Features
Lessons from the modest funeral of Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II
Having ruled for 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Thursday, September 8, 2022, at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. A State funeral service was held in her honour on Monday at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022, followed by a committal service at the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Winsor, where she was finally interred.
With all her riches, Her Majesty, the queen received a modest and simplest funeral one could think of in this wide world. She reportedly left behind over $500 million in personal assets from her 70 years on the throne. Her son, King Charles III, who was newly anointed also has an estimated net worth of $600 million, inheriting the nearly $23 billion in assets belonging to the Crown Estate among others.
COMMITTAL SERVICE FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH
After all the pomp and pageantry, the Presiding Archbishop at the committal service remarked, “Now let us remove all symbol of power from the coffin, so that our sister, Elizabeth can be committed to the grave as a simple Christian”. So, the staff of office, sceptre, the crown and all valuables were removed. The queen was buried with nothing.
“Beloved, this life is transient, be humble in power and life generally, for you came with nothing and you will go back with nothing. Life is vanity”. These are exhortations we often hear from pastors and the clergy who have been officiating burial services worldwide.
The queen’s modest and simple funeral has brought to the fore, the need for various families to cut down cost and expenditure on their departed ones and use the money and resources they have wisely and judiciously. There is no need wasting a lot of money on the dead no matter how rich and affluent they were when they were alive.
FUNERALS IN GHANA
Over here in Ghana, funerals are more than occasion to mourn the dead. They offer opportunities for families and loved ones to pay their last respect to the dead. Aside the conventional reasons for funerals, organising funerals in Ghana, serves as a platform to showcase riches and affluence by the bereaved families. The situation is so pronounced that families who do not have the means to organise lavished funerals go to the extent of borrowing money and other facilities to arrange such funerals. In effect, funeral organisation, has become a competition in our dear country where families compare and contrast.
A CASE OF A MAN WHO DIED THROUGH ACCIDENT
For instance, there was a case of a man who died through a fatal lorry accident. The impact of that accident was so devastating to the extent that the body was completely mutilated. The hands and legs of the deceased were severed, with his intestines gushing out from the stomach. The police who collected the body and took it to the mortuary and the mortuary attendants advised that the nature and condition of the mutilated body, demanded that it should be buried on time to forestall further decomposition. The families of the deceased who were later contacted and advised to get rid of the body quickly, were not in favour because they claimed they wanted to give the bereaved a befitting funeral and burial.
According to them, the children of the deceased who were living abroad, had requested that the severed hands and legs as well as the intestines should be stitched and kept in the morgue for a month whilst they prepared to come down to arrange a befitting burial for their father. They gave an initial money to be given to the mortuary attendants for that purpose, promising that they would pay for any further costs involved in the storage of the corpse. The elders went ahead to carry out their wishes and the body was prepared and stored in the fridge awaiting their arrival. Indeed, the children returned to Ghana as promised and paid the rest of the money involved. When finally, they went and removed the body from the mortuary and laid it in state for wake to enable the family, friends and sympathisers to file past, it was a disaster. The bad scent and odour that emanated from the decomposed body were so nauseating and disgusting, turning mourners away from the funeral. The coffin containing the body had to be covered and buried immediately in the night. The question was, what have you achieved from all that delays?
BORROWING TO ORGANISE LAVISHED FUNERALS
This is one of the scenarios, I have painted. Indeed, there are a number of unreasonable and unsubstantiated factors that prevent bereaved families from disposing their dead and loved ones in a more modest and simplest form. Some who cannot afford, prefer borrowing monies to raise lavished “serve yourselves parties” after the burial of their dead ones while others go in for the most expensive caskets and vaults for burials. The gatherings are served with food and drinks in a grand style at the expense of the bereaved families.
