STILL IN FOCUS - LAW TO CONTROL BURIAL/FUNERAL CEREMONIAL ACTIVITIES IN ANAMBRA STATE OF 2019
By Paul Nwosu
In case we have forgotten so soon, it’s necessary to restate that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo’s election campaign manifesto was hinged on Governance, Rule of Law and Value System among others. And it was on the basis of this manifesto that he was resoundingly elected into office by Ndi Anambra.
Being a man of his words, he has dutifully continued to keep faith with the promises in the manifesto. When his promises materialize in terms of the plethora of infrastructural amenities, provision of massive employment in education and healthcare delivery, youth empowerment, etc, we are happy. But when it comes to compliance with the Law, some people are unhappy and recalcitrant. And when government decides to enforce the Law, political hypocrites surface to defend the indefensible, to brazenly support lawlessness.
“No pain, no gain” is a saying, but it appears some selfish politicians will wish for the reverse - all gain and no pain. The beautiful countries we flock to every now and then were built from people’s sweat and so much pain, and of course, obedience to the rules guiding how they must live with the gains from their pain.
The truth is that the liveable and prosperous society this government is working hard to build cannot thrive without law and order. Both must necessarily go hand-in-hand.
Granted that mortals are resistant to “change”, but when, as averagely rational human beings, they weigh the avalanche of goodies that will eventually come their way, that of their next generation and majority of Ndi Anambra, it only makes sense that they should chose compliance with law above every other short-term lucre. The present aversion of some of our people, buoyed by a clique of our intelligentsia and political class is not in the best interest of Ndi Anambra.
Just as the title of the law implies, Anambra State House of Assembly, in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities, passed the Anambra Burial Law to “Control the Ceremonial Activities” we unduly levy ourselves when our loved ones die. The bill was properly reviewed and House members at the time went back and forth in consultation with their various constituencies before the bill was finally passed and signed by the former Governor, Chief Willie Obiano on the 9th day of May, 2019.
So, the law is aimed at curbing the vulgar ostentation associated with our funerals which tend to put the have-nots under pressure to engage in untoward efforts to meet up. And this so-called effort to meet up, if mirrored closely, has negative consequences on the society. It has also been revealed that some of the deceased whose relatives go to these desperate length to meet up did not go to such length to give them a befitting living. Some of them virtually starved while they were alive.
This is why Governor Soludo recommends that we should as much as possible give our senior citizens a befitting living so that when they are eventually called to eternal glory, we should give them a decent burial.
In this regard, Governor Soludo has led by example.
*_*Attached is a free copy of the law_*
*SIR PAUL NWOSU*
Commissioner for Information
Anambra State
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