The city of Warri on Thursday, went agog as the Ekpemupolo family of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State begin the burial ceremony of their late father, High Chief Thomas Osen Ekpemupolo.
Tompolo (right) and his late father (left)
The burial rites of late High Chief Thomas Osen Ekpemupolo, the father of on-the-run former militant leader, Tompolo, went agog on Thursday in the city of Warri, at the residence of Ekpemupolo family of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
According to DailyPost, the burial rites began with the gates of Veenell Hospital shut as movements of persons were restricted; only select members of the Ekpemupolo family and traditional Chiefs from Gbaramatu Kingdom were allowed access into the premises due to the suspicion that the death of Late High Chief Thomas Osen Ekpemupolo may trigger tension within the area.
The bearing of the corpse of late High Chief Thomas Osen Ekpemupolo caused serious vehicular traffic in the town as some Itsekiri traditional dance groups entertained guests with songs and dance along the busy Okumagba Avenue Road in Warri.
It was gathered that High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo was absent at the scene, but his younger brother, Hon. George Ekpemupolo who is the Chairman of Warri South-West Local Government Council was on ground.
The corpse would be conveyed to Kurutie Community, the paternal home of the deceased for burial as the funeral ceremony which begins today, will continue after the remains of late High Chief Thomas Ekpemupolo has been interred in Kurutie with traditional dances at Oporoza Community from Saturday through Sunday.
Except for a few mobile policemen who were at the burial scene, no single military officer was seen at the scene of the ceremony and the Veenell Hospital Morgue.