As John F. Harris, an America Journalist and a co-founder of Politico, an Arlington Virginia-based political news organisation, once wrote, “One day, sooner or later, our bodies will be buried or eaten by worms. Giving that inevitable fate, how can it be argued that the individual during her life or her family after her death, have interests in what happens to the corpse prior to its disposal? If a liver from a corpse will save someone else life, if retaining the heart will enable cardiac surgeons to refine their surgical skills, why should any impediment stands in the way? How can the dead command respect?”
CHRISTIANS AND ISLAMIC VIEWS ABOUT THE DEAD
The various Christian denominations, especially, the Catholic Church hold the view that the dying should be given attention and care to help them live their last moments in dignity and peace. They will be helped by prayer of their relatives who must see to it that the sick receive at the proper time, the sacraments that prepare them to meet the living God. The bodies of the dead must be treated with respect and charity in the faith and hope of the resurrection. The burial of the dead is a corporal work of mercy, it honours the children of God who are temples of the Holy Spirit.
In Islam, human dignity is a right given to God to all humans who are referred in the Quran as God’s vicegerents on earth. Islam grants certain rights to humans before they are even born and others after death. Whether dead or alive, the human body created by God in the perfect shape, must be given dignity and respect. This importance of human body is illustrated for instance in the Quran 5:3
CUTTING DOWN COSTS ON FUNERALS
Yes, it is clear and important that we should show love, respect and dignity to our departed loved ones from this earth as echoed by the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran. However, in displaying these qualities, we need to be mindful of the costs involved by cutting down unnecessary expenses when it comes to the organisation of funerals of the beloved ones who have departed from this earth. Yes, we need to say goodbye to our loved ones who are dead and gone, but we should allow modesty and simplicity to take a centre stage in everything we do.
Let us be guided by the shining example of the funeral arrangements of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, who in spite of all her wealth and riches, her funeral was very simple and cost effective.
LESSONS FROM THE QUEEN’S DEATH
To conclude this piece, let me re-echo the Archbishop’s last words during the memorial service before the Queen was taken to her grave. Hear him; “Now let us remove all the symbols of power from the coffin, so that our sister Elizabeth can be committed to the grave as a simple Christian”. Immediately, the staff of office was removed, then the sceptre, followed by the crown and all valuables. The Queen was buried with nothing.
Life is, indeed, vanity, it it transient, and that teaches us humility- humility in power, humility in relating with others, humility in our acquisition of wealth and humility in all our endeavours, because in the end, we will go back with nothing.
Contact email/WhatsApp of author:
0277753946/0248933366
By Charles Neequaye
When Abigail Fremah steps up to the Armwrestling table, the noise fades, the tension settles, and order takes over.
Despite a calm, but firm and meticulous disposition, she has become one of the quiet forces shaping Ghana’s growing reputation in the sport, not as an athlete, but a referee trusted on the continental stage.
Abigail’s journey into Armwrestling did not begin at the table. Like many Ghanaian sports enthusiasts, she grew up playing several disciplines. Football was her first love, but she also featured in volleyball and basketball during her school years. Sports, she says, was simply a way of life not just for her.
“It runs through the family. All my siblings are into sports,” she stated.
“I was involved in almost every sport in school, football, volleyball, netball, hockey; I did everything,” she recalls.
Her academic background in Health, Physical Education and Recreation laid a solid foundation for her sporting career. While on scholarship at the university (University of Cape Coast), she often used her modest budget to support young athletes, sometimes sharing skills and even T-shirts at programmes she attended. Giving back, she explains, has always been part of her motivation.
However, as she matured as an athlete, Abigail made a critical self-assessment.
“Armwrestling involves a lot of strength,” she admits. “Looking at my body type, I realised I couldn’t fit properly as a competitive athlete.”
That moment of honesty pushed her to a different trajectory but equally important path in sports; which is officiating.
During her National Service, she was encouraged by Mr Charles Osei Asibey, the President of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation (GAF), to consider officiating. He introduced her to a technical official, Mr Hussein Akuerteh Addy, who formally took her through the basics of Armwrestling officiating in 2021.
“I started as a case official,” she says. “We moved from region to region every week, officiating competitions. That’s where it all began.”
