By Olusegun Olanrewaju and Francis Ajuonuma, with agency report
The roll call of those interred beneath the earth here is impressive. But out there on the wall, it’s shameful to behold what has become the fate of the Ikoyi Cemetery in Lagos of late.
Conspicuously located on Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie Road in the affluent Ikoyi neighbourhood, it is the final resting place of notable, historical, and creative persons who made good in various fields during their lifetime.
For here lies the remains of dignitaries like the legendary Herbert Macaulay, Henry Carr, and Candido Da Rocha; debonair film actor Orlando Martins (who once co-starred with former US film actor-president Ronald Reagan); and elegant songstress Onyeka Onwenu, who passed away recently.
However, looking from the outside, you are beset with a gory picture of shame to beg that language.
At the eastern wing of the road, you behold a wall/fence whose portion has collapsed as if blown apart by the sheer force of gunpowder or firepower of a giant cannon.
The wall on the western portion of the cemetery looks dilapidated, begging for renovation.
On the floors where the collapse was noticed on the weekend at Obalende, debris litter was everywhere.
It was as if the walls had been ripped to the ground by the ripping force of bombardment from the artillery of an army of guns.
Such is the desperate situation that an attendant, Kasali Ajadi, told our correspondent on a fact-finding mission, “The cemetery is not a paradise of rest for the dead. Bad people can come here, maybe to steal corpses or body parts in graves.
“So, we have to be careful here. They have started rebuilding the collapsed parts, setting up temporary fencing, and you can see that security has been reinforced – look at the new iron gates and drapers to cover exposed space.”
From feelers unearthed in an investigation conducted during the week, it is crystal clear that public cemeteries in Lagos State, in general, are in what a narrative puts at a “deplorable, despicable and nauseating conditions, underscoring a total lack of respect for both the living and the dead in Nigeria’s chaotic economic capital.”
Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria investigated the state of Lagos cemeteries. They found that the local government authorities have failed to maintain the cemeteries despite the huge revenues generated from the burial grounds by the councils.
*Atan cemetery
It was gathered at the grand old Atan Cemetery in Yaba, Lagos, built in 1868 and classified as Nigeria’s oldest, that the cemetery is a sorry tale of neglect, decay, and repulsive smell.
The public section of the cemetery, which had been overtaken by weeds and had graves caving in, is now potting clean, according to a steward who craved anonymity.
The public section of the cemetery, this paper learned, has been contending with congestion and little or no more spaces for the internment of new corpses.
Save for a slightly different scenario in its private section, the cemetery, in its entirety, is where some workers had been deployed ”to make the environment look good,” it was alleged.
Findings here, however, show that the environment is getting saner.
The source said the scaling up of service fees and other charges could be credited with keeping the cemetery on the cleaner maintenance stand.
According to him, digging burial sites now costs N5,000, “which is used for the general maintenance of the cemetery on a monthly basis.
Ditto the cost of acquiring burial spaces, which has increased to upwards of N45,000 (for temporary graves) and between N300,000 and N3m (for permanent tombs).
It was further learnt at the weekend that this is complemented by the average price of securing burial spaces from the private section, known as Jukash (Final Homes), which now costs about N8 million per head.
The source stressed that, with the huge tributes levied on such spaces, it is no wonder that the environment is getting better.
*Ikoyi cemetery
Investigations show that the cemetery in the Ikoyi part of the Eti Osa local government area of Lagos State is plagued by severe maintenance problems.
The cemetery has recently fallen into disrepair despite efforts by the Eti Osa local government to involve the private sector in its upgrade and upkeep.
There is also the issue of space for the diseased, as some dead bodies are buried in spots where other dead bodies had earlier been buried.
A worker at the cemetery, who identified herself as Alhaja Korede, told NAN that the private section of the cemetery was maintained because it was expensive to bury corpses in the facility.
She explained that burying corpses at the public section of the cemetery was far cheaper, noting that families were paying various sums to bury their loved ones, depending on their choices.
”A single chamber vault at the private section is N250,000 while the double goes for N500,000. The three-chamber vault goes for N600,000 while the special three-chamber vault with gate, tiling, and engraving of the deceased’s particulars goes for one million naira.”
The same scenario is obtained at the Ikoyi Cemetery, which the Ikoyi Obalende Local Council Development Area manages. Ikoyi is home to the old rich in Lagos State.
Weeds and bushes have covered most of the grave sites, while some graves have collapsed due to a lack of care and maintenance.
Graves were placed too close to each other, owing to the inadequacy of spaces.
It was also learnt that the cost of burying dead people at the cemetery, ranges from N300,000 to one million naira.
”Burying one or two dead bodies would cost you the same amount, which is N950,000, while burying in a family vault of three would cost over a million.
”If you want to bury more than three bodies. It will cost even more, and payments must be made a week before the due date to make necessary preparations.
