Story by Osuta Yusuf
Maracha District– The residents of Ebapi village, Baria Parish in Nyadri Sub-county, Maracha East constituency, Maracha District, are in shock after a 41-year-old man began digging his own grave.
The man, identified as Mr. Opiga Michael, who appears to be struggling with personal challenges, started digging his own grave on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, until elders from the Nyaria clan intervened and stopped him.
Speaking to our reporter on Wednesday evening, September 11, 2024, Mr. Opiga Michael explained that his intention was to commit suicide after finishing the grave, where he planned to bury himself. He said he feels frustrated, abandoned, and hated by his own clan members, whom he accused of spreading lies about him. He also claimed that there were three attempts on his life with a machete and six attempts to have him shot dead by gangsters.
Mr. Opiga further added that all his efforts to improve his life, including selling tobacco and acres of sweet potatoes from his land, have been thwarted by clan members, who reportedly advised buyers not to purchase products from him.
The victim’s mother, Biata Driwaru, expressed her fear over her son’s recent behavior, revealing that he now sleeps with a machete by his side. She vowed to inform her kinsmen about the incident and declared that if her son eventually dies, mourners should attend the funeral without eating anything, and everyone should leave immediately after the burial.
A member of the same family and a village health team (VHT) representative, Mr. Fudribo Emmanuel, revealed that Mr. Opiga Michael had previously attempted suicide in May 2024 but was saved by the community.
Mr. Aliji Ponzio, a 77-year-old elder who counseled and stopped Mr. Opiga from continuing to dig his grave, explained that, culturally, such an act is considered a misfortune. He stated that the grave can only be refilled if a cultural prayer is conducted, involving the slaughtering of animals and the planting of a seedling of a traditional tree known in the Lugbara language as “Edolo” in the dug grave.
The LC1 Chairman for Ebapi Village, Mr. Atema Vicky, reflected on a similar incident in the same Baria Parish where a youth committed suicide, leading to significant problems and conflicts. He expressed his shock at witnessing someone preparing for their own death in this manner, something he had never seen before in his life.