Priest abandons corpse during burial service in Imo

It was a case of melodrama recently at Umuowushi community in Ihitte/Uboma LGA in Imo state when the Parish priest at St. Cyprians Church Nmuihi abandoned the interment of an octogenarian from the area after conducting a funeral service for her in the church.

According to an eye-witness, the deceased who is from Owerri - North Local Government Area and married to a man from Ihitte/Mboma LGA all in Imo State was said to have lived outside her community most of her married life although a staunch member of the Mothers Union in the Anglican communion. She is survived by five children, most of whom are married.

The tide changed after all the honours were showered on the Uratta born woman at the funeral service in the church and her remains was taken to her family house at Umuowushi for burial, only for the priest to discover that her grave was dug inside a room in the family house.

This development which was unknown to the church throughout the funeral service irritated the officiating Minister of God and he did not hesitate in withdrawing his ecclesiastical team from further participation or completion of the burial formalities for the deceased.

When asked about the action of his priest, the Archdeacon of Etiti, Ven Onuoha said that the Anglican Diocese of Okigwe -South has not permitted burials to be done inside rooms adding that the officiating minister could not have acted otherwise.

Whatever their case, the family of the deceased had to make a contingency arrangement for lowering the deceased inside the grave despite condemnations by members of the church and the community at large.