By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Reactions have trailed popular Highlife musician Flavour hosting of his late father’s funeral rites in Enugu yesterday, Saturday, June 8, 2024.

It was gathered that Flavour (real name Chinedu Okoli), an indigene of Umunze in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, buried his father in his native home before returning to Enugu for the funeral rites.

Flavour was bred in Enugu where he spent the better part of his youth and adult life before music and fame took him to the Nigeria’s entertainment hub, Lagos.

Speaking out on his Instagram page, a renowned businessman and socialite, Cubana Chief Priest (real name Pascal Chibuike), cited insecurity in the state as the reason the Highlife maestro was forced to host the event in Enugu, instead of his country home of Anambra.

Chief Priest, who attended the funeral on Saturday appealed to South easterners to come together to address the region’s security challenges, describing the situation as “no longer interesting.”

He stressed that despite the issue of marginalization, South Easterners cannot afford to destroy their own homeland.

He wrote: “This amazing funeral was supposed to be happening in Umunze, Anambra State, but here we are in Enugu managing it.

“Umunne, we need to come together and fix this; it’s no longer interesting. We cannot destroy our own because we are being marginalized.”

The funeral, whichh took place on Saturday, was attended by various celebrities and dignitaries, including famous politician Peter Obi.

An Enugu-based socialite who spoke on condition of anonymity regretted a situation where people are scared to hold traditional events in the villages because of fear of being kidnapped or possibly killed.

He said: “Anambra has people that can make this state a London of some sort. I don’t know how we got here and it’s regrettable. People even hold traditional marriages abroad these days. I am a witness. Imagine someone like Flavour hosting his father’s funeral rites in Enugu.

“You can imagine the boom in business this occasion would have brought for hotels and transporters. I can only pray we get out of this some day soon.”

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