Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, has reacted to comments attributed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike, regarding his absence from the burial of the mother of former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
Wike was reported to have said that he did not visit or condole with Amaechi following the death of his mother because Amaechi did not personally inform him or write to him about the bereavement.
Reacting to the explanation, Eze said he believed condolences over the death of a parent should not necessarily depend on a formal invitation or personal notification from the bereaved.
“Since when did the death of a mother require a formal invitation before a fellow Nigerian, particularly a former political associate, can extend condolences?” Eze asked.
He noted that news of the death and burial arrangements had been publicly reported and that several political leaders attended the funeral.
Eze said the circumstances surrounding the burial provided an opportunity for Nigerians to demonstrate sympathy and respect for the bereaved family, irrespective of political differences.
He also questioned the relevance of Amaechi’s attendance at a Nigerian Bar Association conference during the mourning period to the issue of condolence.
“Grief has no statutory timetable. There is no constitutional provision, cultural canon or moral injunction stipulating that a bereaved person must withdraw completely from public life before his grief can be considered genuine,” Eze said.
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According to him, attendance at a professional engagement should not necessarily be interpreted as an indication of how an individual feels about the loss of a loved one.
Eze urged political leaders to separate political disagreements from occasions involving bereavement and other personal matters.
“Politics is inherently competitive, but political competition ought not to become an interminable vendetta,” he said.
He called for political differences between Wike and Amaechi to be addressed through debates on policies, governance and competing political positions.
Eze also appealed to political leaders to exercise restraint in their public comments, particularly at a time when Nigerians are dealing with economic, security and institutional challenges.
“The Nigerian people are confronted by profound economic, security and institutional challenges. They deserve a political class that can elevate public discourse beyond personal altercations,” he said.
He said the attendance of political figures from different backgrounds at Dame Ezinne Mary Orduah Amaechi’s burial demonstrated that political differences could be set aside during moments of bereavement.
Eze maintained that the death of Amaechi’s mother should be treated primarily as a moment of mourning and sympathy for the family.
He said Wike was entitled to make his own decision regarding whether to attend the burial, but added that Nigerians could also consider the explanation publicly offered for that decision.
