Soludo fumes at Ezeife’s funeral over violation of Anambra burial law

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has expressed sadness over the alleged violation of the state’s burial law at the funeral of a former governor of the state, Chukwuemeka Ezeife.

Mr Ezeife, who served as the governor of the state between January 1992 and November 1993, died at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, in December 2023.

The former governor’s burial was held on Saturday at his residence in Igbo-Ukwu Community, Idemili South Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Soludo attended the event, where he complained about the violation of the state’s Burial law.

The state’s House of Assembly enacted the Anambra State Burial/Funeral Ceremonial Control Law on 9 April 2019 during the administration of former Governor Willie Obiano.

The law is intended to discourage excessive spending during burial and funeral ceremonies, given that communities in Anambra State have a history of organising flamboyant burial and funeral ceremonies.

PREMIUM TIMES: they were reported that the state government under the Soludo administration, on 20 October 2023, warned residents against continuing to violate the state’s burial laws.

The government, through a statement by the State Commissioner for Information, Paul Nwosu, reminded residents that they risk jail terms upon conviction if they continue to violate the law.

Soludo reacts

Speaking at the late Ezeife’s funeral ceremony on Saturday, Mr Soludo lauded the former governor for living an exemplary life while on earth.

A full text of Mr Soludo’s speech at the burial ceremony was forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday by his spokesperson, Christian Aburime.

Continuing, the governor expressed anger at the fanfare and flamboyant style of the funeral, which he said contravened the state’s burial law.

“So all this fanfare that makes burial very expensive runs contrary to the Anambra burial law passed three years before I became governor,” he said.

Mr Soludo noted that the law was not enacted under his administration, but he is determined to implement it in the state.

The governor stressed that to avoid violating the law, unimportant burial rites should be avoided.

“That (burial) law also says that all burial funerals and condolences must be for one day. You don’t have a law waiver; you can only waive for rules. You either obey the law or amend it.

“Once it remains the law, it is to be obeyed. And that’s not the society that Okwadike (Ezeife) dreamt of. The foundation we are working on is the one he left for us,” Mr Soludo added.

Burial law at a glance

The law has specific provisions that seek to cut burial/funeral costs in Anambra State.

For instance, Section 5 (1) of the law restrains the erection of billboards, banners or posters, while Section 6(1) disallows the deposit of corpses in a mortuary beyond two months after death.

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Similarly, Section 11 restrains any second funeral rites after the burial, while Section 13 (1) outlaws the holding of any burial wake. Although Sections 13(2) and (3) allow for vigil mass/service of songs/religious activity before the burial, such activities must be without food or drinks, live band and cultural entertainers, and, significantly, the activities must not exceed 9 p.m., according to the law.

Also, Section 14 of the law restricts burial/funeral ceremonies to one day, with burial mass/service commencing not later than 9 a.m. and lasting not more than two hours.

Again, Section 16 restricts condolence visits to one day with gift items not exceeding money, one jar of palm wine, one carton of beer and one crate of minerals. The section also bars the giving of souvenirs during the ceremony.

Moreover, Section 19 limits the number of undertakers in a burial/funeral ceremony to six and bars any display of the undertakers during the ceremony.

Section 20 prohibits the wearing of a special burial uniform by distant relatives except the deceased’s immediate family members, church groups, and kindred members, including women married off the family and those married into the family.

Section 21 makes the provision of food and drinks by the bereaved family optional, while Section 24 bars demonstrations by the youths within and around the community with photographs of the deceased.

Section 26 prohibits gunshots but allows the use of small, locally-made cannon guns prevalent in Igbo land.

Finally, Section 28 bans the making of brochures except for the order of mass/service, while Section 29 limits the mourning period to one week from the death or burial.

Violations persist, yet no arrest and prosecution

However, despite the biting economic hardship and high cost of commodities across Nigeria, residents of the state, like in many other parts of the country, continue to organise elaborate funerals in violation of the burial law.

The provisions of the law often violated include the erection of billboards, banners and posters, the duration of a corpse in a mortuary, blockage of roads, especially in urban areas, public display of casket, second burial and holding wake.

Others are sharing of foods and drinks during burials, prolonged exposure of corpses, production of burial brochures, shaving of widow’s hair and mourning period.

Meanwhile, nobody has been arrested or prosecuted for violating the law since it came into force.