By 2022, Abigail was actively involved in national assignments, though she missed the African Championship that year. Her breakthrough came in 2023, when Ghana hosted the African Armwrestling Championship.
It was her first experience officiating at a major international competition and it changed everything.
“That was my first national and international exposure at the same time,” she says. “It really opened my eyes.”
Today, Abigail is a World Junior Armwrestling Referee, a status earned through performance, consistency and discipline. She explains that progression in officiating was not automatic.
“It’s all about performance, your appearance at African Championships, your conduct, how you handle pressure; that’s what takes you to the world level,” she stressed.
As a referee, Abigail’s priority is safety and fairness. Armwrestling, she notes, comes with risks, particularly injuries to the wrists, elbows, shoulders and arms.
“If athletes don’t follow the rules or refuse to listen to officials, injuries can happen,” she explains, adding that focus was everything.
Before every match, she ensures that all equipment which includes elbow pads, hand pegs and table alignment were properly set. Athletes are not allowed to cover their elbows, must grip correctly, and must follow the referee’s commands precisely.
“We make sure everything is fixed before the grip,” she says. “Once we say ‘Ready… Go’, there should be no confusion.”
She is also firm on discipline. Warnings are issued for infractions, and repeated misconduct attracts penalties.
“The referee must be respected, if you don’t listen, the rules will deal with you,” she says.
Abigail credits her confidence partly to her sporting family background. Her mother was a volleyball player, while other family members also participated in sports. Though they were initially concerned about her safety, her rise to the top reassured them.
“They were afraid at first,” she admits. “But they were also very proud, especially because some of them never got the opportunity to reach this level.”
Looking ahead, Abigail is optimistic about the future of Armwrestling in Ghana. In less than a decade, the country has produced African and world-level medalists, a sign, she believes, of great things to come for Ghana.
“Whenever we go out, we come back with medals such as gold and silver,” she says, and to her that was a sign of growth.
In the next five to ten years, Abigail sees herself rising to become a World Master Referee, the highest officiating level in the sport. Until then, her routine remains intense, training four times a week, working closely with athletes, standing on her feet for hours, and constantly refining her understanding of the rules.
“I love this sport,” she says simply. “That love is what keeps me going.”
Abigail encouraged women to be bold and intentional about their place in sports saying “don’t limit yourself because of fear or stereotypes.”
She also urged women to invest in learning, discipline and consistency, stressing that respect was earned through performance.
For Abigail, as Ghana’s armwrestlers continue to make their mark, she will remain where she is most effective at the table, ensuring the game is played right.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
As he had promised Aperkeh, the elderly man and his wife and three daughters stopped by Aperkeh’s parents’ house. Mr Amando and his family were preparing to settle in for the night.
“Brother Ben and family”, Mr Joshua Amando said warmly, “although I know you are here on a matter that can hardly be described as joyous, it is still good to see you. You are welcome. Please sit down while I bring you water”.
“Yes, we will take water, even though we are hardly thirsty, because this is our home”.
“Okay, Ben”, he started after they had drank, “Let me go straight to the point. My daughter Priscilla has told me about the goings on between her brother Aperkeh and our daughter Stella.
Before informing me, Priscilla had expressed concern to Aperkeh about some habits he is adopting, especially the late nights and the drinking. She tells me that one Saturday morning, she was there when Stella complained about his drinking and some girls who had come to the house to look for him, and he assaulted her.
I called him and complained, but all he could say was that I don’t know what caused him to react that way, so I could not judge him. Now he does not answer my calls.
I have sent Priscilla to his house to call him, but he has refused to come. Unfortunately, Ben, my son is a much different person than the young boy who completed university and started work at the bank. I am really embarrassed about his treatment of Stella”.
“Joshua, let me assure you that even though what is happening is very unfortunate, it will not affect our relationship.
We have been friends since childhood, and I thought that with their parents’ blessing, the relationship between Aperkeh and Stella would grow to become a blessing to all of us. But there appears to be a real challenge now.
