How the rich bury their dead
By SAM AWOYINFA
Published: Sunday, 2 Nov 2008

IT is said that necessity is the mother of invention. It is equally true that if you can identify a particular need in the society, and you can develop a product or service to satisfy this need, you might be on your way to making a fortune.
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Victoria Court Cemetery

As public cemeteries across the country have become a haven for ritualists and other diabolical characters, who would not allow the dead to rest in peace, a number of private cemeteries are springing up. And the business seems to be thriving, since the public cemeteries are not well maintained, due to official red tape associated with running of government institutions and parastatals.

Not too long ago, the Lagos State Police Command paraded a middle-aged man with seven human skulls, hidden in a sack. During interogation, he told the police that he got those skulls from the Atan cemetery in Yaba. He explained further that he normally scaled the fence of the cemetary in the dead of the night, to exhume corpses and thereafter sever their heads from the trunks.

Also, sometime last year, in Ibadan, a member of a vigilance group was equally caught with some human skulls. Almost on a regular basis, you get to read in the newspapers, people being caught with human skulls or fresh human heads.

However, an emerging trend where those who could afford to bury their departed aged parents or loved ones in a private cemetery, is fast catching on. Some Nigerians these days spend fortunes to ensure they give their departed ones a ‘befitting‘ burial. They hold nothing back in getting those departed ones to sleep in peace.

One of those privately owned cemeteries is the Victoria Court Cemetery, located on Lekki-Epe Expressway. The private cemetery established in 1997, is owned and operated by an Isreali construction company, HFP Engineering.

Sunday Punch investigations revealed that a vault there goes for as much as N400,000 and the money is paid before arrangements are made to recieve the corpse for burial. Our correspondent who visited the cemetery last Tuesday equally discovered that there are some vaults which are available for sale.

Again, if the family of the deceased go through an undertaker to buy the vault, this price may no longer be feasible. This is because the undertaker might be the one to provide the casket, and other auxiliary services like providing the pall bearers and the band boys. If the undertaker is contacted to do all these, Sunday Punch gathered, the total charge could go as high as between N1.5million and N2million, or even more.

”If a client comes to us directly, we charge only N400,000 for a single vault. It is when people go through an undertaker, probably to handle the total package of getting the vault, the coffin and providing the hearse and the pall bearers, among others that the money could move to say N1.5 or N2 million or even more,” Mr Audu, the supervisor of the cemetery stressed.

The Victoria Court Cemetery also has an in-house chapel where funeral services could be held, if the family of the deceased so desires. The hall which could sit 140 guests, is for free, as far as you have paid for the vault. The only snag is that the chapel does not have a resident chaplain or pastor. So, whoever wants to have a funeral service there must provide an officiating minister.

Another private cemetery in Lagos is the Vaults and Gardens, Ikoyi. The exclusive cemetery situated beside the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, is owned by Olakleen Group. Some of the tombs have finishing works done with marble, red brick, tiles and granite.

It also boasts of various classes of vaults, ranging from single, double and triple vaults. As the names suggest, the single takes only a corpse, double takes two, while the triple takes three. The double and triple vaults are mostly bought by people who have chosen to be buried in the same tomb with their spouses when they die.

The prices are as varied as the vaults. For the single vault, the price range is between N367,500 and N700,000. This differentiation is determined by the level of the density of the area you are paying for. They have New High Density vault, Single High Density vault and Single Medium Density vault. While the double and triple vaults are sold for N1 million and N1.5 million respectively.

For other auxiliary services carried out on the tombs after the burial, there are charges attached. In the new price list obtained by our correspondent, granite finishing attracts at least N350,000, marble – N300,000 and above, red brick – N250,000 or more while tiling – N60,000 and painting is N10,000.

Vaults and Gardens also has a mausoleum section, which is only made available on application. The price, Sunday Punch checks revealed, could be as high as N10 million. And it has a hall for funeral services, which attracts N100,000 fee for two hours duration.

Another startling discovery during our investigations is that some people do buy and keep tombs for their aged parent(s) or for themselves. Sunday Punch also has it on good authority that Certificate of Occupancy is normally issued on each of the vaults, and handed over to the family of the deceased.

”This C of O could be for 25 years or more, after which the family of the deceased will have to renew such,” a source who does not want his name in print said.

