A London morgue holding the remains of former Senate President, the late Dr. Joseph Wayas, has received £6,710 (equivalent to N13,366,320) from his family members before granting them access to the body.
This was contained in a report by Justice Maurice Odey Eneji, the Chairman of the Joe Wayas’ Burial Fact Finding Committee, dated February 27, 2024.
The report stated that the morgue managers required this payment to cover the maintenance costs and general fees for the two years the body has been stored there.
The committee, consisting of elders from the Cross River northern district, needed to confirm the body’s availability and condition before proceeding with burial arrangements.
Ms. Donna Wayas, who is based in Nottingham, UK, and Mrs. Echiko Julie Odey were the two individuals who were able to see and confirm the condition of the body.
The late Wayas, who was born on May 21, 1941, passed away on November 30, 2021, in a London hospital after a long illness.
He served as Senate President from 1979 to 1983.
Former governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, initially took care of his health, and after his passing, the state government provided N200 million for the repatriation and burial of the body.
However, a family dispute arose shortly after, causing a delay in the funeral.
In a report dated February 27, Justice Eneji mentioned that the committee has been proactive, holding regular meetings, and is dedicated to ensuring the body is brought back for burial.
However, they still require an additional £60,478, equivalent to N120,934,992, and have made a heartfelt plea for donations to raise the funds.
“In line with burial committee’s agreement with Ms Donna Wayas, we need to raise and remit/transfer to Donna the sum of £60,478 to offset all outstanding indebtedness, inclusive of cost of repatriation of the corpse to Nigeria for burial.
“We also need to raise and refund the sum of £7,210 paid on our behalf to the morgue managers in London,” Justice Eneji added.
The Fact Finding Committee members have agreed that they need to allow both the state government and National Assembly to fulfill their roles.
“Both the state and federal governments may have committed funds for this purpose in the past but he (late Wayas) has not yet been buried.
“He is not in any way responsible for the circumstances leading to the delay of his burial, neither does the delay detract from what he was in, and for, Nigeria.
“I think that now that the complexities surrounding his death and burial have been unravelled, our statesman is entitled to, and should be given, the burial that befits his status by both the federal and state governments.
“I think that we should communicate officially to them that all the knots have been loosened and all is now set for the burial as soon as it is convenient for government,” key member of the committee, who did not wish to be named, said.
