A Funeral service in Ise-Ekiti descended into chaos last Friday during the burial of Mrs Kehinde Adebowale Ajifolawe, popularly known as Kenny Ise, when mourners protested what they termed as "commercial exploitation" by the officiating clergyman.
Kenny, a fearless politician, trader, and women's leader in Ekiti politics, was remembered fondly by former Senator Babafemi Ojudu, who attended the event and later described the dramatic scenes in a Facebook post titled "The Day Mourners Rebelled in Church."
Ojudu recounted how the reverend repeatedly solicited donations from the congregation, requesting contributions up to four times in various forms including envelope offerings.
The situation worsened when two of the
deceased's young nieces, standing in for her children, announced a donation of N200,000 to the church.
Rather than expressing gratitude, the reverend reportedly frowned and condemned the amount as "too small," causing humiliation for the girls in front of the gathering. Ojudu had to intervene by adding to the donation himself to spare them further embarrassment.
The incident ignited anger among attendees, many of whom vocally protested and began exiting the church.
"Why are you doing this? Are we here to mourn or to buy?" one mourner shouted, capturing the frustration felt by many.
Witnesses described the reverend as visibly embarrassed and unable to restore calm as mourners condemned the commercialisation of what should have been a sacred occasion.
Ojudu lamented the disturbing scene, calling it both chaotic and painful, and a reflection of the moral decay infiltrating Nigerian churches.
He mourned the loss of what was once a sacred refuge for the grieving, now perceived as a marketplace where the altar is viewed as a cash point.
His call to church leaders was clear: rediscover compassion, humility, and service, or risk losing the church's moral authority. "When mourners revolt inside a church, it is not rebellion. It is a cry of conscience," he declared.
The viral incident has sparked significant debate about the role of financial demands in religious ceremonies and the urgency for reform within religious institutions across the country.
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