Relations of some of the deceased still pay occasional visits to their tombs, as some fresh wreaths were seen on some of the tombs, while some other wreaths were already weather beaten.

When Sunday Punch visited the corporate office of HFP Engineering at Victoria Garden City (VGC) on Thursday, October 30, for official comment on the Victoria Court Cemetery, General Manager, Legal and Administration, Mr. K.O. Omojola, said they do not entertain press interviews. Later, he recanted.

”If you want any official comment from us, you will write us a formal letter, addressed to the General Manager, Victoria Court Limited (Managers of Victoria Court Private Cemetery), and bring it to me. Then, I will facilitate the press interview with Group Managing Director,” he says.

Whether we like it or not, the private cemeteries are here to stay, and they are making good money too, because people who use their services, must bury their dead. http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200811022551953

This beats me,why are ppl buried in cemeteries dem no get house/village abi na hometown

ifyalways:

This beats me,why are people buried in cemeteries them no get house/village abi na hometown

that's where people are meant to be buried isnt it?

you just know Nigerians will go a step further though, gold casket
synchronised burial guards, in fact they will import the burial clothes if
possible
i heard a family delayed their burial because they were waiting for
a musician to come back from overseas

this Guy:

that's where people are meant to be buried isnt it?

ehern
i was thinking people are meant to be buried in their homes anyway, for as much as i know people are always buried in their homes.I've never heard of an Igbo man buried under normal circumstances in a cemetery,culture perharps i think every Igbo man wants to be buried at home,its a thing of pride,. . . . . to be buried in ones motherland with the ancestors.

Dis Guy:

that's where people are meant to be buried isnt it?

PRICELESS! Ha ha.

buried at home cause of pride
buried in a musoleum
buried in a gold casket

we africas and ignorance,only GOD will deliver us,im sure whichever way of the above written you r buried you automatically go to heaven/paradise seeing as your family have gone to so much trouble lol lol

Total waste.

i want to "ride" to heaven like a champ 

girl dont be two sympathetic on peter obi.dont get me wrong ask the necessary questions and stop being too myopic.i respect your opinion still.

How can anyone advocate being buried in a home? A home? Emphasis on the word Home. I'm guessing if I say Home as many times, the point will be made. Home.

@Luca,we all know that place of burial does not determine ones final resting place so

spikedcylinder:

How can anyone advocate being buried in a home? A home? Emphasis on the word Home. I'm guessing if I say Home as many times, the point will be made. Home.

No Point.you have said just Nothing.
Just like you might find it weird to be buried in a home,so do most ppl find it weird and absurd to be buried in a cemetery.tsk !

ifyalways:

@Luca,we all know that place of burial does not determine ones final resting place so No Point.you have said just Nothing.
Just like you might find it weird to be buried in a home,so do most people find it weird and absurd to be buried in a cemetery.tsk !

Ah! Why would I think you would get it? You, hater of the "dead people + cemeteries" theorem? You?

Maybe you need to look up the meaning of Cemeteries. Heck! I'm a nice person and I'm in a good mood, I would do it for you:

Definitions of cemetery:

noun: a tract of land used for burials


Search for cemetery at other dictionaries: OneLook, Answers.com, Merriam-Webster

See? Not so hard was it? Now the task is getting you to understand. . . .

ifyalways:

@Luca,we all know that place of burial does not determine ones final resting place so No Point.you have said just Nothing.

so i was highlighting our inherent ignorance in africa/nigeria, what has burying someone in his/her home to do with where they r going, will they be carrying the mansion with them?
what if the children/family have to sell the property,isnt that devaluing it or will you buy a property with a cadaver buried in the middle?at least with a casket they ll buy what they can afford and thats that with a property its there for life

spiked and ify. no fighting pls. tks

spikedcylinder:

Ah! Why would I think you would get it? You, hater of the "dead people + cemeteries" theorem? You?

Maybe you need to look up the meaning of Cemeteries. Heck! I'm a nice person and I'm in a good mood, I would do it for you:



See? Not so hard was it? Now the task is getting you to understand. . . .

