Buhari: Christians hail Muslims over ‘costless’ burial

DDM NEWS

Christians in Nigeria have commended the Muslim community for their simple and costless burial practices, as exemplified by the recent burial of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The burial, which was beamed live on television, showed the body being lowered into the grave without unnecessary fanfare, costly caskets or elaborate arrangements.

Muslim burials are known for their simplicity and lack of extravagance, reflecting the Islamic values of humility and equality.

The burial process is generally inexpensive, with the focus on the deceased’s transition to the afterlife rather than elaborate ceremonies.

Muslims are typically buried as soon as possible, often within 24 hours of death, emphasizing the importance of respecting the deceased and minimizing delays.

Christian commentators have expressed admiration for the Muslim approach to burials, highlighting the need for simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

Some have called on traditional councils and churches in southern Nigeria to review their burial practices, citing the need to eliminate excessive spending and demands.

The burial of former President Buhari has sparked comparisons between Muslim and Christian funeral practices, with some Christians acknowledging the relative simplicity of Muslim burials.

While praising the simplicity of Muslim burials, some critics have also highlighted controversies surrounding Buhari’s presidency, including allegations of inadequate protection for vulnerable communities, particularly Christians in northern Nigeria.

Reports of violence and persecution against Christians have sparked concerns about the government’s response to these issues.

The spokesman of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Patriarch Amah Williams, noted that his organization doesn’t delay burials, typically laying members to rest within 72 hours without fanfare or embalming.

A member of Nollywood and former Commissioner for Culture in Cross River State, Eric Anderson, drew attention to the abandonment of actors’ bodies in mortuaries due to family disputes or financial constraints, highlighting the need for more efficient and compassionate handling of deceased individuals.

Overall, the burial of former President Buhari has sparked a national conversation about funeral practices and the need for simplicity, respect, and compassion in handling the deceased.

Commentators on many radio phone-in morning programmes over Buhari’s burial said such austere burials should be emulated by the South, especially Christians.

They called on traditional councils in the South, including state governments, to impress on communities and families to mandatorily review what they described as obnoxious cultures and traditions where people are forced to expend their entire savings, sell their houses and properties just to bury their dead.

One of the commentators, Joshua Josiah, disclosed that some family members would even abandon corpses of loved ones in the morgues for over two or three years.

He recalled how the former Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas, was similarly abandoned in a London morgue for three years before public outcry forced the burial to be done.

The callers also expressed anger over how churches often draw up long lists of demands before their members can be buried, informing that they even demand that outstanding debts the deceased might have owed must be cleared before interment.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook