Pe Pwadam calls for an end to extravagant funeral celebrations

The Chief of the Punyoro Zamdonia Divisional Area in Pungu, Kassena-Nankana Municipality, Pe Pascal Pwadam Zamdoe Adoeba has urged families to exercise moderation when organising funerals, cautioning against excessive spending and practices that turn funeral ceremonies into profit-making ventures.

He said families must organise funerals within their financial means rather than succumb to societal pressure to stage elaborate ceremonies, warning that such practices could undermine their financial stability long after the burial and funeral rites.

Speaking on Voices of Change on Mike FM on Saturday November 7, Pe Pwadam lamented that funerals, which traditionally served as occasions for mourning, honouring and paying last respects to the deceased, were gradually assuming the character of festivals and social competitions.

He observed that the growing desire to organise elaborate funeral ceremonies, characterised by excessive spending on food, entertainment and other activities, was shifting attention away from the cultural values and traditional purpose of funerals.

The chief expressed concern that some families were increasingly keeping the bodies of deceased relatives in mortuaries for extended periods to allow them more time to prepare elaborate funeral celebrations, thereby incurring additional expenses.

“I call on families and community members to uphold their cultural values while ensuring that funeral celebrations are organised according to their financial capacity. Celebrate in moderation so that you can still have your life together after the crowd is gone,” he stressed.

Pe Pwadam also criticised certain emerging funeral practices, including compulsory financial contributions and matching outfits, which he said were creating unnecessary pressure among family members.

He noted that individuals who could not afford to participate in such arrangements were sometimes made to feel excluded or judged, describing the practices as foreign to the community’s traditional funeral customs.

“We did not have these practices in our culture,” he said.

On the financial implications, the chief expressed concern about families resorting to loans to finance funeral ceremonies, warning that such decisions often leave surviving relatives burdened with debts long after the ceremonies have ended.

He therefore called for increased public education and sensitisation to promote responsible funeral practices, while encouraging cultural groups and traditional authorities to work towards preserving the community’s customs without imposing unnecessary financial burdens on bereaved families.

Pe Pwadam further urged families to prioritise the remembrance and celebration of the lives of their departed relatives rather than engage in extravagant ceremonies driven by societal expectations.

He emphasised that funerals should preserve the dignity of the deceased and provide an opportunity to honour their lives, rather than turn grief into an occasion for excessive entertainment and financial competition.

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