The Family of the late Emmanuel Dorli who was struck by lightning in Ho on Monday has finally been moved after preliminary spiritual consultation.
However, the family is yet to bury the boy because they are yet to get a conclusive report from the emissaries sent on the spiritual consultation expedition last Monday night.
Thus, the body of the second-year student and part-time coconut seller is being preserved by the family.
Rituals and Moving of Body
The body was moved on Tuesday evening, a little over 24 hours after the incident which claimed his life and spared two female friends in his company at the time of the strike.
After several hours of waiting and wondering, the family brought a spiritualist believed to be from the Adaklu Area to cleanse the body and pacify the land where the incident happened; thus under a giant mango tree opposite the Volta Regional Office of the Electricity Company of Ghana in Ho.
Hundreds of residents watched on as the spiritualist made incantations and performed rituals including burning some materials and spreading the smoke over the body and the immediate surroundings.
The Municipal Office of the National Disaster Management Office (NADMO) which has been monitoring the scene since morning provided a body bag and gloves to be used to carry the body into a coffin provided by the family.
Nogokpo Not Consulted
A senior member of the Family, Nicholas Nfodjo explained that the family decided after preliminary spiritual consultation in the Southern part of the Volta Region not to go to Nogokpo.
He clarified that although the emissaries sent on Monday night had earlier indicated they were going to the Nogokpo Shrine in Ketu South, they ended up consulting other spiritualists.
Based on the several consultations made, the family was advised on what to do to at least move the body from the scene to avoid the somewhat public humiliation and condemnation.
Although earlier reports have suggested that the body was moved to be buried in Sokode Bagble where the boy’s maternal family hails from, Mr. Nfodjo said the family is yet to bury the body as the spiritual consultations were inconclusive.
Unsatisfactory Spiritual Report
He said the report from the emissaries was not satisfactory to the Chiefs and Elders of the Community after a meeting on the evening of Tuesday, May 31, 2022.
The emissaries were sent again to get more answers and explanations before the body can be buried. He refused to mention which spiritualists the emissaries visited on Monday and Tuesday except to clarify that it was not Nogokpo.
He also refused to mention which new spiritualist or shrine they are visiting as of Wednesday, June 1, 2022.
He said although the family is traumatized by the turn of events he was optimistic that the emissaries will return with good news so the body can be buried on Wednesday night.
From Fred Duodu, Ho
(k.duodu@yahoo.com)