Anglican Diocese Orders Two-Week Wait Before Burials

The Diocese of Okene, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), in Kogi State, has barred members from burying their departed relatives immediately, insisting that a minimum period of two weeks must elapse before any burial arrangement is concluded.

The directive is contained in a communique from the 1st Session of the 6th Synod of the Diocese, jointly signed by the Chairman and Bishop, Dr Emmanuel Onsachi, and the Clerical Synod Secretary, Venerable Godwin Omanayin.

The Synod held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Obeiba, Ihima, from August 7 to 9, 2026. According to the resolution, the rule is meant to give families “enough time to prepare for and organize befitting burial programmes to honour their departed parents.”

The Diocese also assured members that “no evil consequence would follow such resolve for the bodies of their departed parents through embalming.”

The move addresses a practice in which some children had buried parents within one week or less, often citing prior instructions from the deceased that their remains not be kept in the morgue for long.

The Diocese said such personal instructions must now be set aside, insisting there are no negative consequences to waiting the required two weeks.

In a related resolution, the Diocese banned the use of externally sourced undertakers during burial programmes, directing that the Boys Brigade in various parishes handle such duties instead, “as the Diocese does not want a parallel body to be involved in our burial programmes whose activities may be in conflict with our Church norms.”

Synod Also Sets New Rules On Tithing, Investment And Evangelism

Beyond burial matters, the Synod addressed the Diocese’s economic and spiritual growth, resolving that the Church would establish “a policy for determining, from year to year, the areas in which to invest,” including offering soft loans to help members’ economic wellbeing.

On tithing, the Diocese directed that members in the diaspora “should remit at least 50% of their tithe to their home churches for the year to support the growth of the Church,” adding that the approach to encouraging compliance “shall be pastoral.”

The Synod also addressed hosting logistics for future gatherings, resolving that food items to be provided at Synod sessions be clearly assigned to each Archdeaconry to relieve the host church of the full hosting burden, while charging churches to embark on “intentional and aggressive evangelism” to grow membership.

Youth Sunday, Sunday School Transition Also Formalised

The Diocese further resolved that the third Sunday of every month be set aside as Youth Sunday, to mobilise young members and involve them in taking charge of church programmes.

It also fixed a formal date for transitioning children from Sunday School into the adult church, resolving that children complete this move after Junior Secondary School Three (JSS 3), with the transition formally taking place on May 27 each year.

Churches within the Diocese were directed to engage in intentional discipleship and Christian instruction to build, sustain and retain membership.

The Synod additionally converted its Synod Planning Committee into the Planning Committee for the 110th Anniversary Celebration of Christianity in Ebira land, appointing Engineer Philip Omeiza as chairman and Mr Moses Bello as the new Chairman of the Synod Central Planning Committee.

The resolutions, dated August 12, 2026, were adopted for implementation across the Diocese of Okene.