My travel experience #5 And The Final: Assisting with the cooking of My sister in law's late husband's Burial food

It was on a sad note that I have come to conclude my travel experience. The news of the demise of my sister in law's husband came as a shock to us in the late November 2025. We couldn't contain the news but what can we do? Death is just like a spilled oil that can't e recovered. We had to find a way to comfort my sister in-law and then plan on how he will be buried.

The burial was fixed to be on the 6th of January 2026 and that was the reason why I had to travel to my own village before going to my in-laws. My sister in-law's in-laws are living in the next village, a trackable distance from my in-laws. So, while her in-laws will cook over there, we will also cook here so that we can attend to our own invitees. That was how we began the preparation for the cooking on Monday evening in my in-laws.

We planned cooking Jollof rice, salad, then soup and swallow. On Monday evening before the burial, we began to get things ready. We prepared the gravy, got the meat ready and fried the fishes that will be used in serving the rice.

Then early morning on the burial day which was on the 6th, we continued. We perboilled the rice, then cooked it with the gravy that was prepared the last evening.

Then the salad was also prepared with cabbage, carrots, peas, wag and so on. Then the soup was also prepared along with swallow amd wrapped. The soup was prepared with

Ukazi
Melon
Thickner (offor)
Crayfish
Palm oil
Stockfish
Dry fish
Canda or cow skin
Meat and so on

	the gravy
	the meat stock for the rice
	the washed rice, ready to be cooked
	the onions is being sliced for the rice
	mixing the ingredients for the rice
	the washed cow skin for the soup
	the rice in on fire after the mixing is done
	rice is ready to be brought down
	salad is ready
	wrapping the swallow
	soup is ready

The swallow was Garri wrapped in nylon. As you can see above. Then the rice was turned to a cooler. The soup was also turned to a separate cooler. We packed everything in the the vehicle including the drinks and serving plates. Then the cooking utensils were washed immediately before we left.

While cooking, we where getting in touch with the immediate family of the deceased
We went late, almost close to the burial talk. We met the speaker taking about our late in-law and how he lived his life. He also stressed that we the living know that someday we will be lying like the late in-law because death is inevitable, whereas the death knows nothing at all and will remain in that state until the resurrection day. We were urged to try our best to live good life, one that will please our Heavenly Father so that he will resurrect us if we eventually die.

He also reminded us of the cause of death and the provisions of the Almighty to eradicate death forever. After the talk, it was closed with song and prayer. Then an announcement was made, informing everyone of the burial place and where they need to go for their refreshments.

	the coffin

We stayed in the field where the burial talk was held to share the food to those that came for us. The sharing was left for me along with 2 young girls who assisted me to serve after I had dished. It took close to 2 hours to conclude with this sharing and I had to pack the plates and take them home for washing. Thankfully, I was assisted with the washing. It was a very stressful day for me as the only daughter in-law that was available during the burial. But all the same, everything went well. We had visitors afterwards, we had lots of chats before they left. We also had the opportunity to take leftover soup that was refrigerated back to the city.

That's the end of my travel experience. I returned to the city the next day to resume work. Yes, work resumed on that burial date but I couldn't leave the burial. I had to put a call across for permission. It's all good. I am back to base and I will start sharing my activities as normal.

Below is the video that highlights the food preparation. Most of the language is in my husband's dialect. Sorry if you can't understand all that is said. But at least, you will feed your eyes