Renowned Ohangla music producer Wuod Fibi has publicly expressed his profound desire to exhume the body of his late mother, who passed away 20 years ago.
In an emotional post on his Facebook page, Fibi detailed the harrowing circumstances of her initial burial, which occurred when he was jobless and without a home, and articulated his wish for a dignified reburial.
“Can the law allow me to exhume the body of my late mother after 20 years? This beautiful woman died in abject poverty. I was jobless and hopeless then, we did not even have a home, she was buried in a manner that sends cold shivers down my spine each time I remember that day,” Fibi wrote.
Wuod Fibi, a prominent figure in the Kenyan Ohangla music scene known for his hit productions and vibrant performances, described his mother’s passing as occurring in abject poverty.
He recounted the grim details of her burial, stating that her coffin was fashioned from an old bench and some pieces of timber that had been used in making a table. His uncle, Samuel Ojwang, was instrumental in ensuring his sister was sent off better under those challenging conditions.
Now, two decades later, with his financial standing significantly improved, Wuod Fibi seeks to right what he perceives as a profound wrong. He expressed his intent to navigate the legal channels necessary to exhume his mother’s remains, take them to Lee Funeral Home – a reputable mortuary known for its professional services – and then transport them back home for a proper burial ceremony.
“I am a Luo, and we have a way we do things. My late mother’s coffin was made of an old bench and some pieces of timber that had been used in making a table. My uncle Samuel Ojwang did all that to see her sister being sent off better. I feel like exhuming her body, Nipeleke Lee Funeral, and bring it back home for a proper burial ceremony,” he noted.
This desire for a “proper burial” resonates deeply with Luo cultural traditions, where funeral rites and the dignified interment of ancestors hold immense significance.
Luo customs often involve elaborate burial ceremonies, ensuring the deceased is honored appropriately and that their spirit rests peacefully, practices that were seemingly impossible for Fibi’s family to uphold at the time of her initial burial.
The legal process for exhumation in Kenya is typically stringent, requiring formal applications and approvals from the Ministry of Health, local administration, and sometimes court orders, to ensure compliance with public health regulations and to avoid any legal disputes.
Such requests are usually granted under specific circumstances, including the need for reburial in a more suitable location, further investigation (though not applicable here), or to fulfill cultural or religious requirements that were not met during the initial burial.
by moses sagwe
