Family at War over Exhumed Corpse

The Chinwuba family of Umubele village, Awka in Anambra State are now in deep crisis, following the exhumation of the corpse of late Dr. Sunday Chinwuba who died recently. The late Dr. Sunday Chinwuba died at his Maryland residence in the United States of America while the body was flown to Nigeria by US officials who handed over the corpse to the immediate elder brother, Mr. Goddy Chinwuba, including all necessary documents relating to transfer of the corpse. Sources said on receiving the corpse and documents, the immediate elder brother, Goddy Chinwuba hurriedly buried it without consulting other family members.

It was gathered that after all arrangements, Mr. Goddy removed the corpse from the mortuary and buried it at the family compound in Awka. Few days later, the family head, Dr. Anieze Chinwuba and others, who claimed not to have been consulted, exhumed the corpse and took it to an unknown destination, pending formal burial. The source further said that when Goddy Chinwuba, discovered that the corpse had been exhumed, he reported the matter to the police who invited Aneze Chinwuba and five others for interrogation.

 Confirming the incident, Mr. Goddy Chinwuba said that the deceased’s only son, Master Chinwuba, had authorised him in writing to bury the corpse without consulting the family head, Dr. Aneze Chinwuba and other elders due to lingering family dispute. But in his reaction, the eldest of the Chinwuba family, Dr. Aneze Chinwuba said he exhumed the corpse because Goddy, had no right to effect the burial, without his consent.

 He said, “Goddy, my brother has no authority to bury our younger one without my knowledge, consent and participation of other family members. I am the head of the family and the custom and tradition of Awka do not permit any member to single handedly bury a corpse without reference to others in the family and myself in particular”. Dr. Chinwuba further stated that the deceased, Sunday Chinwuba had no son, adding that his eldest daughter, Nneka Chidoka authorised the chairman of the village meeting, Arch. Ifejika to take possession of the corpse on arrival at Awka pending full burial arrangements. When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Emeka Chukwuemeka, said he was not aware of the incident, adding that he would make necessary inquiries on the actual position on the matter.