The church service at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, over, the body of legendary writer, Prof. Chinua Achebe, has embarked on the second leg of its journey – to Igboland in South-East Nigeria, his place of birth.

The photo accompanying this story shows his remains being taken into the Overland Airlines plane for onward movement to Enugu, capital of old Eastern Region, from where it will be moved to the neighbouring Anambra State.

Closely observing the process is the Chief Mourner, Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi.

As exclusively reported this morning by News Express, Achebe’s body arrived Nigeria around 5:30 this morning aboard a British Airways flight.

A church service was conducted for him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, presided over by Bishop Owen Nwokoro, Bishop of Niger Diocese of the Anglican Church.

Dignitaries at the church service included Governor Obi and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim Pius, both of whom led the team that received Achebe’s body on its arrival from the United States, where the famed writer of Things Fall Apart died March 31, aged 82.

The literary iroko will be buried this Friday in his hometown, Ogidi.