Pope’s burial: Omokri speaks on admiration for Muslims, urges Africans to preserve their culture

Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has expressed admiration for Muslim burial practices, particularly their simplicity in handling the dead.

Omokri’s comments followed the burial ceremony of Pope Francis on Saturday.

He used the occasion to urge Africans not to abandon their cultural heritage in the name of practicing Christianity.

In a post shared on his Facebook page on Sunday, Omokri wrote:
“Dear Africans,
“I hope you all watched the burial of Pope Francis yesterday. Did you notice that it was rich in culture? Perhaps you marvelled at the deep traditions you saw on display. A culture and tradition that often had little or nothing to do with Scripture. Customs that were either purely European or Vatican in their origin rather than Biblical. Rituals that were exotic and mystic.

“If the Catholic Church has preserved its own culture unchanged for thousands of years, why have you, as an African, not preserved yours? Why have you allowed the Catholic Church and other European churches of Christendom to influence or mandate you to change your culture?

“Some of you justify jettisoning your own culture by calling it unchristian. But how Christian were the culture and customs you watched yesterday? How many of such rituals can you open your Bible to find?

“Yeshua died and was buried on the same day without pomp and pageantry. He was simply wrapped in a piece of cloth and buried. Lazarus died and was buried on the same day in the same way, without much ceremonies. Stephen died and was buried immediately with no bells and whistles.

“Do you know who buries their dead like that today? Muslims! Yet, when I admire and respect Muslims, some of us African Christians call me unchristian.

“When King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia died on Friday, January 23, 2015, he was wrapped in a cloth and buried without a coffin in an unmarked grave on the same day.

“My condolences to all Catholics. And may Pope Francis rest in peace. However, the point I am making is that just as the Vatican did not change its culture because of their brand of Christianity, you, too, as an African, should not change your own culture because you are a Catholic or Christian.”