Former Upper East Regional Minister, Tangoba Abayage, has slammed businessman Norbert Atodio for burying his father in a Toyota Corolla at Navrongo.
Ms. Abayage expressed her dismay, stating that Mr. Atodio’s actions portrayed him as morally bankrupt and neglected his responsibility to contribute meaningfully to the community.
According to reports, Mr. Atodio allegedly disregarded directives from the Kassena Nankana Municipal Assembly and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which prohibited burying his father in a white Toyota Corolla vehicle. Despite the warnings, he proceeded with the burial in the late hours of the night over the weekend.
Abayage, a former Ghanaian ambassador to Italy, believes that instead of choosing to bury his father in a car, Mr. Atodio could have made a direct positive impact on the lives of his community members, leaving a lasting legacy for his father.
In a Facebook post, she questioned Mr. Atodio’s contribution to the community and emphasized the importance of social interventions, expressing her disappointment in his decision.
In her statement, Abayage said, “For someone of his calibre, I’m yet to hear of any major social interventions he’s conducted for his immediate community, Doba or Navrongo at large; I may be corrected. For such a man to drive a whole car with a dead body inside underground smacks of a person who’s morally unjust to the society he sits in to make his money.”
Abayage further suggested alternative ways in which Mr. Atodio could have honoured his father’s memory, such as investing the funds used for the burial in building a herbal training centre or revamping his radio station, Pure FM, to contribute positively to the community.
The former Regional Minister criticized Mr. Atodio’s decision, stating that it does not do justice to his father’s legacy. She concluded by condemning Atodio’s actions, describing them as morally wrong and asserting that it does not make him a hero but rather morally bankrupt.
A video of the burial which reportedly took place last weekend showed the vehicle being driven into a tiled tomb.
The burial of Mr. Atodio’s father in a Toyota Corolla has sparked debate and raised questions about moral responsibility and community engagement.