Bringing home the body of a loved one who passed away in a foreign land continues to get expensive by the day.
The cost varies from country to country but for the United State, it is between $10,000 to $20,000.
So as the Okonkwo family, continue to mourn the passing away of their son and brother, Sen. Annie Okonkwo, one decision they must make is whether they will bring his body back to Nigeria or bury him abroad.
If they decide to bring him back to Nigeria, they will be spending over ₦15 million ($20,000) to bring his body home for burial.
On Thursday, the people of Anambra were thrown into a state of mourning, when it was confirmed that Senator Annie Okonkwo, had passed away.
Read Also: Senator Annie Okonkwo Is Dead
Late Sen. Annie Okonkwo, was an illustrious son who represented Anambra Central, at the floor of the senate between 2007 and 2009.
He passed away few weeks after his 63rd birthday after suffering from a prolonged lung cancer illness in the United States
Documents Needed To Repatriate Annie Okonkwo’s Body
Really, bringing back the body of the former Nigerian senator may not be possible without the necessary documents. Most of these documents come from the Nigerian consulate in the United States.
Below are the major documents necessary for the repatriation Okonkwo’s body.
- Death certificate
- Embalming certificate or cremation certificate (in some countries)
- Consulate documentation
- Customs import/export documentation
- Consular mortuary certificate
- Affidavit of foreign funeral director
- Statement from foreign authorities on cause of death
Cost Of Bringing Annie Okonkwo’s Body To Nigeria
Late Annie Okonkwo’s family must cough out between ₦7.5 million to ₦15 million ($10,000 to $20,000), to bring body home.
The stated amount should cover documentations, health waiver, flight to Nigeria, embalming of the body, among other requirements.
Additionally, a service fee of about ₦2,886,750 ($3, 849) is often paid to the funeral home taking care of the body.
It is important to note that storage of body in the United states, costs about ₦75,000 ($100) per day.
In summary, it might cost the Okonkwo family 20 million Naira to bring Late Senator Annie Okonkwo’s body home for burial.
Basically, this is a reason people kick against medical tourism. Imagine using that money to set up a big company and offer people employment.
