I AM A 39YR OLD AKAN AND I HAVE HAD THE UNFORTUNATE DUTY OF BURYING TWO CLOSE RELATIVES, AN AUNT AND A GRANDMOTHER.
 IN RECENT YEARS I HAVE WATCHED WITH SOME LEVEL OF FASCINATION AND ALSO CONFUSION AS TO HOW FUNERALS ARE CHANGING TO A RATHER EXTRAVAGANT SHOW OF WEALTH,POULARITY,STATUS AND POWER.
THE DEAD WILL ALWAYS REMAIN SO, BUT IN FACE OF TODAYS WORLD DO WE NEED TO THROW SO MUCH MONEY INTO A TRANSITIONAL PASSAGE WITH SUCH OPULENCE?
I QUESTION THE MORAL BEHIND THIS BECAUSE I KNOW OF MANY INSTANCES WHERE PEOLPE HAVE DIED ALMOST POOR,LEFT CHILDREN WHO HAVE NO HOPE FOR THE FUTURE BUT FAMILIES AND RELATIVES ARE QUITE HAPPY TO "INVEST" THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OR DOLLARS OR IT MIGHT EVEN BE CEDIS IN THE FUNERAL WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT FOR WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT HOLD FOR THE UNFORTUNATE CHILDREN.
FUNERALS SHOULD BE ABOUT GIVING A DECENT,RESPECTFUL AND DIGNIFIED SEND OFF TO THE DEAD. WE AS A PEOPLE HAVE MISPRIORITSED OUR NEEDS FOR FAR TOO LONG. THIS EVIDENT IN SO MANY ASPECTS OF OUR DAY TO DAY LIFE. I MAY BE IGNORANT AND NAIVE BUT LET US LOOK AT THE BENEFIT OF ALL THIS EXTRAVAGANCE. IS IT REALLY NEEDED? PEOPLE SAY IT IS CULTURE AND TRADITION, BUT IN THE OLDEN DAYS THESE THINGS DID NOT TAKE THE PROPORTIONS OF PRESENT DAY TO ORGANISE. LIKE I SAID, I STAND FOR CORRECTION IF I AM WRONG BUT LET US SEE THE REAL WORLD HOW IT IS AND NOT WHAT WE WANT TO PERCIEVE IT.  DO WHAT YOU CAN FOR THE LIVING ,THAY ARE HERE NOW.