By Simon Ebegbulem

ILULEHA—AT Iluleha community, Uzebba, Owan West Local Government, Niger Delta Voice found out, last week, that the villagers have a unique tradition of shepherding a deceased kinsman to the land of the dead. It was at the interment ceremony of 98-year-old Odionwere (oldest man) of Aghoenlokhua, High Chief John Ihonvbere, father of the Secretary to State Government, SSG, Edo State, Professor Julius Ihonvbere.

In his lifetime, the elder Ihonvbere was supposed to be in-charge of the community’s deity, but because of his Christian faith, he saddled someone else with the responsibility.

Circle around corpse

After the lying-in-state in his compound at Ukhuse-Osi, it was observed that a ring was formed around him by his children and other kinsmen. Prof Ihonvbere, the Iyasele (Prime Minister of Iluleha), who sat with others around the corpse gisting animatedly throughout the night, told Niger Delta Voice that it was the tradition: “We do not want our father to be without a friend where he is, particularly when he was a High Chief.”

Isolation in the land of the dead

On why they sat so close to the casket as if guarding the remains from intruders, he said: “The children and I have to keep him company; making a lot of noise just to keep him company so he will not be lonely. “And one of the reasons we are burying him in the house is because my mother insisted that going to build a tomb outside no matter how well decorated is still outside his house— he will be lonely.

“But when he is inside the house, he will feel the aura and the presence of people around him. It may be superstition but I saw reason with her when she insisted. “We had space so we did it inside the house. I was close to my father, all the children were close to him and whether alive or in death, we remain close to him.”

Bead for the dead

On the bead he put round his deceased father neck, he said: “When we went to the mortuary, his bead was not there, they did not bring it from the house. So after we laid him in state, I had to get the bead, opened the casket and put it on his head because he is a High Chief and will be so recognized.”

Christianity vs tradition

”My father was a devoted Christian; he was a foundation member of Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, lluleha. “Though a High Chief and the Odionwere, which puts him in-charge of the community deity, he had somebody who took charge of that for him, so he was not the one going there to do the sacrifice. He could not have done that because he was the oldest man in the community.”

Professor Ihonvbere explained that the chiefs and elders of the community granted him a special permission to give his father a full Christian burial and there was no fetish practice attached to it. His words: “Now the chiefs and elders have agreed that I should give him a full Christian burial, there is no traditional thing so far. May be when we are through with the Christian burial, we will then host the chiefs and they will give their own special prayers for the repose of his soul.

“It became easy for me to get the permission because the Okumagbe (King) is a full Christian so it was a very easy thing to sync into his own system. “He has directed all the chiefs to be there. The Chiefs in Uzebba here insisted we must bring him home, which we did and thereafter they told us to take him for burial.” Explaining how his Christian father was able to cope being a traditionalist and a Christian, he said: “It is a very difficult mixture.

“My father was able to play the two because he was a very quiet and well-liked person. He did not go out to seek for the Odionwereship. It was imposed on him by age. “I do believe that if you are a Christian, it is very difficult for you at the same time to hold a deep traditional title. If it is this regular chieftaincy they give people, that means nothing. But when you are a traditional chief, sometimes it is very complicated.

“It is not as if they do human sacrifices. They can just say ‘oh, bring a goat, chicken and few things for the gods.’ “But beyond that, nothing serious. But they have not asked me for any of those things, but I know it will come. I think they just want to allow me finish with the Christian burial, and later, that can be done. “But it is not like a cult. It does not need any human parts. They will do what they need to do according to tradition.”

It’s our tradition—Okun

Acting Chairman of Owan West Local Government Area, Mr. Reginald Aideloje Okun, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice during the burial, noted that it is the tradition of the community to show love to the deceased before the actual burial, so that the spirit of the departed would be happy where he or she is.   According to him, “families come together and gather round the coffin of the deceased to show love. Apart from that, the deceased is a man of the people and somebody you will not wish death on at all.

“He was a very calm and happy person. As a high chief he carried people along. He brought the people together and brought peace to the community. “Nothing bothered him; he was just like the professor, his son: very calm and intelligent. So when the family members stayed around his coffins till midnight, it is our tradition.

“The only thing that changed a bit was the church burial given to him. Though, I am aware that chiefs have their own style of burial, but professor preferred the church burial, which was approved by the chiefs. “You know that Christianity has changed a lot of things in our society, particularly when the high chief himself was a devoted Christian.

“But one good thing is that no tribe forgets its tradition. But the issue of making rituals has been eliminated in many ways and that was why the high chief was able to handle the responsibility given to him before he departed despite his Christian background.

“You could see that even the elders, who are supposed to oppose the Christian burial, have all converted to Christia-nity and it is good for us to avoid unnecessary rancour when burying a high profile chief like this.”