PARIS- The ashes of cremated Ugandan music legend Geoffrey Oryema will bereturned and scattered over Acholi land under French Police protection.
Oryema passed away on June 22, 2018 due to bone cancer in France where he had lived for long.
According to French Police, Oryema left a will that asked for cremation of his body and the ashes to be spread in his homeland, Acholi.
The wish however angered the Acholi cultural leaders who warned against cremating his body, saying such an act is an abomination with serious consequences under their culture.
In response to this, Oryema’s family petitioned the France High court seeking to block the cremation of their son’s body.
However, court that sat on June 29 in the capital of France, Paris allowed the cremation of Oryema’s body in respect to his will and he was accordingly cremated last on June 30.
Information reaching PML Daily revealed that the widow Regine had initially decided to bury the ashes in Oryema’s home in Paris but changed her mind.
Regine petitioned court seeking police protection to deliver the ashes to Anaka in Northern Uganda and Soroti in eastern Uganda in accordance with Oryema’s will.
Jude Ogik, the family lawyer says court has granted the wishes of Oryema’s spouse and the family will soon confirm when to repatriate the ashes of the music icon.
