IPDI, Ozobo, Comrade community threaten legal action against Burutu lawmakers over bill on night burial

IPDI, Ozobo, Comrade community threaten legal action against Burutu lawmakers over bill on night burial 

.....Say bill is animalistic

Timi Black

The Ijaw People's Development Initiative IPDI, Comrade Ozobo Austin, a Niger Delta foremost rights activist and Delta Ijaw Comrade community have threatened to challenge the bill proposed by Burutu legislative arm to prohibit night burial in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state, adding that the bill is animalistic and inimical as it was meant to invade Ijaw tradition.

The Ijaw rights groups said Burutu Local Government Council lawmakers lacked power to abolish Ijaw tradition, noting that issues of Ijaw nation can't be determined by few lawmakers in Burutu Local Government Area as Ijaw cuts across nine states of the federation.

Speaking to newsmen in Warri, Comrade Ozobo described the bill as frivolous, mischievous, baseless and barbaric, stressing that it was promoted by mediocre and kindergarten lawmakers who lack mentorship on lawmaking.

The Ijaw born foremost activist said the Bill when passed to law will enfreeze the rights of the Ijaw people, maintaining that night funeral is a long standing tradition of the Ijaw people and can't be overrided by a mere local legislation.

Acccording to the activist, there has not been any security challenge in night funerals in Ijaw nation to have intervene by some local busy body lawmakers who do not understand the business of lawmaking.

Ozobo said the Bill is needlessly as night funeral is done in discretion of people in Ijaw land, noting that no one is under any obligation to conduct night funeral which to have been prompted legislation.

"It is insanity for anyone to think that stopping night burial will serve as a solution to increase level of promiscuity and immorality in the society", Ozobo averred.

He reiterated: "those who want night burial and others who want day burial should be at liberty to do so, as it is experienced in Ijaw land today".

The Comrade leader said that it's only in Banana republic that someone will think of using legislation to abolish a tradition, asserting that Burutu lawmakers should retrace their steps.

Ozobo further said that night funeral being a tradition across Ijaw land in nine states of the Nigeria federation can be upturned by any local legislation by lawmakers in a single local government area in Delta state.

He advised the Burutu Local Government Council Chairman, Hon. Angele Godknows who also cherish night funeral not to assent to the bill as it remained frivolous and mischievous, stressing that they will rubbish the bill in court.