The corpse of a man who committed suicide in Ogun State on Monday ignited a religious conflict that often results in the circumstance.
Often in many places in Nigeria, Muslims/Christians and traditionalist clash over the burial rites of people who die in unusual circumstances.
These include hanging, drowning or through thunder lightning.
Conflict also do arises if the deceased belonged to a cult or secret society, while deaths of traditional rulers also usually raise similar questions in Yorubaland.
Such a question greeted the death of Muhammed Jamiu, an electrician and father of one, who reportedly killed himself in his room on Yakubu Habibu Street, Agura, Sabo, Sagamu, on Monday night.
According to ‘The Punch’, Islamic clerics and traditionalists clashed over who should handle his burial.
The Imam of Aduragbemi Mosque in Agura Sabo, where the deceased prayed before his death, Nurain Ilyas, said his members were shocked by Jamiu’s death and they became more worried when the traditional worshipers attempted to take over his corpse.
He was quoted as saying: “His name is Muhammadu Jamiu. He was 32 years of age. He was an electrician. He was married with one kid, but divorced many years ago.
“He was an easygoing person. He used to pray in my mosque and I always admonished him to make his faith stronger. I think he hanged himself.
“The police came to inspect the scene after it happened on Monday night.”
The leader of the Osugbo-Remo in Sagamu, Ifasola Opeodu, confirmed the incident as well.
Opeodu said some of his members were at the scene for a ritual, adding that they left the body after the intervention of the palace authorities.
When asked why the traditionalists wanted to take over the body of a Muslim, Opeodu noted that there were laid down traditions for anyone who died by suicide.
He said, “If anyone committed suicide in the olden days, Oro worshipers and traditionalists would perform rituals. But things have changed now. We now have other religions.
“The Muslims will perform the rites; our people left the body for them.
“At the end of the day, our members were settled; they were settled at the palace.”
