Anxious relatives and friends of a dead colleague were disappointed when the bereaved family sent the body to the cemetery right from the morgue, as mourners waited to see it at home.
Head of Asenie Family at Akyawkrom in the Ejisu Municipality in the Ashanti region took the decision in compliance with the government’s directive on social gathering in the wake of Coronavirus epidemic.
Opanin Kwaku Acheampong also restrained people from converging, as he restricted the rites to a few relatives.
The pomp and pageantry, display of rich Akan culture associated with modern funerals, were absent at the burial of 45-year-old Kofi Boakye described as the ‘people’s man’.
What was supposed to be a private burial took a new twist as sympathisers amassed in front of the family house.
Soon the numbers began to swell, despite the family’s decision to respect presidential ban on social gatherings.
The crowd’s anxiety to pay their last respect to their departed loved one was dashed when the family sent the corpse to the graveyard without the usual laying in state.
Few elders later gathered at the family house to receive donations from sympathisers.
They were made to spend less than five-minutes, after going through strict hand washing and other anti-coronavirus protocols.
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Opanin Acheampong later spoke to Joy News.
“Our relative died days before the Presidential directive.
“So we decided to send the corpse to the cemetery without bringing it home. We also designated some family members for the funeral rites at home. Since we are observing the directive, those of us here are even not up to 20.
“We also ensured all those returning from cemetery and other well-wishers wash their hands with soap. All of them were supplied with pocket tissues to clean their hands,” he said in Twi.
The family head told Joy News it is easy to organise a funeral the way his family did.
He wants others to devise alternative but innovative ways to mourn their departed relatives.
” It is not too difficult to observe the presidential directive on social gathering. The President knows what’s best for the country. Coronavirus disease is a global issue. We have to respect every arrangement that seeks to protect us. The directive is a good move.”