Friday July 16th would forever go down in history as a day the sleepy community of Afor Uzo Oba in Anambra State would see the unprecedented a
Friday July 16th would forever go down in history as a day the sleepy community of Afor Uzo Oba in Anambra State would see the unprecedented and lavish display of wealth, the kind many other communities in Nigeria have never experienced.
It was the day businessman and night club owner, Obi Iyiegbu otherwise known as Obi Cubana committed his mother, Ezinne Uche Iyiegbu who died in December of 2020, to mother earth.
Over 200 of Obi’s friends resolved to make the burial ceremony one that will keep people talking long after it ends. First, they each sent in their widow’s mite of varying amounts, through a Fidelity Bank account set up for that purpose. From as low as 200 thousand naira to as high as five million naira, businessmen, politicians, celebrities – they all made their contributions, totaling N500m.
Leading the roll call for cow donation, was none other than Pascal Okechukwu, otherwise known as Cubana Chiefpriest, Obi’s former staff, friend and confidant who donated 46 out of the almost 300 cows donated for the burial.
Then came the burial proper. When they say there is Igbo money and then there is Igbo money, that saying aptly found express fulfillment and manifestation on that day. His friends struggled to outdo themselves with spraying huge sums of money which were ferried to the venue of the ceremony in bags and suitcase. Only this time, the money was being sprayed in bundles and not in notes.
Many uninvited guests who tied to gain entrance into the venue of the ceremony were sternly turned back by the huge number of security officials stationed around the perimeter of the venue
The nightclub boss also bought a diamond chain and pendant from a popular jeweller, Efobi Stephen, which had his late mother’s face engraved on it. In a post on his Instagram page, Stephen stated that Iyiegbu asked him to make a chain worth $100,000. He wrote, “Obi Cubana told me, ‘I want something special to commemorate my mum. What can my $100k do for me’. I told him, ‘Say no more big brother.’”
The funeral rites started on Thursday, July 15, 2021, with a service of songs and Christian wake, followed by the burial and reception the next day at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Oba Anambra and then a free concert headlined by David Adeleke otherwise known as Davido and Dapo Oyebanjo otherwise known as DBanj.
A thanksgiving service is also scheduled for Sunday, July 18, at the Good Shepherd Anglican Church, also in Oba.
Some of the guests at the event include members of the House of Representatives and businessmen, Akin Alabi, Shina Peller; actors, Alex Ekubo, Kanayo O Kanayo, Zubby Michael. Also present were Kingsley Okonkwo aka Kcee, Emeka Okonkwo aka E-Money, Ned Nwoko, Friday Osanebi, Ubi Franklin, Ehizogie Ogegbor, DSP Abba Kyari, Anambra State PDP governorship candidate Victor Ozigbo etc.
