Igbos have been advised to curtail their huge expenditure on burial ceremonies.
Rather, they have been told to channel parts of such funds to developing their communities and empowering the living persons among them.
The advice was given by Prof Samuel Ngozi Agu of Abia State University, Uturu, while delivering the 67th Inaugural Lecture of the institution at the University auditorium.
He lamented that large fortunes were being spent by many families to prosecute burial plans of their loved ones, even with some of the bereaved sometimes borrowing money to stage talk of the town burial.
He described such expenditure as unhelpful to the economic development of the Igbo nation and called the practice “glutinous”.
Agu, who called for a second look at the idea of ‘Second Burial’, said the idea was responsible for enlarged budgets for burials in Igbo communities.
The inaugural lecturer suggested that unhelpful cultural practices should be dropped, and predicted that more development would be achieved in the future if his recommendations are considered.
“Resources spent in organizing such burials could be better invested in youth empowerment or any other form of community development,” Agu said.
He suggested modest expenditure on burial ceremonies and called for an end to “glutinous” burial events.
The inaugural lecturer used the occasion to urge the Abia State government to set up a truth, reconciliation, restoration and enlightenment Commission.
Meanwhile, twenty three newly promoted Professors have been presented to the Senate of Abia State University by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Onyemachi Ogbulu.
They were presented before the 263rd Regular Senate meeting where the Vice Chancellor reiterated the University’s determination in maintaining good welfare of staff.
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