As a child raised in ancient Bida town before moving to Minna to complete my primary school, I remember one of the most defining cultural traditions of the Nupe people known as gale
Gale was a traditional music and dance that became the centerpiece of weddings. It started as something organized by the bride’s friends on the eve of her pre-wedding events, and by the groom on the last night of the ceremony. It was the part of the wedding that stole the show.
Young men, women and even adults save money for months to spend lavishly during gale. The display became a competition of wealth and status, a way to make an impression, gain attention, or woo a partner. It often lasted from night till dawn, with non-stop music, dancing, and celebration. Friends and relatives remembered the spectacle more than the actual support they gave the couple. Over time, gale grew beyond one night. In some cases, it stretched for several days, even a full week, depending on the celebrant’s means and desire to be remembered.
I never understood why people who struggled for months would spend it all in one night to pay musicians and create a false image of wealth. At one point, musicians were among the richest and most influential people in town and the Nupe Kingdom. With weddings happening almost every week, music filled the air every weekend. Youths moved from one event to another, turning the nights into a town-wide party and sleeping through the next day to recover.
Eventually, gale moved into the afternoon too. The tragedy was that while the wealthy could afford it, many others strained themselves to keep up. Husbands spent so much trying to outdo others, that their wives complained of having no food at home. Some took loans just to contribute and be seen as generous. It became less about celebration and more about visibility and status.
It took HRH Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar, to step in. He didn’t ban gale, but ruled that all celebrations must end by 12 midnight. People struggled to keep the tempo, but gradually gale faded into memory.
That memory came back when I read the news from Anambra State. According to Punch newspaper: Anambra State has passed a new law to regulate burial and funeral ceremonies.
The law restricts all burials to Saturdays and bans midweek funerals. All funeral activities must be concluded in one day. Wake-keeps are abolished, and religious vigils must end by 9 p.m.
Expensive condolence gifts like cows, goats, and bags of rice are prohibited. Acceptable gifts are limited to money, one jar of palm wine, one carton of beer, and one crate of soft drinks. Food, drinks, live bands, and cultural entertainment at vigils are banned.
The law also bans billboards, banners, and posters of the deceased in public spaces. Only directional signs are allowed, and not more than seven days before the burial. Dancing with caskets, public display of coffins for advertisement, and second burial rites are prohibited.
Corpses cannot remain in the mortuary for more than two months. If they do, they may be buried in designated government grounds as “rejected corpses.” The use of uniform funeral attire is limited to immediate family, church groups, umunna, umuada, and iyom di Food, drinks, and souvenirs for guests are now optional.
To enforce the law, monitoring committees will be set up in communities. Violators risk a fine of ₦100,000, six months imprisonment, or both.
The government says the aim is to cut excessive spending, reduce pressure on bereaved families, and restore order to burial ceremonies.
I believe this law can only succeed in Anambra, just as the gale reforms did in Bida, if traditional institutions are involved. Most people already feel overwhelmed by these burdens, but they keep complying because of social and community expectations.
Bagudu Mohammed
bagudumohammed15197@gmail.com
