FROM TRADITION TO BUSINESS: YOUTH-CENTERED DEMANDS IN BURIAL CEREMONIES IN AKWA IBOM STATE

FROM TRADITION TO BUSINESS: YOUTH-CENTERED DEMANDS IN BURIAL CEREMONIES IN AKWA IBOM STATE

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In Akwa Ibom State, the line between ritual observance and commercial enterprise is increasingly blurred as youth stake claim to professional roles in burial ceremonies. Services now commonly offered include staging performative funerals, selling branded mourning paraphernalia, and coordinating multimedia tributes for a fee (Walker-Descartes et al., 2021). These practices reflect a broader monetization of cultural rites, driven by high youth unemployment and changing attitudes toward tradition. Historically, funeral tasks—wailing, drumming, libation—were considered sacred duties performed by kin or appointed elders; their commodification represents a marked cultural departure (Galderisi et al., 2015).

Economic sociology posits that ritual commodification can generate both opportunity and tension: while youth gain income and skills, community members may perceive the practice as eroding the spiritual sanctity of mourning (Gruebner et al., 2017). Psychologically, paid involvement in bereavement ceremonies can compel youths to enact deep emotional expressions, potentially leading to emotional exhaustion or internal conflict between economic incentives and cultural respect (Arango et al., 2018). To date, no study has systematically examined how Akwa Ibom’s youth-centered funeral services reshape both economic livelihoods and communal mourning experiences.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite the growing prevalence of youth-led funeral enterprises in Akwa Ibom State, their implications for cultural continuity, economic empowerment, and emotional well-being remain unclear. Elders express concern over ritual profanation, while youth emphasize survival and innovation. The lack of empirical data on these competing perspectives prevents the development of balanced approaches that uphold cultural sanctity while supporting youth entrepreneurship.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

To catalogue the types of youth-centered services marketed during burial ceremonies in Akwa Ibom State.

To explore how these commercial practices affect perceptions of ritual authenticity and emotional engagement among participants.

To propose policy and community recommendations that harmonize youth economic interests with the preservation of funeral traditions.

1.4 Research Questions

What services do youths offer as part of commercialized burial ceremonies in Akwa Ibom State, and how are they priced?

How do bereaved families and community elders perceive the impact of these services on the authenticity of mourning rituals?

What frameworks can guide the integration of youth entrepreneurship into burial customs without compromising cultural values?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Youth & Entrepreneurs: Understanding market dynamics and community expectations will help youth design respectful, sustainable funeral services.

Cultural Custodians & Elders: Data will inform guidelines that protect ritual sanctity while accommodating economic innovation.

Policy Makers & NGOs: Evidence can underpin training programs that equip youth with entrepreneurial skills aligned with cultural ethics.

1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study

Scope: Examines youths aged 18–35 and funeral organizers in urban, peri-urban, and rural Akwa Ibom communities who have engaged paid services within the past two years.

Limitations:

Cultural Diversity: Variations in practices across Ibibio, Annang, and other subgroups may limit overarching conclusions.

Economic Fluctuations: Changes in local economies could rapidly shift service demand and pricing.

 

1.7 Definition of Terms

Ritual Commodification: The transformation of sacred communal rites into marketable services.

Performative Mourning: Professionally staged expressions of grief sold as a ceremonial service.

Emotional Exhaustion: A state of feeling emotionally drained from sustained emotional labor.

Cultural Sanctity: The regarded inviolability and sacredness of traditional rituals.

Entrepreneurial Innovation: Creative, business-oriented adaptations of cultural practices to generate income.

 

List of References

Arango, C., Díaz-Caneja, C. M., McGorry, P. D., Rapoport, J., Sommer, I. E., Vorstman, J. A., … Carpenter, W. (2018). Preventive strategies for mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(7), 591–604.

 

Galderisi, S., Heinz, A., Kastrup, M., Beezhold, J., & Sartorius, N. (2015). Toward a new definition of mental health. World Psychiatry, 14(2), 231–233.

Gruebner, O., Rapp, M. A., Adli, M., Kluge, U., Galea, S., & Heinz, A. (2017). Cities and mental health. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 114(8), 121–127.

Walker-Descartes, I., Mineo, M., Condado, L. V., & Agrawal, N. (2021). Domestic violence and its effects on women, children, and families. Pediatric Clinics, 68(2), 455–464.

Mshweshwe, L. (2020). Understanding domestic violence: masculinity, culture, traditions. Heliyon, 6(10).