Explosive issues—a taste of culture? a civic education program.


Summary:

? Hope for mankind!!
? Luxury of burial fanfares…
? Respect for the dead…
? A taste of culture?

To: Kwabena Twum…

I freeze up, completely iced over your news, in front of the computer for sometime on hearing his distressing end—that of Paa Kwesi Nyame: Consoling myself, I whispered unconsciously, ‘that’s the fate of mankind’; but we glorify the creator for his eternal arrangements, which conquers death in the sacred sacrifice of the blood of Jesus. Even though I’ve been born into sin, unworthy of mentioning his name JAH, I’ve Hope; hope in the blood of Jesus that death, however painful it is, however bitter it is to swallow, is but a means to a glorious eternal end: therefore, JAH’s holy spirit will stretch the hands of angles to spiritually wipe off the tears from all the mourning members of the family, thus conquering death:

Luxury of burial fanfares:- Personally, I’ve never given in to the luxury of burial-fanfares and it’s my absolute believe that, burials should be a strict and direct family affair: when I lost my father, Kobla Osabute, I flew hope at the right time and about almost 8 hours of heightened but emotional family deliberations, was able to convince them that there was no need spending that huge amount on a burial; that my wish for the family was to share the amount or use the money in the care of the living: to win their confidence, I handed over my portfolio containing some amount and asked them to use the money to pay school fees and hospital bills of sick family members:

Sacred/respected burial:

I insisted on quiet sacred/respected burial: there were no radio announcement or prints, no public access to the house and burial site; and at last minute I asked Tsatsu (Tetteh) my brother (we didn’t need the presence of a Priest, ‘cause we’re all bible students—instructions in the scriptures which decree, own study of the BIBLE) to pray for the glorify of the Lord and we carried the remains of DAD to the burial site: my brother Agbodzen supported me but I heard my late sister Afua Naa-ami, sister Abena Adela and the rest screaming “wo asie papa se akoko”. I looked at them and shook my head, ‘continue living in your silly ignorance’














Rio carnival parade: - My other remark: ‘go back and read the bible: it tells you “there is no difference between man (mankind) and animal: they all go to the same place”. I buried my father and mother wearing my blue jeans: that nonsense to adorn in “black” like a Rio carnival parade. In Ghana, like elsewhere in Africa, we loose control and loose respect for the dead going a mile length to commercialization...to make money out of the one we claimed to have loved (in life). What a shame!!!! And all the nonsense of sending dead bodies to church for prayers, a kind of idol worshipping:

A taste of culture?- Huh, if it’s a culture, I bet culture or tradition—a simple way of life-- should not remain static, but rather be flexible to adapt to changes of times. Therefore I will support your intention for quick, simple burial.

May his soul, being his body, rest in peace: will be home after Easter, 2010.

From: Kwaku Boatin Osabute/public advocate—
CH-Geneva.