The traditional ruler of Amassoma kingdom, Major Graham Naingba (rtd) and first cousin of former Bayelsa state governor, Dieprey...
The traditional ruler of Amassoma kingdom, Major Graham Naingba (rtd) and first cousin of former Bayelsa state governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha had refuted reports that the late leader faked his death to avoid being extradited to the UK.
He said the funeral of the ex-governor, which was initially scheduled for November 16, 2015, will commence on March 24 to 26 this year.
Naingba said the diseased would have been buried on November 16, which would have been his 63rd birthday, but date was canceled due to preparations for the state governorship election and lack of agreement between the state government and the deceased’s family.
"Alamieyeseigha is truly dead. I have heard people who claimed that he faked his death. It is not true. In Ogboin community, we don’t fake our death. If anybody claims that he is dead and he eventually comes back, the person cannot live for more than three months. It is our tradition. If you fake your death, you are gone because you cannot live again. Even if the whole world says he is not dead, I the traditional ruler of this community will tell you that he is dead”, he said
Alamieyeseigha, 62, died in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in October 2015, of complications arising from arising from high blood pressure and diabetes which affected his kidney.
He was the first Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, serving between 1999 and 2005 when he was impeached - the impeachment which followed his escape from London in order to evade justice after he was accused money laundering.
He was later prosecuted in Nigeria, convicted and jailed for corrupt practices.
However, former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was believed to be the deceased's god's son, granted him presidential pardon.
It was gathered that a few days before his death, the UK government had requested Nigeria to extradite Alamieyeseigha to London for trial over allegations of money laundering.
