No More Cows, No More Midweek Burials: Soludo Signs Sweeping Funeral Law in Anambra.

The Anambra State Government has officially banned the presentation of cows and goats as condolence gifts, outlawed weekday burials, and abolished all wake keeping ceremonies in a radical overhaul of funeral rites.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo signed the new legislation, passed by the Anambra State House of Assembly, to curb what his administration describes as "extravagant and financially oppressive" burial practices that have long placed heavy burdens on bereaved families.

The law imposes strict limits on mourning, restricting all burial ceremonies to Saturdays only. Midweek burials from Monday to Friday are now entirely prohibited.

Under the new rules, mourners are forbidden from presenting expensive gifts to grieving families. The law states: "No person shall give to the deceased person’s family, as a condolence gift, any item exceeding money, one jar of palm wine, one carton of beer, and one crate of soft drinks." The presentation of cows, goats, bags of rice, and other costly items is now a criminal offence.

Offenders face a fine of N100,000, six months imprisonment, or both.

Other strict provisions include:

· No Wake Keeps: Wake keep ceremonies have been abolished entirely. Vigil masses and services of song must end by 9:00 p.m., with no food, drinks, live bands, or cultural entertainment permitted.

· No Billboards: The erection of billboards, banners, or posters bearing the image of the deceased is banned. Only directional signs are allowed, and they cannot be displayed earlier than seven days before the burial.

· Mortuary Limits: Corpses cannot remain in mortuaries for more than two months from the date of death. Any corpse kept longer risks being classified as a "rejected corpse" and buried in government-designated grounds.

This move is the latest in a series of controversial social engineering policies by the Soludo administration, which has previously banned midweek burials to boost economic productivity.

The crackdown on lavish spending comes amid ongoing controversial debates online regarding the Governor's son, Ozonna Soludo. The younger Soludo, a London-based musician and model known for his androgynous fashion sense and blonde braided hairstyles, has frequently clashed with critics online.

In recent months, Ozonna has faced heavy scrutiny for displaying what he called "Okeite"—a traditional ritual pot which he later clarified was a Tibetan singing bowl for meditation, as well as defiantly refusing to change his "crazy look" despite public criticism. Observers have noted the stark contrast between the Governor’s push for strict social order in Anambra and his son’s flamboyant, unconventional lifestyle on social media.