Thousands paid rich tributes to late NNC leader Kevilevor
Source: Oken Jeet Sandham (NEPS) *

Kohima, April 28 2013: Thousands of people braving rains turned up to pay their last respect to the departed soul late Kevilevor Phizo, Central Executive Member of the Naga National Council (NNC), at a grand funeral service organized here at Mission Compound on Sunday.

Son of legendary Naga freedom fighter AZ Phizo, Kevilevor passed away at their residence at London on April 12 following a massive heart attack and his body was brought back from London to Nagaland by a flight yesterday.

There was a huge public reception organized at the Dimapur Airport to receive Kevilevor's body.

Late Kevilevor, who was born on February 20, 1939 in Rangoon Burma, was the third child of AZ Phizo and Jwenle.

With the end of the Second World War and the rapid political changes taking place in the whole of South Asia, Kevilevor's father, AZ Phizo took over a prominent role in the struggle to retain Nagaland's freedom as a sovereign nation.

Phizo (his father) became wanted man and was most of the time absent as a father.

As a result of these national activities on the part of Phizo, Kevilevor, as well as all his brothers and sisters along with their mother, had a very unsettled and tumultuous childhood.

Miss Adino Phizo (left), President of NNC, arriving to attend her brother late Kevilevor Phizo's funeral service at Mission Compound here at Kohima. (Right) Leaders of various organizations and publics were seen laying wreaths to the departed leader of NNC, Kevilevor on April 28, 2013 Photo by Oken Jeet Sandham

On July 19, 1948, Phizo was arrested from Calcutta (now Kolkata) and detained in the Presidency Jail Calcutta for five months.

Some of the Phizo family members including Kevilevor were next arrested in January 1956 and detained in the Kohima and Nowgon Jails for nineteen months.

The other members of the family who were able to evade arrest fled into the jungles and were on the run and in hiding for many months.

Late Kevilevor served as the Central Executive Council of the Naga National Council (NNC) till his death.

He was also a Senior Business Consultant and an Associate in The London School of Business.

He left Nagaland 46 years ago to join his father and leader of the NNC AZ Phizo at London.

Phizo died in 1990 at London and brought back his dead body to Nagaland and his son, Kevilevor's dead body was too brought back to Nagaland after he died at London after 46 years.

In a very significant manner which may change the course of Naga issue, President of NNC Miss Adino Phizo accompanied her brother Kevilevor's dead body to Nagaland all the way from London.

"We are returning to our homeland; after 50 years for me, and my dear brother Kevilevor is coming home to rest after 46 years," said Adino in her moving message at the funeral service.

The NNC president, while acknowledging publicly the role that her brother played during his lifetime for the Nagas, said, "His love, dedication and unstinting loyalty to the Nagas will always be remembered" .

Paying rich tribute to late Kevilevor, Adino recalled his tireless works as a Central Executive Member of the NNC over the years and expressed her personal thanks to him for "all the help and support he has given to me and to the office of the President of the NNC" .

"I take this opportunity to salute him and all those Naga patriots who have gone home serving the Naga nation in various capacities and forms," Adino said and adding, "My thoughts and prayers are always with them, and their dear and near ones" .

Top leaders of the NNC, Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN), various regions, all the rank of the organizations, civil society leaders, student body leaders, general publics, other non-Naga communities, etc.

have paid rich tribute to the departed NNC leader during the funeral service.

Earlier, Sovenyi Nyekha, Convener, Funeral Committee, spoke at the funeral service and at times, he was chocked and emotional while recalling the services of late Kevilevor.

While he was narrating a poignant story of late Kevilevor, many wept including family members of AZ Phizo.

Short messages were also delivered by B Pashen, I Temjenba, Neingunyii Sekhose, President of APO and Chakiezo Kehie while on behalf of the Phizo family, Niketu Iralu spoke at the funeral.

A song "This Land Is Mine" as a tribute by the family members and well-wishers was sung by Jonathan Mesen.

Several members in the funeral including Phizo family members were seen weeping while listening to the patriotic "Song" .

After the service at Mission Compound was over, the body was taken to Phizo's native village, Khonoma, for final rite and finally buried there.

* The sender of this news can be contacted at nepsonline(at)yahoo(dot)com .