The Diary Game: 15/06/24|| Rendering Support to the bereaved and Witnessing a Firing Parade

eveetim (64)Member | Verifiedin Steem4Nigeria • 7 days ago

_{burial venue}

Introduction

Hi lovely people on Steem4Nigeria, it's your favourite @eveetim again. Hope you all are enjoying the holiday.

I just want to share with you how my Saturday 15th June 2024 went. It was a weekend, of course, I didn't wake up as early as I used to on weekdays. So I woke up past 7 o'clock and said a short prayer before I got out of bed. My husband and children were already out of bed and were all in the parlour, including my mother who had visited the previous day.

_{My children with their grandma}

_{Me rushing my children's food to meet up with time}

Morning activities

I'd just remembered I had a burial to attend that day, the reason I jumped out of bed to prepare breakfast for my family so that I wouldn't be late. After cooking, I bathed my children and then had my bath, dressed, ate and headed to the burial which was within my town but a bit of distance from where I live. I had to leave by past 9 o'clock, so I'd be there by 10 dot, as the time for the burial was fixed for 10am.

I left the house, got to the main road and boarded a tricycle commonly known as keke to the venue of the ceremony. I got there a few minutes to 10. I was right on time. The corpse had arrived and the family members of the deceased were all there too, and then a few church members and friends.

_{Picture of me standing in choir uniform at the burial ground}

The venue was manned by the Nigerian police force, Civil defence and Nigerian Customs Service. The deceased was a retired superintendent of Customs, hence the heavy security mounted at the burial venue.

_{The deceased}

It's great to let you know that not the deceased or his family weren't our members. He was a member of the RCCG in Lagos where he lived, since his church in Lagos couldn't travel to Akwa Ibom State to bury him, they communicated to our parish through the provincial headquarters that we conduct the burial since his sister-in-law was our member.

The love was massive as almost the whole members of the church were present at the funeral to give their support to the bereaved family. To me, this is how the church should be, even without personally knowing the deceased, they showed genuine concerns during the funeral.

_{The deceased family, his wife and son on purple at the front}

The burial ceremony

Any burial conducted by the RCCG is usually a very short service, not more than 2 hours. Saturday's own was meant for one hour 30 minutes, because it was to give the men of the Nigerian Customs Service time to pay last respect to their member.

So, after the recessional hymn was taken, it was announced that everyone would be seated as the microphone was handed over to one of the officers. He read and handed their condolence message to the bereaved family. Later, the deceased first and only son was requested to come out and receive his father's shoes and uniform, I heard it was their practice. He was asked to keep them safe.

Parade/Firing gunshots by Nigerian Customs Service

_{The officers firing}

After that, a moment of silence was observed in honour of the deceased. That was followed by a parade by the officers which they ended by firing 21 bullets in the air. That was my first time witnessing such an event. People were asked not to go close. Even the camera persons were asked to steer clear out of the area where the life ammunition was to be fired.

The firing brought the event to an end where the corpse was being taken to the place it would be laid to rest. I was amongst the choristers. We were given a bus to convey us to the interment ground. It was a beautiful, magnificent building which looked like a hotel. Only the minister, family members and the choristers were allowed entry into the compound. And he was finally laid to rest after almost an hour, if not more than that, we stood there to sing until the grave was covered with sand.

Afternoon/Evening/Taking injection

I headed home immediately after the grave was covered. I got home, had my lunch, then took a short nap. After I woke up, my mother, who came visiting, wanted to go, so I escorted her to board a vehicle on the main road.

_{My daughter waiting for me to take injection}

_{Me taking injection}

Then in the evening I went to complete my injection, which was for 5 days against nummular eczema. That was the first time I had ever heard of such a condition, as I thought it was a ring worm.

When I returned back, I went to the kitchen to prepare dinner for my family, after which we sat down to gist with my husband about how our day went. I was just too tired until I slept off, only to wake up by 6am the following day.

_{My children escorting their grandma while going}