”The price recently increased from N750,000 because the cost of maintaining the cemetery is high. So the increase was made to cover the overhead and others.”
At the Ikoyi Vaults and Gardens, the private section was well maintained. Depending on the land size and vault design, burying costs ranged from N4m to N10m.
*Ita Marun (five junctions) cemetery, in Epe
At the Ita-Marun Cemetery in Epe (Lagos East), the same story of rot and neglect is told, as the cemetery has been covered by bushes.
Most graves at the cemetery have collapsed, while slabs have broken down due to poor maintenance.
A resident, Opeyemi Ibrahim, told NAN that hoodlums had turned the cemetery into their hideouts.
”The cemetery has been overgrown by bushes and hoodlums hiding there to smoke hemp and do other nefarious activities.
”We are calling on the council to do something about the lousy state of the cemetery.”
The Cemetery Manager, Ayodele Adeola, told NAN that the cemetery’s current state is due to poor funding.
He said the Epe local government council faced funding challenges, affecting the cemetery’s management.
”The problem is funding. Once the money is available, all these problems will vanish,” he said.
Adeola explained the costs of burying dead people at the facility. Burial at the private section of the cemetery, which is better maintained, costs between N150,000 and N300,000, while burial in the public section costs between N50,000 and N70,000.
The manager said congestion was also a major issue at the cemetery, noting that corpses were buried close together or on top of each other because of space constraints.
*Ite-Olorisha Cemetery in Badagry
In Badagry, NAN observed that the Ite-Olorisa Cemetery, one of the major cemeteries in the ancient city, has been taken over by weeds and bushes.
Some graves collapsed, and neglect could be seen everywhere at the cemetery.
A Sunday Avoseh resident said criminals were always taking refuge at the dilapidated cemetery and causing problems.
He revealed that hoodlums and fortune seekers were always taking advantage of the darkness at the cemetery to exhume corpses for ritual purposes.
”The state of the cemetery is a disgrace to Badagry town. This is not a befitting resting place.
”We are urging the Badagry local government, led by Segun Onilude, to clear the bushes and put the cemetery in good shape,” he said.
Correspondents observed, however, that the Christian and Muslim cemeteries, located in different parts of the town, are well maintained.
The Coordinator of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Badagry, Sunday Hunyinbo, said the council managed the Christian cemetery before CAN took over the management for proper maintenance.
”CAN, under my supervision, took over the Christian cemetery in 2009 because we believe that where our beloved brethren are resting should be kept clean.
”Before, it was bushy. We met the local government people, and we agreed on 70/30 percent on the management of the place.
”Today, the place is elegant because we employed gardeners who care for the facility.”
Commenting on the state of the ‘Ite-Olorisa’ cemetery, the Badagry Local Government Council spokesman, Adeyemi Adetunji, said there were plans to hand the facility over to a contractor for proper management.
”We will hand over the cemetery to a contractor soon to address all the issues,” said the Christian and Muslim cemeteries, which had been handed over to the leaderships of the two religions for better management.
Similarly, the story is different in Ikorodu town, where the Ojokoro cemetery is maintained well following the council’s recent rehabilitation of the cemetery.
A fence has been built at the cemetery to provide security.
A resident, Salawudeen Shokunbi, who lives close to the cemetery, thanked the council for renovating it.
”I just have to commend the council chairman for the renovation and reconstruction of the cemetery. It seemed to have been neglected until the council came to the rescue.
”At a point, the cemetery was a hideout for criminals, owing to neglect, apart from the fact that people were dumping refuse and defecating at the cemetery. Now, the story is different. We thank God and the council for the intervention.”
Another resident, Aderonke Shittu, said that fencing of the cemetery had helped to remove fear among people living close to the facility.
She applauded the council for improving the cemetery and uplifting the standard of things therein.
”The cemetery was an open place before, and if any of your family members came to visit you, they were always afraid of coming in the night due to the proximity of your house to the cemetery. Now that the place has been fenced, there is no more fear.”
The Chairman of the Ikorodu local government council, Wasiu Adesina, appealed to residents to make good use of the cemetery’s facilities.
He said the council would employ more workers to ensure proper cemetery maintenance at all times.
”Proper maintenance of the cemetery remains the priority of this administration. Rehabilitation is not completed yet. After everything has been put in place, we will employ more workers for proper maintenance,” Adesina said.
*Conclusion
The issue at stake is: Why are the cemeteries in Lagos going dilapidated? What are the people and government doing to ease problems?
What are touts’ and marauders’ roles in stealing corpses for fortunes?
“If the authorities are willing to turn around the clock, with the hefty money they realize on burials every day, the chance that we would have an environmental sanity,” Jimi Pearse, a communist activist at Ibeshe, Ikorodu, Lagos, affirmed.
