A high-profile burial ceremony held in Umualaoma community, Ideato Local Government Area of Imo State, has attracted widespread attention following the use of an elaborate copper casket for the burial of an 86-year-old community leader, Chief Stephen Ozuome Ibeh.
The deceased was the father of businessman and Chairman of SAFIC Industries Ltd, Chief Stephen Arinze Ibeh, popularly known as Onwa Global.
The funeral, which took place on Thursday, August 20, 2026, attracted business leaders, community stakeholders and other dignitaries from across the South-East.
The burial rites began with a vigil Mass on Wednesday, August 19, at St. John’s Catholic Church, Umualaoma, followed by a requiem Mass the following day, celebrated by the Bishop of Orlu Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Augustine Okwuoma.
The ceremony drew a large crowd, including prominent businessmen and members of more than 40 social and community clubs.
The elaborate copper casket used for the burial also became a major talking point, with reports circulating online putting its estimated value at between ₦130 million and ₦200 million.
However, the exact cost of the casket could not be independently confirmed.
APAMS Funeral Ltd, which supplied the casket, confirmed through its official social media platforms that the Ibeh family purchased a copper casket from the company but did not disclose its price.
The funeral company has previously attracted attention for supplying high-end caskets for prominent burials in the South-East.
The scale of the ceremony also generated discussions about the economic dimension of elaborate funerals in the region, particularly the financial contributions often made by social clubs, business associates and well-wishers.
A club attending the ceremony was reportedly seen presenting a cheque dummy of ₦100 million, while some individuals were also said to have made substantial cash contributions. However, claims that the family received more than ₦5 billion from the ceremony could not be independently verified.
Community members described the funeral as a reflection of the deceased’s standing and the influence of his son in business and social circles.
The event has meanwhile reignited conversations about the growing cost of high-profile funerals in the South-East and the increasingly elaborate ways families celebrate the lives of their loved ones.
