Gov. Soludo Introduces New Burial Law, Bans Presentation of Cows, Goats as Condolence Gifts
The Anambra State Government has rolled out stringent new legislation aimed at curbing extravagant funeral practices, prohibiting midweek burials and limiting condolence gifts in a bid to ease financial burdens on bereaved families and restore order to burial ceremonies.
The law, passed by the Anambra State House of Assembly, restricts all burial and funeral ceremonies to Saturdays only, effectively outlawing burials from Monday to Friday. It also mandates that all burial activities must be completed within a single day.
Under the new regulations, condolence gifts to the deceased’s family are strictly limited to money, one jar of palm wine, one carton of beer, and one crate of soft drinks. The presentation of cows, goats, bags of rice, and other expensive items has been banned outright.
The legislation, obtained by journalists on Monday, describes the measures as a major step toward eliminating ostentatious funeral practices that have imposed heavy financial pressure on families and disrupted economic activities through prolonged ceremonies.
Additional key provisions include:
- Complete abolition of wake-keep ceremonies.
- Vigil masses, services of songs, and related religious events must end by 9pm, with no food, drinks, live bands, or cultural entertainment allowed.
- Prohibition on the erection of billboards, banners, and posters of the deceased across the state. Only directional signs to burial venues are permitted, and these cannot be displayed earlier than seven days before the event.
- Ban on public display of caskets for advertisement or sale, and prohibition of dancing with caskets.
- Restriction of undertakers to a maximum of six persons per funeral.
- Corpses must not remain in mortuaries beyond two months; those kept longer risk being classified as “rejected corpses” and buried by the government in designated grounds to be established in every community.
- Ban on second funeral rites, except in legacy-related cases.
- Restriction of “aso ebi” (uniform attire) to immediate family members, church groups, and specific traditional groups.
- Ban on sharing of souvenirs and making food and drinks optional for guests.
The law also outlaws disruptive traditional practices, including the public display of photographs of the deceased, destruction of crops or property, and unauthorised use of firearms during burials. Blocking of roads and streets during ceremonies is equally prohibited.
Offenders face a fine of ₦100,000, six months’ imprisonment, or both.
To ensure compliance, the state government will establish monitoring committees in communities to oversee death registrations, approve burial dates, and enforce the new rules.
The legislation is expected to boost economic productivity by reducing time wasted on lavish funerals and alleviating the financial strain often associated with burial rites in the state.
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