Conceptions of Death and Funeral among the Owan People of Edo North, Nigeria: A Philosophical Inquiry

Death and its attendant funeral rites remain one of humanity’s most contested phenomena, open to endless speculation. Within this frame, this paper investigates contemporary African conceptions of death and funeral, with specific focus on the Owan people of Edo North, Nigeria. It critically examines how death and funeral are constructed, and what they reveal about the meaning and continuity of human life. The central argument of the paper is to interrogate the Owan worldview on death and funeral. This is pursued through key philosophical questions: Does death mark the absolute end of life, or is there existence beyond it? Is the human soul immortal? What ethical and philosophical lessons emerge from Owan rituals, beliefs, and oral traditions surrounding death and funeral? By situating these questions within Owan metaphysics, the paper draws a logical conclusion on the cultural and philosophical significance of death and funeral. It argues that Owan understanding of death and funeral is not merely about mourning, but about affirming lineage, ancestry, and the persistence of being beyond physical extinction.