Stella thinks that Aperkeh wants her out of his house, and indeed Aperkeh himself told me that, about an hour ago.
So I’m taking my daughter home. I suggest that you do what you can to straighten him out, but if it does not work out, let’s accept the situation and continue to be one family.
I am sure that being the well behaved girl that she is, Stella will meet a young man who will cherish her. Fortunately, this problem is happening early in the day, so they can sort things out if possible, or move on with their lives if they are unable to stay together”.
“I’m really grateful for that, Ben. I will do my best in the next few days to reason with him, because apart from the relationship with Stella, Aperkeh is risking his job and career with this lifestyle.
A good job and salary offers an opportunity to gather momentum in life, not to destroy yourself”.
“Okay Brother Joshua. We will say goodnight. I hope to hear positive news from you”.
As he descended in the lift from the fourth to the ground floor, Aperkeh wondered who would be waiting at the reception to see him at nine on Monday morning. He had spent good time with both of his new girls during the weekend, so it had to be someone else. He got out of the lift and pulled a face when he saw Priscilla.
“Priscilla”, he said as he sat down by her, “what do you want here? You know Monday morning is a busy time at the bank. I am a very busy person, so say what you want, I have work to do”.
“You are very funny, Aperkeh. You are telling me, your sister, that you have work to do, so I should hurry up? Okay, Dad says I should advise you to come home tonight, because he wants to discuss the issue of Stella with you. He sent me to you twice, and you did not come.
He has tried to call you quite a number of times, but you have refused to answer his calls. He says that if you do not come tonight, you will be very surprised at what he will do. He says you will not like it at all, so better come.
“What is all this? Why won’t you people leave me alone? Stella is very disrespectful. I told her that if she wanted to continue to live in my house, she must obey me. It is that simple.
She chose to continue ordering me about, controlling me in my own house, so I told her that if she could not live under my conditions she should leave. And she left. In fact, her own father came and took her away. So what again?’’
“How did she disobey or control you? Was she complaining about your continuous drinking and late nights? And did you slap her on several occasions because of that? Did you tell her that if she could not live under your conditions she should leave? You actually said that to her father? You have forgotten that before she came to live with you, our two parents met and agreed, and gave it their blessing?’
“Why don’t you leave, Priscilla? I don’t have to listen to all that”. “Okay, I will go. Your father who gave birth to you and educated you to university level sends me to you, and you ask me to leave? I wish you would defy him, and refuse to come home as he’s telling you, because he is planning to give you the discipline you badly need. Let me tell you. Stella is such a beautiful and decent girl, and I assure you that someone will grab her before you say Jack. You are only 30 years old, and you have already become a drunkard”.
As he walked towards the lift, Aperkeh decided on what to do. He would go home, and calmly listen to what his father had to say. The old man was very unpredictable, and he wouldn’t dare ignore him. So he would take all the insults and threats, but as for Stella she was history. According to Priscilla, Stella was beautiful and all that, but she had not seen the two curvaceous princesses who were all over him, ready to do anything he asked. And these were not barely literate waakye girls, but university graduates from wealthy homes, really classy girls. With stuff like that, who needs a waakye girl? He smiled as he took his seat.
A few minutes to five, Aperkeh was packing up to leave for home to meet his dad when his phone rang. It was Priscilla.
“Aperkeh, Dad says you don’t need to bother to come. Stella’s dad says she came to him early this morning to plead that she would rather stay at home than return to your house. She thinks you are already decided to be rid of her, and she does not want to risk being assaulted again. So it’s done. You can go ahead and enjoy the nice life you have started”.
Before he could tell her to go to hell, Priscilla hanged up the line. He was partially stung that his dad had virtually cut him off. The last thing anyone would want was to fall out of relationship with his own family, which had always supported him.
But the truth was he was no longer interested in Stella. What was wrong with going by one’s feelings? He could only hope that one day, his parents and sister would try to reason with him.
By Ekow de Heer
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
