Anambra enforces ban on burial billboards, warns residents to comply or face sanctions

The state government of Anambra has reminded residents that its burial laws are still effective and has cautioned them not to break them. The Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu, signed a statement on Friday to make this known.

The statement said that the Anambra State Burial/Funeral Ceremonial Control Law was passed by the Anambra State House of Assembly on April 9, 2019. The law controls the burial and funeral ceremonies of deceased persons who are natives of the state.

The law says that no one can put up any billboard, banner, or posters of the dead person. People can only put up directional posts. No directional post can be put up before seven days before the burial date and must be taken down no later than seven days after the burial date.

The law also says that no one can keep a dead body in the mortuary for more than two months from the date of death. Anyone who does this will pay a fine of N100,000, go to prison for six months, or both.

Moreover, the law says that no one can block a road for any burial without permission from the local government authority. No one can display a coffin in public for making or selling in the state, and anyone who does this will pay a fine of N50,000, go to prison for one month, or both.

The law also says that there will be no second funeral rites after burial except for legacy. There will be no wake-keeping for any dead person in the state. All vigil-mass, service of songs, and religious activity for the dead person before burial will end by 9 p.m. at the latest.

The law also says that there will be no food, drink, live band, or cultural entertainers during or after any vigil, mass, service of songs, or religious activity for the dead person. All burial and funeral ceremonies will last one day. Burial mass and services will start by 9 a.m. at the latest and will not last for more than two hours.

The law also says that no preserved body will be shown for more than 30 minutes. Undertakers should not be more than six, and there will be no undertakers’ display during the burial ceremony.

The statement said that anyone who breaks the law will pay a fine of N100,000 or go to prison for six months, or both if convicted.

The statement asked residents to obey the law and respect the honour of the dead and their families.