Cultural Actions toward the Dead in Selected Cultures in Africa: Missiological Implications

Abstract

The death of loved ones is always a cause of pain and grief and usually precipitates some kind of interim or permanent dislocations in a family’s socioeconomic life. While the discomfort generated from the occurrence of death is most acute, is it possible that some of the actions performed on behalf of the dead are capable of questioning and challenging our Christian theological and biblical foundations? Is it possible that in our bid to placate death and the dead, that mirrored in the personal names given to people at birth are found underlying values that have the potential of undermining obedience to God’s Word? For example, in the Nigerian Igbo culture are found personal names which seem to personify death. These include Onwubiko (death, please), Onwukwe (if death agrees), Onwumere (death caused it) and Onwuka (death is greater). In the Yoruba culture are found names such as Ikumapayi (death don’t kill this), Ikuforiji (death pardons), Ikudaisi (death spare this), Ikubolaje (death spoils wealth), and Ikuesan (death is not good). When certain cultural practices tend to question or erode clear biblical teachings, should Christians in those cultures cling to their cultural practices or remain obedient to the Bible? It is good to respect the traditions and wishes of the people concerning cultural practices, but such practices should also not be consistent with Scripture (Sulfridge 2011:26, 27) and/or the writings of Ellen G. White. In my many years of doing pastoral ministry I have attended and officiated at some funeral services where some of these issues were evident.