Nigeria’s former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has revealed that the lavish wedding of Lloyd Ekweremadu, the son of convicted former Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu was held with his parents’ approval.
Ekweremadu and his wife who are serving jail terms in the UK missed their son’s wedding over the weekend.
They were convicted of trafficking a vulnerable Nigerian to harvest his kidney for their ailing daughter.
In a Facebook post, Chidoka condemned the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Joe Igbokwe, for criticizing Lloyd over an elaborate wedding while his parents are languishing in prison.
According to the ex-minister, Ekweremadu and his wife approved of the wedding because they wanted their son to move on and give them grandchildren.
Osita Chidoka added that prominent politicians’ attendance at the wedding was a show of solidarity by Ekweremadu’s friends.
Chidoka’s response:
“Brother Joe Igbokwe, you got this very wrong, very wrong. This wedding was planned, and we were getting ready to go to Ihiala for a traditional and Abuja for the white wedding when Ike and his wife were arrested.
“The wedding is at the behest of Ike Junior’s parents. His life has been on hold since the day his parents were arrested. He has had to take over the job of father, mother, and senior sibling to his siblings. His parents want him to move on. They want grandchildren…..they want laughter again in their home. They want their Children to hold their heads up and walk with pride, because their parents are in a situation most parents would have found themselves in.
“The wedding is at the behest of Ike Junior’s parents. His life has been on hold since the day his parents were arrested. He has had to take over the job of father, mother, and senior sibling to his siblings. His parents want him to move on. They want grandchildren…..they want laughter again in their home. They want their Children to hold their heads up and walk with pride, because their parents are in a situation most parents would have found themselves in.
“The attendance at the wedding is a show of solidarity by his father’s friends. He worked with two Senate Presidents and they were there, his colleagues came and his close associates were there. We came in solidarity. The wedding was nowhere near what it would have been if his parents were around.
“The Ekweremadu clan must continue to grow no matter the setbacks. I want a son like Ike Junior. He rose like a lion to an occasion that would have destroyed many homes.
“My respect to the illustrious family of the bride, a respected Anambra family who stood firm and helped the young couple to navigate a tough situation.
“I have spent time with Sen Ike since his incarceration, and this wedding is his wish and he approved of it, so did the wife.”