Considering the fact that almost every society in Africa hold unto and practice one form of a religion or the other, we should note that religion has prints in our tradition and norms. Birthday party, marriage ceremony, naming, roofing of building, opening of house, burial ceremony and many others do involve some religion practices.

In a burial ceremony of a deceased who died a christian or muslim, pastors and Imam are respectively invited for some rites and prayers. Traditionalist too practice some rituals, rites, prayers and traditional ceremony with the believe to prepare the deceased for ease transition to spirit/ancestral world.

In a community where religion is rampart, how will the funeral of an atheists/humanist who do not hold belief in any religion be like?

A dead body don't talk again. Anyhow the living wants to bury their dead, they should carry-on.


Until the time atheist/humanist groups or communities started emerging over here, there is nothing you can do about that.

You don't need a preacher or a religion to bury the dead.

If you look at the big picture... Tradition is simply tradition it's not absolutely a must. It's just a societal norm.

However, if an atheist or humanist makes it specific that all he/she wants for a burial is simply kinds words or remembrance of his/her character during an eulogy DONE in the cemetery. After that lower the body.. Wetin dey again.

I don't care how it will look like. If the deceased humanist prior to her/his dead had requested for a non-religious funeral, fellow humanists and/or children should bury the corpse and go home. As for Prof. Andrew Efemini of the UniPort and a humanist I know very well, he said when he dies everyone present should just sing the National Anthem and after then - lay his corpse in the grave and bury. He needs no prayers from a pastor, imam or whatever.