Kaduna Man prays court to order release of mum’s corpse for burial after 9-months
By: Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna
http://www.newsportng.com.ng Emmanuel Bakam, the first son of Late Mrs. Cecelia Peter Bakam has appealed the Upper Customary Court Television, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna to order the release of her mother’s corpse for burial in accordance with the Bajju native laws and custom.
The plaintiff brought the case before Justice Danladi Douglas of the Upper Customary Court Television, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna in January, 2024 following the death of her 70-year old mother, whose sad occurrence happened on 15th September, 2023.
Narrating the nature of the case to Journalists in Kaduna on Thursday, after the court session, the Counsel to the plaintiffs, Barrister James Bala Ndam, said that for the peace and unity of the family, his clients are not asking for any cost or damage but for the right thing to be done.
The defendants, Hajiya Maryam Doka, Maureen Kabrik Bakam, Veronica Dudu Bakam George Bakam and Pascalina Bakam according to Ndam refused to grant access to the first son of the family and the elders because their requests to bury their late mother inside the room was not granted.
He also added that their reason for doing that is because they claim to had spent money while their mother was sick and should be allowed to determined where their mother should be buried, including the date, time and place without any interference from the first plaintiff and the elders.
“The case specifically is on the issue of tradition of the Bajju people on burial when a member of the family does what should be done and who has stake to the process of the burial the children of the deceased in this matter they held to the corpse of their mother denying the first male child of the family and the Elders of the family to have access to the corpse for the purpose of burial at their village.
“Their reason for doing that is that they had spent money while their mother was sick and should be allowed to determined where their mother should be buried and the place, the time and what date she should be buried that the elders and the first son of the family does not have right to decide on anything.
“The mother died since on the 15th of September 2023 the elders showed them where their late mothers should be buried but they insisted that it must be done on their terms that she must be buried inside the house that was built on the family land but the elders said no they don’t bury people inside the room but outside . They even showed them graves of other people that were buried outside that that is how it should be done but they refused.
“After we had closed our case at the last date the matter was adjourned for today for them to open their defence and they came today with three persons who gave evidence and were cross-examine.
“Our prayers is for the court to order the defendant to allow the first male child have access to the corpse of their late mother and for her to be be release for proper burial on the ground that they are bound to do so under the Bajju laws and custom.
“Because of the nature of the case we are not asking for any cost or any amount of money but for the unity of the family. We are only appealing to the court to declare that what we brought before the court is the right practice in the Bajju native laws and custom.
Meanwhile, the Counsel to the defendant declined press interview but one of the defendants Hajiya Maryam Doka told the court that the late mother before her demise had a wish to be buried in the room alongside her late husband.
She also said that despite being Bajju, she can only be bound by the Bajju’s tradition at her own will, insisting that they denied their brother Mr. Emmanuel access to the corpse because he refused to follow the right way of allowing their mother’s wish to be buried inside the room to be actualized.
Earlier, the presiding Judge, Justice Danladi Douglas urged the warring parties to remain calm even as the case is already pending before the court.
Justice Douglas said that he heard there was a fracas outside before the court session which ought not to be so. He appealed to both parties to exercise patience as the court judgement is underway while assuring them that justice will be duly served.
The case have been adjourned to 18th July 2024 for progress.