Death is a natural phenomenon that is bound to happen to anything that’s got life in it.
Death is a thief, a heart breaker and the most painful thing to the living. To the dead, it is freedom from pain, agony, and threat. To the living, death is an unbearable pain, a joy killer and an enemy of happiness.
In this 21 st century, death has become a feast, decades ago, death was rare, death occurs only on strict notes and people mourn the dead for months. I wish this time never came, I wish we could go back to those days.
Those days when multiple deaths occurred because the gods were displeased by the actions of men, their anger resulted in death for many, so it meant that death was a sign of punishment from the gods’ and this also means that multiple deaths are signs that something is gone wrong and must be made right.
Today, death has become a reason for celebrations, Death has become very common, people die here and there without any cause. Unlike in the years back, no one is eager to know what has gone wrong that needs to be made right.
To some, it’s a sign of end times, Christians believe in the so-called end time; they were told that end time will be signaled by more deaths than there has ever been.
Of course, it’s true, end time is here, and that’s the end of lies. Even the Bible that talks about end-time recorded so many circumstances where death was hovering around, It occurred during the time of Noah, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon to mention but few. But if you should study those circumstances, such deaths were never ordinary, it was a price for something.
Meanwhile, we have allowed ourselves to believe that the feast of Deaths in our land today is normal. Back in the old days, even without technology, hospitals, and civilization, people lived for hundreds of years and yet looked strong and healthy. They die and are mourned not celebrated.
Today, a child of ten years dies, and there’s a celebration. A few days ago, I saw a vehicle conveying a number of people from Aba towards Imo state. On the hood of the vehicle is a poster of a 19-year old boy who’s to be buried that very day. I imagined what the parents of that child could be passing through and what’s on the minds of those going for the burial.
Some of them might not have visited the home of the little boy, some might not have even known him, but his death has made all that possible.Go online, the internet and see the devastating number of deaths of so many youths, no one cares to know why all these things are happening unlike in those days when elders go out to find the cause of deaths in youths.
Our mothers die during childbirth, such occurrences were very seldom in those days. Apparently, more women have lost their lives while delivering their babies within the past five months, why are these happening?
Road accidents have increased, massive assassinations are ongoing, money ritual is the order of the day, yet, we have kept mute.
There is a competition for whose burial attracts the most crowd, competitions for the richer and enjoyable; most expensive caskets and decorations, lots of fun and entertainment. So, why won’t there be FEAST OF DEATHS? Death has become a feast so people are willing to die now.
Our youths are committing suicide, an abomination back in those days, rather than seek ways of eradicating such, the government cheers it on by their policies and inactions, frustrating the youths in the process.
But why would people care for the dead more than the living? A woman dies while suffering, surprisingly, her burial becomes the talk of the town. But why? A poor man goes out to take a loan for the burial of his family member, he needs to perform expensive burial rites and in most cases to avoid mockery from the neighbors, we have become so inconsiderate, this was never part of our culture.
An Igbo adage states that when abomination is left unchecked for up to a year, it becomes a culture. These abominations have lasted for too long, it has now become a culture. There should be a thorough investigation of why Death has become a FEAST in our land. The gods must be questioned, the four elements that make up the earth should also be involved, Enough is enough!
Written By Nwada Ugochinyere Onyechere Obinwannem News
