Life is what every living thing enjoys. Death too comes to one the very way life comes, unsolicited.
Each time we celebrate life, we strike a deal with death, only God knows when it comes, but surely it does come. Life without death is abnormal same way death without a prior life is.
Good bye Bro Paul Osinanwata Nwabuzor( Oracle). You saw your life grow and blossom, your birthdays celebrated no less but your funeral you never saw nor celebrated, the irony of life and its futility that oftentimes gets hidden in the euphoria of life transiency.
We think about our death, envisage it, see it come most times, however nobody sees their funeral ,no matter how one tries, it remains an event only the living regale over and make funfair out of.
I have lived long enough to see funerals of many who were hitherto vibrant and full of life, hopeful, enthusiastic with visions unblurred of what the future holds, like a bang, their life was stolen by death, making as it were all the plans and hope stand still and vain.
They looked so sparky with life and would undoubtedly rebuke any slightest suggestion of their funeral coming after the last one they attended.
Severally I have had cause to recoil to myself, digging deep to phantom the very essence of life in its power and authority, majesty and glory , brag and pride in a very ostentatious manner. Each time I do such, vanity! Vanity!! Vanity!!! Echoes.
Like Solomon, it is nothing but vanity. It blossoms, it glows, sparkling and dazzling but ends within a time frame, fizzling into a grave in a very glamorous manner most times while stiff and breathless in a fine and gold plated coffins, lowered, amidst wails and cry while the sound of the mud reinforces the nothingness of man gbum! gbum!
As painful as death may be, as devastating as it often leaves the bereaved, funeral has never been skiped. It comes with its uniqueness, seeking attention, gulping more money and pulling crowd more than what the deceased may have expented and attracted in their entire life.
It is funeral, the social and religious event that finally commits the remains of the deceased to its final resting place, the grave.
It is funeral, but many have turned it into a carnival, a show casing class and status, opulence and style, network and bragadacio.
It is funeral, the bidding of farewell to the deceased, as long as it lasts in the Church and by the graveside. Outside such, it becomes a social event where drinks are scrambled for, food draged for, tears gone and dried, while dance and jovial talks hold sway, but for the freshness of the grave, one would hardly believe it was a funeral afterall.
No death is too premature to call for gloomy and uneventful funeral. The love of the life of the loved ones and the sadness and grieve that come with their exit, diminish at the funeral.
Though there may be few exceptions, largely, funeral steps down grieve and pains and steps up celebration, creating a scenario for the expression of enjoyment for the living while the deceased on whose account the funeral is done, stays lonely in the dark enclose of the grave.
Funeral! Oftentimes an escape route from the burden of emotional blackmail, trying to make ammends , the years of neglect, unloved moments, strife and last minute unresolved quarrel before the deceased exited. It can be an emotional good bye, that the deceased sees not, from the depth of the grave where darkness and lonely overwhelmed.
The pallbearers, the fun and drama, the gun shots and the sirens, the dance and the asobies etc however beautiful remain beautiful and colourful to all but the very souls on their account they were done.
Funeral! where the living unknown to them celebrate their death and funeral, while they bid the deceased good bye.
Funeral! where food and drink are freely given and the hungry and greedy have their fill for a while.
Funeral! a place where all manner of people and character come uninvited and still get attention without discrimination.
Funeral! How fun and merry , only that the very person on account of him/ her, it is holding, their fate and destination remain uncertain.
Funeral! Where many come not even knowing who died, how his life was lived and driven. Just a show of solidarity for the living who share same social network with them.
Funeral!
F- fruitless
U- uncertain
N- needless
E- empty
R- respect
A- after
L- life
Is that what you are? This description of what funeral is finds relevance in our present showbiz, flouncing and superfluous planning and execution of funeral.
Cry for yourself not the deceased each time you witness a funeral, all metal must go through the furnace of the blacksmith fire. Inside the casket, lowered Inside the six feet grave is you in proximate potency.
What one gains is what one enjoyed while alive and the very good moments many would remember one for when gone.
Every other thing after life, is for the living, though done in ones name, it is the living that take the glory.
So be deliberate in living your life well on a good path while you live, for the very ones on their account one derailed to make them comfortable, chart their paths the best way they can once ones remains are lowered.
Jarlath Opara
