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To Wedding or Funeral?
GNA feature by Francis Ameyibor
Accra, Nov. 19, GNA – The silence of one Saturday morning in
Peki Avetile was broken as vehicle horns reverberated:
Piiiiiii!!!!!!! Piiiiiiii!!!!! Piiiiiiiii!!!!
As this writer snooped out he could only see the last
vehicle as it negotiated a curve towards the local
Evangelical Presbyterian Church it was, therefore, difficult
to say whether it was a cortege of a bride or the dead.
The blaring of vehicle horns on Saturdays through major
cities in Ghana, towards the Church is commonplace. It is a
way of announcing the voyage of departed brethren on the
last lap of the journey on this part of the universe into
the arms of the Creator but takes a detour to the Church for
a memorial service.
It could also be an advertisement of a beautiful bride
gracefully cruising to the loving arms of the bridegroom but
must also traverse the Cathedral for the solemnization
service to obtain the licence to jump into the matrimonial
bed.
As the vehicles budge steadily through the principal
streets, still blowing the horn piiiiiiiii!!!!! piiiiiiiiii!!!!!
piiiiiii!!!, the neighbours, congregation and busybody
casual observers would shout out; “dondoooo!!! dondoooo!!!,
ayifrow, ayifrow,” or the refrain to the dirge - "Buei! Buei!!
Buei!!! Eno or Agya mehwe ne mma" would rant the air.
Thus many Ghanaians are sometimes torn between going to a
funeral and wedding on Saturdays. The extended family system
is very strong in our parts of the world and it is
considered anti-social behaviour if one failed to attend the
funeral or wedding ceremony of a relative or friend. Most of
these social engagements are organized at the weekends from
Friday through Saturday to Sunday.
As this Writer pondered over the dilemma the echo of
inspirational quotations quivered through the serene
atmosphere: “Now the labourer’s task is over, now the battle
day is past, now upon the farther shore lands the voyage at
last; Father, in thy gracious keeping; leave us now thy
servant sleeping.”
“You never know when your time is coming, like a bird
suddenly caught in a trap, like fish caught in a net, we are
trapped at some evil moment when we least expected it.
“There is a journey awaiting us all, an adventure that’s
brave and free, on a ship that sails swiftly and surely
along, to a harbour our eyes cannot see, there our loved
ones enjoy, only peace and content, those who’ve sailed on,
wait for those left behind knowing someday we’ll all be
together.”
Whilst the sound from the other end of town lighten on, the
voice of a preacher man echoed; “Dearly beloved, we are
gathered together for the solemnization ceremony of our
Brother Kwaku Ashong and Sister Ekua Mercy…if any one here
present have any just cause why the two cannot be joined
together, he or she should say it now or forever remain
silent.”
An expositional tour at the weekend by Ghana News Agency (GNA)
revealed the difficulty of most Ghanaians especially
politicians, priest, public and civil servants as one might
be bound to attend a wedding or a funeral.
Either way the family, friends, the church and the community
goes through major transformation for the occasion –
send-off for the departed or the initiation into the married
couple’s fellowship.
Preparation towards these great occasions takes months and
mostly depends on the financial and social status of the
individual or families involved.
People have expressed diverse opinions about the cost
incurred during these social gatherings.
On glamorous wedding, Ms Mercy Asiedu told the GNA; “though
it is beautiful, it is most often unnecessary waste of funds
that would be needed in marriage it could be invested.
“I believe in beautiful but simple wedding. All that is
important is the ingredient- legality of the ceremony and
most importantly the spiritual implication. Remember the
wedding is to honour God,” she said.
The preparations include face-lifting of the house,
selecting special dress as wedding gown or …..
As the funeral family considers printing of posters, cost of
a casket, erecting of giant billboards, the wedding family
engages themselves with printing of invitation cards, cost
of suitcase, engagement Bible etc…
The memorial service mostly divided into three parts;
memorial service, burial service at graveyard and
thanksgiving service.
It is common knowledge that during such services, most
churches especially those in the country-side take advantage
of the presence of large number of sympathizers from the
cities to organize a miniature fund-raising not for the
bereaved family or the couple but for a church building
project or some form of activities in the church.
Ms Asiedu said social engagements drain the accounts of
women as “we need new dress, shoes and do new hair-styles
for each occasion be it wedding or funeral”.
Mrs Diana Newson-Torkornoo also remarked: “Sometimes I have
to move in between a wedding and a funeral on the same day
at different locations in the city.
Some Ministers of State had had to cut short official visit
to Kumasi to come back to Accra to participate in the
funeral of a member of the party.
The dilemma of whether to attend a wedding or a funeral is
unending. Where did you spend the last weekend?
GNA
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