“The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones,” as William Shakespeare famously penned in Julius Caesar. The Greek philosopher Euripides aptly observed that “a noble life leaves behind a fabric of comfort that helps to soothe the sorrow of the living.” These timeless insights remind us that the true weight of a person’s existence is measured by the enduring impact of his or her deeds rather than the brief theatricality of his or her departure. Today, let’s reflect on the profound truth that there is nothing truly befitting of the dead than the legacies they leave behind, challenging the modern day fixation on superficial funeral pageantry in favour of a life well-lived.
Do you know that the concept of a “befitting burial” is often misconstrued as an elaborate social hoax and flamboyance, and that absolutely nothing honours the departed more than the tangible moral and structural legacies they left behind while alive? Over the years, this misplaced concept has devolved into an excuse for wild extravagance, loud fanfare, and ostentatious displays of wealth under the guise of paying final respects to those who have passed on. In many deeply ironic instances, an individual who struggled and died in abject poverty is buried with sudden, lavish riches, whilst in other cases, individuals who represented everything inhuman and stood for nothing charitable are granted state-of-the-art obsequies simply due to political connections, plundered fortunes, or descendants eager to launder a tarnished family name. We must bravely acknowledge that no amount of colourful display, costly caskets, high attendance, or sweet tributes can wipe away the memories of atrocities, nor can a modest send-off diminish the golden legacy of a genuinely good person.
So, enhance your capacity to build a meaningful, impactful existence today by shifting your focus away from how you will be buried and concentrating entirely on how you choose to live and how you will be remembered. This calls for a deliberate commitment to integrity, community service, and professional excellence, ensuring that your daily actions serve as a reliable building block for a better society. We must consciously reject the societal pressure to invest in empty vanity, choosing instead to invest our resources in uplifting humanity, mentoring the next generation, and creating lasting institutions that outlive our physical forms. Do you have parents and relations? Support them to live a befitting life rather than wait to give them unbefitting “befitting burials.” Refuse to let the cultural habit of not speaking evil of the dead blind you to accountability. Therefore, live authentically, making your daily walk so profoundly impactful that your deeds testify to your life even when you are gone.
As you step out each day, carry a deep awareness that the choices you make in the present are carving out the exact narrative that will be told when you are gone. Let your life be a beautiful, living monument of goodwill, compassion, sincerity, and justice so that your ultimate transition requires no expensive window-dressing to command genuine respect. By focusing on a character that stands the test of time, you ensure that your true legacy becomes an immortal testimony that no funeral fanfare could ever buy or replicate. Never forget that irrespective of attempts to praise the dead to high heavens and pain their obsequies in beautiful colours and flamboyance, there is nothing befitting of the dead than the legacies they left behind. And those legacies cannot be built after dead no matter the financial investment in publicity and funeral expenses.
__
Esang Esitikot, a chemical engineer, is a professor of occupational health and safety. He is a public affairs analyst, UN Ambassador for Peace, and a pro bono lecturer at the Institute of Health, Safety, Security and Environment, University of Uyo. He can be contacted via 08035103559 (Whatsapp only) or email (esitikot@gmail.com).