If only your stamp sized brain is not stuffed full with cotton,you would have understood that i said the "IGBO's " rarely bury their dead ones in the cemetery.
who gives a hoot about your person or mood?lol,some brats do take themselves way too seriously.
Pish posh.
@Luca,whatever.
Josh,nothing dey happen.Thanks.

ifyalways:

If only your stamp sized brain is not stuffed full with cotton,you would have understood that i said the "IGBO's " rarely bury their dead ones in the cemetery.
who gives a hoot about your person or mood?lol,some brats do take themselves way too seriously.
Pish posh.
@Luca,whatever.
Josh,nothing dey happen.Thanks.

Oh well, you don't give a damn about my mood but I'm glad you got the message.

I asked : "Why would anyone advocate being buried in a home" and you took it all personal like your life depended on it. Whatever works for you mate!

Seeing as you advocate dead people being buried in habitable homes, why not go and dig up all your dead ancestors and go and bury them in the house you share with your husband? At least you'd have something to play with. . . . .


@JJYOU, sorry but she started it. I didn't insult her, still havent.

spikedcylinder:

Oh well, you don't give a damn about my mood but I'm glad you got the message.

I asked : "Why would anyone advocate being buried in a home" and you took it all personal like your life depended on it. Whatever works for you mate!

Seeing as you advocate dead people being buried in habitable homes, why not go and dig up all your dead ancestors and go and bury them in the house you share with your husband? At least you'd have something to play with. . . . .


@JJYOU, sorry but she started it. I didn't insult her, still havent.

Never knew i was talking to some beni-oui oui
My ancestors are all already buried in homes i would say you rather go seek for yours _{if u have any} or better still go look for some to exhume from some cemetery around u.The stench might awaken your seemingly dead brain cells and keep you on track.
and while at it. . . . . .all the best of luck.

ifyalways:

Never knew i was talking to some beni-oui oui
My ancestors are all already buried in homes i would say you rather go seek for yours _{if u have any} or better still go look for some to exhume from some cemetery around u.The stench might awaken your seemingly dead brain cells and keep you on track.
and while at it. . . . . .all the best of luck.

Did you notice the part where I said "dig up"? How could you?

Don't bother about my ancestors dear, they are tucked neatly in cemeteries which is where dead people are meant to be (a fact you vehemently disagree with).

Plus, continue with the insults dear, they seem to spice up your character which up until now has been ordinary.

Yeye Nigerians!! when did we start burying people in cemeteries? My culture is not taking the dead to cemeteries but burying them at their homes is our way. That some people are oyibonolising burials does not mean it's the norm back home.

How many people bury their dead ones in cemeteries? Ify you are right on track dear.

Ermmm for those of them talking about selling houses! My people do no sell family homes, maybe your people do.

i see,so all the dead will have one room each in the house right?
what happens even if its a mansion when land round the property is used up,they start using the living room?
i disagree with many white cultures and ways of doing things but this is one of the few i agree with,what is the sense in burying a cadaver in a house inhabited by the living,

lucabrasi:

i see,so all the dead will have one room each in the house right?
what happens even if its a mansion when land round the property is used up,they start using the living room?
i disagree with many white cultures and ways of doing things but this is one of the few i agree with,what is the sense in burying a cadaver in a house inhabited by the living,

If you like bury them in your wardrobe!!

The truth remains that cemetery is not our way, some people cremate their dead ones and they find it odd that people actually bury corpses, some Europeans do not dig graves like we do, instead they hire slots in public cemeteries for a number of years depending on their wealth.

I think Americans dig graves like us, but in cemeteries. That we do not bury the dead in cemeteries does not make us stupid. Jeez!! too many kids in Nairaland

lol why would i bury people in the wardrobe when there are rooms in the family house?
it doesnt make us stupid but i really dont see any rational justification for burying people in rooms or compounds, or maybe you can break it down to this little kid lol

Atan cemetery is full, can they borrow your family homes?

Burying people in cemeteries is a norm!!!! Where are you people from?

bury people in residential houses?
na spiritual house be dat. cant live there

wetin do cemetry na?
abi una wan turn una houses to cemetry
na real wa o

i guess burying folks in the village is alright becuase people dont buy and sale houses there like white people do. can you but a house knowing that someone is buried in front of the house? burying in front and at the back in the village is okay but inside the house? ha! i don't think soooh!

my cousin's dad was buried inside their chapel in their mansion in the village, guess what? none of us uses that stair case that lead there anymore while the mom still expects us to go in there and pray! ha!