A traditionalist, Ifagbenusola Popoola speaks to TEMITOPE ADETUNJI on why people who drown should be buried at the riverbank
“Firstly, in Yoruba cosmology, everything is believed to be alive. There is nothing like nonliving things, rivers, trees, animals, air, and even houses are considered alive. That’s why rivers have deities like Osun, Iyemoja, Oya, and Oba.
“Every body of water has its spirit, so if someone dies in a river, it’s believed the river’s energy is disturbed and needs to be calmed to ensure peace in the community. Yoruba tradition strongly believes in performing a ritual and burying the person by the river bank to prevent the spirit from affecting others in the community.
“If rituals aren’t performed, the river’s spirit might follow the corpse into the community, causing trouble known as “Akufa.” This means the spirit could draw others to the river, risking their lives until the ritual is performed to stop it.”
