THANKGOD OFOELUE, BENIN
Death they say is the ultimate end. But this is not so in Africa,
because the average African is convinced that the dead watches over
the living, just as a father watches over his children. That is why in
places like Edo, people are honoured at the time of their deaths more
than when they are alive.
No matter how well, or how badly an individual has been taken care of
when alive, families of the dead make it a point of duty to pay him or
her great last respects by organising a befitting burial. Especially
when that person is grandly old.
So, when Madam Felicia Osawemwenze Ogunseri died, her children made it
a point of duty to celebrate her at death.
Madam Ogunseri had 10 children, 26 grandchildren and three great grand
children in her lifetime, and lived to the ripe age of 82. In this age
of family planning, Ogunseri would have become odd, but young families who
gathered during her burial who are advocates of having few kids
attested that great number of kids in a family is the best legacy for
posterity.
The Edos, Binis to be precise, honour their dead. Even though it is
called burial ceremony, the event actually is a burial festival, as
all the trappings of great enjoyment, with little grief is present at
such a ceremony. It has assumed another dimension in the ancient city,
that it is simply known as 'Obito', a corruption of 'obituary'.
Obito begins usually on a Friday, reaching a climax on Saturday. The
roads of Benin metropolis therefore, is usually filled with vehicles
bearing obituary posters and lots of young men and women who are
dressed in black. They visit the mortuary, either the Central Hospital
Mortuary at the back of the Edo State House of Assembly, or the
University of Benin Teaching Hospital mortuary at Ugbowo to retrieve
the corpse of the dead. Then a marching dance will begin, in which the
families escort the ambulance with coffin home. They ensure that a
number of videographers are hired and they ensure that every aspect of
the ceremony is captured on camera.
In the case of Madam Ogunseri, whose first son, Mr. Walid Ogunseri is
a journalist, Daily Newswatch arrived Etin Osa Street in company of members
of the NUJ in Benin, and discovered that the whole lengthy street has
been closed due to the obito ceremony. Over 50 canopies have been
hired by different interest groups associated with the family in one
way or another. There were women clubs, whose canopies are daintily
decorated with shining, colourful beads. Some had effected
attractiveness to their canopies with other decorations, and there are
over ten such women groups and their canopies. Each group is dressed
lavishly, as if trying to out-dress the others, and within the canopy
are drinks and foods coolers of all kinds. One group even had a buffet
right within its canopy! Some also have made costly signposts to, as
they say in such situations, distinguish the 'girls from the ladies'.
According to son of the deceased, Mr. Ogunseri, who spoke with Daily Newswatch, the ceremony had began on Thursday, 13th
March with service of songs and a wake. The wake had continued on
Friday night, and preceded the burial of the old lady, which took
place Saturday morning.
As the party of journalists criss-crossed the several canopies to get
to one specially reserved from them, there are also several musical
groups who have been hired to play at the ceremony. Each group plays
popular Edo music which titillates the populace, and had come in their
unique regalia. At both sides of their own canopies, one could make
out huge music speakers from which the music blared, making strong
efforts to silence everyone within its territory. A single speaker is
almost as large as a coffin, and Daily Newswatch counted 14 such monster-sized black
noise makers at one spot, seven on each side. The burial must have
cost the family a real huge fortune, as one of the most popular Bini
musicians also played. Osayomore Joseph by name, the singer is a
strong critic of governments, and had gained national and
international fame in the days of Abacha when he sang anti-Abacha
songs. Today, Osayomore, dressed in shiny clothing, including a
leopard decorated trousers juggled from his mic to guitar, singing,
directing his boys and playing his flute and guitar. He is known to
have been invited by various governments to play at ceremonies.
Madam Ogunseri's children and grandchildren made the ceremony truly
colourful. Each of the over 50 canopies represented people connected
to the family one way or another. There were teachers, market
associations, journalists, clubs, church groups, schools, families,
trade associations and age grades.
At 4 pm, as the sun poured down its blessings upon the crowd, drawing
sweat, a master of ceremonies interrupted one of the musical groups to
announce that the 'obito dance' was about to begin. Each of the music
group has been hired by a son, or daughter of the late old lady.
Whoever invited them would dance with his or her own family when the
music played, and groups connected to him or her would be called to
join him as a mark of support as he honours his mother in her journey
to the land of the ancestors.
As the music began again, Mr. Ogunseri, who invited his colleagues
from the NUJ came out with his family and danced. Each family, who
danced with their friends or associates at the different music stands,
were dressed in colourful clothes. They were dressed in uniforms, now
popularly known as 'ashebi' across Nigeria. There were about five
different 'ashebis' donned by different groups. This excludes the
clubs, who are easily distinguishable for their expensive dresses and
jewelry. The dance is accentuated with money, which is thrown around
the dancer, and he or she makes his steps. As is typical among Binis,
the dance is not aggressive, but a tap, tapping of the feet on the
ground in response to the aggressive, blaring but melodious music. It
is believed that the dance should not denote enjoyment, but solemn, to
reflect the occasion, which is death.
In the past, the 'obito' is usually held at night, with heavy dancing
and drinking. It was a party of sorts characterized by immorality. The
dead was also buried in the dead of the night, at about 12 or two
a.m., and this has been criticized to be a secret cult ceremony by
pastors. With the rise and rise of Pentecostal Christianity, some of
these practices have been condemned by the numerous churches that dot
the city, and most people now prefer to hold their 'obito' in the day
time.
As they danced, the monies kept pouring in, in N10, N20 and N50 notes.
Occasionally, one supporter would come with N100 notes, but this was
rare. Some kids moved around the arena, carrying loads of these small
denominations. The dancers would occasionally call them and make
exchanges of money, and the kids would earn some money as stock
exchange agents. The videographers were also relentless in the aim to
catch every move made by their employer.
Some women and girls, members of these families were also alert,
working tirelessly in the business of picking the notes and forwarding
them into black plastic bags.
As the dance continued, people came out with large 'Ghana-must-Go'
bags loaded with food in plastic plates. Such bags were allocated to
the different canopies, and crates and cartons of canned drinks, from
soft to alcohol also found their ways out. It must be noted here that
despite the huge crowd that came for the ceremony, filling over 50
canopies across a lengthy street, everybody got food to eat. The
reporter for instance got two plates of jollof rice with meat, as well
as four cans of drink. Canned and sachet water were also in abundance.
Daily Newswatch gathered that nine cows went into the ceremony.
As the dances continued, so the revelry that combined both eating and
drinking. Looking at the newly painted old building, which is the
family house of the woman who died, one could hardly believe that such
display of wealth and affluence could emanate from such a humble home.
But that is not the issue, for, as Africans strongly believe, a great
burial brings abundant blessings the way of the family of the dead.
Mama Ogunseri, who is not dead, but gone to be with ancestors, must be
totally contented with the feat of her offspring, who have given her a
befitting farewell party.
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