Nigeria Culture - Second Burial Culture

(lagos)

Second burial is a culture common to many Nigerian tribes.

Second burial is the act of organizing an often elaborate burial for a deceased relative after the initial burial.

The second burial ceremony is often accompanied by a lot of merry making. It is more or less a party for the dead.

There is the belief in many parts of the country with this culture that the spirit of the dead relative will not have passage to the world beyond - the home for the dead - if his relatives fail to perform this burial rites.

It is held that the spirit of the dead person may return to torment or hurt his family members who failed to give him a 'befitting burial'. That is, the second burial.

This is a myth common to many tribes in Nigeria.

Consequently, a lot of people do whatever it takes to organize a second burial for the dead relative. Some even run into a lot of debt just to fulfill this obligation.

So, sometimes when you see relatives crying profusely, it's not simply for the pain of the loss of their loved one.

Sometimes, the crying is aggravated by the knowledge that soon, very soon, he will have to cough out a huge amount of money for the first and second burial . . . money that he does not have.

The thought alone forces him to break down into more tears.