Dimapur, Aug. 24 (EMN): The Naga Hoho has sought to ‘set the record clear’ with regard to the controversy surrounding the unveiling of Imkongmeren Memorial Park.
In a letter to the family of Late Imkongmeren, copies of which were made available to the local newspapers on Saturday, the Naga Hoho stated that construction of the memorial park had started in 2012 “in understanding with the family and Longkhum Village Council.”
The Naga Hoho spent INR 20 lakh till 2013 for the construction and a tentative programme to dedicate the park was scheduled on November 13, 2013, it stated. “Unfortunately, the park could not be dedicated on the set date because of wrong portrait of Lt. Imkongmeren and few other unfinished tasks.”
Then, the new Naga Hoho team led by Chuba Ozukum met Longkhum Village Council on September 16, 2015 and resolved to redesign the park and complete the project at the earliest possible, it stated.
“We really wanted to dedicate the park in time but unfortunately, the crisis in Naga Hoho started in 2016 and both the construction and dedication of park had to be neglected due to non-payment to the artist for quite some time as you have rightly pointed out. However, the project was almost completed except for some finishing touches and the final dedication,” read the letter.
According to the Naga Hoho, the ‘picture’ painted by the family in public was “as if the entire project was sponsored and conceptualised by your family and that Naga Hoho had irresponsibly neglected the construction and the dedication and for this your family had no option but to take over the responsibility of the project on your shoulders.”
On August 19, the family had issued a statement containing its decision not to attend a dedication ceremony of the park organised by the Naga Hoho, initially scheduled for August 24.
While expressing gratitude to the Naga Hoho for initiating to help create the park, the family had stated: “For more than three years, the work was neglected with no information on how and when it was to be completed. Therefore, the family of Late Imkongmeren took upon themselves to complete the work and the Imkongmeren Memorial Park was dedicated by Rev. T Aka Jamir, pastor of Longkhum Village Baptist Church on May 29, 2019.”
