The concept of death in an African setting is more of a transition from one life to another.
Over the centuries Africans have seen death as window to the endless circle of life. This belief informs our believe in the existence of deified divinities (men/women who once walked upon the face of the earth as humans) who were immortalized at death due to their upright lifestyle.
The sacredness of life makes death in Africa sacred. It is celebrated when the diseased lived a long and fruitful life, with music, dance, masquerading and all kinds of festivities.
While in a case where a young man dies at his prime it is said to be an untimely death. Such deaths are attributed to an evil spirit being or the activity of witchcraft. Deaths like this are usually mourned for days depending on the culture of the people. In some culture the mourning period could span from 7 to 14 days while in other it could be as long as a month.
Today we’ll be looking at the case of the Nigerian celebrity Junior Pop. A renowned actor his lost his life in a tragic boat accident leaving behind three children and a wife. Such death in an African setting is tied to the handwork of one primordial spirit or another. Deaths like this, as explained earlier usually takes days, weeks and even months to mourn and console the family of the diseased.
Till I come your ways again with another exciting fact about the African belief system…..stay tuned!!!!!