A social media post by Nigerian entrepreneur and creative industry figure Adejoke Lasisi has sparked conversations about burial traditions, the rising cost of funerals and the different ways people choose to honour their loved ones after death.
In a heartfelt post shared publicly, Adejoke Lasisi expressed admiration for aspects of Islamic burial practices, particularly the emphasis on simplicity, timely burial and reducing unnecessary expenses associated with funerals.
Lasisi, who identified herself as a Christian in the post, said she personally believes there are important lessons that can be learned from the Muslim approach to burial.
According to her, once medical professionals have officially confirmed that a person has died, there may be little reason to delay burial for several days simply because of elaborate funeral preparations.
“As a Christian, I believe Muslims way of burial is the best,” Adejoke Lasisi wrote.
Her comments have generated interest because they touch on an issue many Nigerian families understand very well: the enormous emotional, social and financial pressure that can come with organising a funeral.
The Debate About Delaying Burial
In many communities across Nigeria, funerals are not simply private family events. They are often major social occasions involving extended family members, friends, religious organisations, colleagues and members of the community.
For some families, burial arrangements can take weeks or even months.
There may be discussions about choosing a suitable date, printing invitation cards, hiring event centres, purchasing expensive caskets, providing uniforms or special clothing, organising musicians, preparing food and drinks, and making arrangements for hundreds of guests.
While these traditions can bring families and communities together, they can also place enormous financial pressure on grieving families.
Adejoke Lasisi questioned whether it is always necessary to keep a deceased person’s body for an extended period before burial.
In her post, she argued that if someone has truly passed away, there may be no need to delay the burial simply to wait for a grand funeral ceremony.
She also made a humorous observation about the common fear that someone might suddenly “wake up” after being declared dead, asking why such fears persist when doctors have already confirmed the person’s death.
Her point, however, was centred more on the need for families to accept medical confirmation and avoid unnecessary delays.
Simplicity in Muslim Burial Practices
Islamic burial practices generally place strong emphasis on treating the deceased with dignity and carrying out burial without unnecessary delay, while following the religious requirements surrounding washing, shrouding, funeral prayers and burial.
Adejoke Lasisi said she was particularly impressed after attending a Muslim burial recently.
She described the experience as simple, peaceful and meaningful.
According to her account, the deceased was wrapped in white material rather than placed in an expensive casket. The burial was conducted without what she described as unnecessary financial waste.
But what impressed her even more was what the family chose to do with money that could have been spent on an elaborate celebration.
She said the children of the deceased contributed money towards building a kounga in their community in memory of their mother.
For Lasisi, this was a beautiful example of how families can choose to create something lasting and beneficial in honour of someone who has passed away.
Rather than spending huge sums on a one-day event, the money was directed towards something that could potentially benefit the wider community for years.
“I love that they would rather use the money to feed people for party for something more beneficial to the community,” she wrote, describing the gesture as beautiful and thoughtful.
The Rising Cost of Funerals in Nigeria
The issue raised by Adejoke Lasisi is one that resonates with many Nigerians.
Funerals have become increasingly expensive in some parts of the country. In certain communities, families feel pressured to organise ceremonies that match the social status of the deceased or meet the expectations of friends and relatives.
The expenses can include:
- Expensive caskets
- Mortuary bills
- Event venue rentals
- Food and catering
- Drinks
- Uniform clothing for family members and guests
- Music and entertainment
- Photography and video coverage
- Decorations
- Transportation
- Accommodation for visitors
For some families, the pressure to organise a “befitting burial” can even lead to debt.
This raises an important question: Does spending millions of naira on a funeral necessarily mean that the deceased was loved more?
For many people, the answer is no.
Love and respect for a person can be demonstrated in many different ways. A family may decide to organise a large ceremony because that is what the deceased would have wanted. Another family may choose a quiet and simple burial.
Neither approach automatically determines the amount of love the family has for the person who died.
However, Adejoke Lasisi’s post encourages people to think about whether some of the money spent on extravagant funerals could be used for more lasting purposes.
Celebrating Life Beyond One Day
One of the strongest messages in her post is the idea that a person’s life can be celebrated beyond a single day of partying.
A person who lived a meaningful life may be remembered through a scholarship, a community project, support for the poor, a donation to a hospital, the construction of a public facility or an initiative that continues the person’s legacy.
These kinds of projects can ensure that the memory of the deceased continues to have a positive impact long after the burial ceremony has ended.
Adejoke Lasisi’s example of a family contributing towards a community project is particularly powerful because it demonstrates how grief can sometimes be transformed into something meaningful.
Instead of focusing only on the sadness of losing a loved one, families can also ask: What can we create in their memory? What positive impact can continue because they lived?
That, for many people, can be a powerful form of remembrance.
Burial Traditions Are Deeply Personal
At the same time, burial traditions are deeply connected to religion, culture and family beliefs.
Christians, Muslims and followers of traditional religions may all have different practices surrounding death and burial. Even within the same religion, burial traditions can differ significantly between communities and families.
For this reason, there may never be one universal “best” way to bury the dead.
Adejoke Lasisi’s comments should therefore be understood as her personal perspective and admiration for certain aspects of Islamic burial traditions rather than a criticism of every Christian or traditional burial practice.
Her main concern appears to be the growing culture of unnecessary financial pressure and extravagance surrounding funerals.
She believes that people should have the freedom to honour their loved ones without feeling forced to spend money they cannot afford.
A Conversation Nigerians Need to Have
The discussion started by Adejoke Lasisi is important because death is something every family will eventually experience.
Unfortunately, conversations about death, burial costs and funeral planning are often avoided until a tragedy happens.
Families can sometimes find themselves making expensive decisions while they are emotionally devastated.
Perhaps this is why more Nigerians are beginning to question whether funerals should be simplified.
A simple burial does not mean a person was not important.
A modest ceremony does not mean the family does not care.
And choosing to invest money in a community project, education, healthcare or charitable work can sometimes become one of the most meaningful ways to preserve a person’s legacy.
A funeral may last for one day.
But a school, borehole, community centre, scholarship or charity project created in someone’s memory can affect lives for generations.
Final Thoughts
Adejoke Lasisi’s post has opened the door to an important conversation about how Nigerians bury and remember their loved ones.
Her admiration for the simplicity and speed often associated with Muslim burial practices reflects a broader concern about the increasing financial burden of elaborate funerals.
While every religion and culture has its own traditions, her message raises an important question for families: How can we honour the dead in a way that is meaningful without creating unnecessary financial hardship for those left behind?
For some, the answer may still be a large celebration of life surrounded by family and friends.
For others, it may be a quiet burial followed by a community project or charitable initiative in memory of the deceased.
There is no single answer that fits everyone.
But perhaps the most important thing is that people should be remembered with love, dignity and respect—and that grieving families should not be forced into financial hardship simply because society expects an expensive funeral.
As Adejoke Lasisi concluded in her touching reflection, may the souls of departed loved ones continue to rest in peace.