Charly Boy confront Gov Rochas at Father's burial

The funeral mass organised at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Oguta, Imo State, for the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa ended abruptly yesterday as his son, Charles Oputa a.k.a Charly Boy stopped Governor Rochas Okorocha from making a speech in the church.

Okorocha, who was equally angry that protocol was breached by President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented at the mass by the Secretary of the Government of Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim by speaking before him, rose to make his speech but Charly Boy seized the microphone from the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Jude Ike, which created confusion in the church.

The officiating priest and Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. (Dr) Matthew Hassan Kukah had pleaded with Charly Boy to allow Okorocha speak, but he refused, saying he would not allow his father's burial to be politicised.

An ostensibly angry Okorocha started fuming in the church, which made the Attorney General of Imo State, Chukwuma Umeh, to order the lawyers who gathered in the church to leave.

As the lawyers were leaving, the dignitaries who attended the mass began to leave in droves as Okorocha and his convoy drove away in anger before the body of Oputa was taken back to his country home for interment.

Governor Okorocha had voted N20 million for the burial of Oputa, but the state lost track of the burial arrangement as the Oputa family shot the door on the burial plan. Charly Boy was quoted to have warned the Imo State governor to stay away from his father's burial, but no reason was given for his action.