Former Minister and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ekid People’s Union, Chief Nduese Essien, has stated that, there will be a uniform list for both burial and marriages in Ekid, comprising of Eket Local Government and Esit Eket.
Chief Nduese Essien stated this, in his recommendation to Ekid People’s Union, during the annual congress of the Union at the weekend.
According to the Former Minister, Marriage and traditional burial rites have been bastardized in Ekidland, to the point where eligible youths can no longer afford to get into marriage, and corpses stay unduly long for burial or abandoned without burial.
The board of Trustees and Executive of EPU directed Esup Mbong Ekid to take a look at these practices and streamline them into uniform traditional rites for marriages and burial. The Council of Traditional Rulers of Ekid Nation have submitted their report and made recommendation on these issues.
Part of the recommendations are that, vigil night or friends night are to be discarded. Those who wish to indulge in this, are to apply to the Local Government Council with a fee of N100,000, and those who conduct same without approval, shall be liable to a fine of N500,000.
Opening of mourning house will be limited to prayer session, to be conducted by church leaders and not more than one hour. Those who wish to go beyond this, shall apply to the local government Council with a fee of N100,000. Defaulters who conduct such without approval, shall pay a fine of N500,000.
Churches should not impose unnecessary demands in the process of burying their members.
Marriage rites have been limited to a level where everyone can enter into Marriage relationship. The practice of making all sorts of provisions for all kinds of persons, including dead grand parents, should be discarded to allow the dead rest in peace, the recommendations stated.
Chief Nduese Essien has advocated that, when this is passed as a bye law in the local government areas in Ekid, it will help streamline and make burial and marriages affordable for the people.
