The family of late Vice President Alex Ekwueme will soon get a refund of the $200,000 incurred in treating the late elder statesman.
Daily Sun quoted an undisclosed source as saying that President Muhammadu Buhari made this promise when the family paid him a thank-you visit for the Federal Government’s decision to foot the burial expenses.
Recall that Ekwueme died aged 85 at a London hospital on November 19, 2017 and was buried in his hometown, Oko, Anambra State, on February 2.
The family led by the traditional ruler of Oko and eminent Professor of Music, Igwe (Prof) Laz Ekwueme met the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday.
Others in the delegation were the late Ekwueme’s wife, Mrs Beatrice Alex Ekwueme, his daughter Mrs Chinwe Igwilo and Pastor Goodheart Obi Ekwueme, among others.
Ekwueme said, “We have come, as family, his spouse, children, members of the family and cabinet of Oko community and other chiefs and friends, to say ‘thank you’ to Mr. President, for the work he did through the committee he set up, under the chairmanship of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, and the presence of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the burial itself.
“And, the immortalisation they gave in renaming the Federal University Ndufu Alike, in Ebonyi State, to Alex Ekwueme Federal University of Technology and all the other things they did towards making his burial a special one.
“And also, in recognising the little efforts that my brother made in building this country.
“We just came to say thank you to Mr. President and his cabinet.”
Speaking on how the president responded to their visit, Ekwueme said, “He thanked us for coming to thank him for appreciating what he did and we are grateful that he responded favourably and we look forward to some greater efforts.
“For instance, the federal government has promised to build a mausoleum; we pray that they quicken the pace of that.”
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