Exhibition will hold in his honour on 31st March, while 1st of April will feature two events – Tributes and Colloquium and Service of Songs, just as Internment is on April 2nd. Condolence Visits is for 3rd and 4th April, while Outing Service rounds up the ceremonies on Sunday 5th April at the St. Margret’s Anglican Church Ndikelionwu.
Eze Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike was a writer of international repute with over 14 award winning novels and several other books and journals to his credit. He received the Nigeria National Honour of Merit Award (NNOM) – Nigeria’s highest national prize for academic and intellectual attainment in 2008, after being conferred Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – OFR, in 2001. He was the Founding President of the Nigerian Book Foundation.