>From: Pa Fru Ndeh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Ghanaian attends own funeral
>Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 17:34:50 EST
>
>Ghanaian attends own funeral
>
>Mourners at a Ghanaian funeral were astounded when the "dead" man arrived
>for the ceremony, reports Kweku Sakyi Addo from Accra.
>
>There has been drama about life and death in the village of Adaklu-Dabalu
>in the Volta region of Ghana, with a moral about who is more deserving of
>the family's money - the living or the dead.
>
>It began when Cujoe Gokah, 32, who had had surgery for a hernia, could not
>raise 450,000 cedi ($120) to pay hospital bills.
>
>After several fruitless attempts by the hospital to get the family to pool
>the cash to pay the bill, surgeon Dr AK Tachie came up with a fundraising
>idea bound to hit the target.
>
>According to the Ghanaian Times, the surgeon sent a message to Kujoe's
>family that he had died.
>
>Prompt response
>
>The response was prompt and efficient. The family sent a delegation to
>settle all the medical bills, and arrange for the body to be handed over
>for the funeral and burial
>
>A few days later mourners arrived dressed in red and black chanting funeral
>dirges and singing the praises of the one they had lost
>
>They had even bought a coffin which they brought along.
>
>Suddenly Cujoe appeared in the door, to the astonishment of the mourners.
>The doctor explained it had been his ploy to get them to pay Kuju's bills.
>Their joy at finding Kuju alive was much stronger than the doctors trickery
>
>Talcum powder
>
>Their dirges turned to songs of happiness. They covered Cujoe from head to
>toe in talcum powder which is a symbol of triumph, and carried him shoulder
>high.
>
>Instead of weeping there was dancing and singing and merrymaking all night
>when they returned to Cujoe's village.
>
>They returned the coffin to the coffin maker who graciously took it back
>and returned their money.
>
>Cujoe has since become a tourist attraction. Schoolchildren are playing 100
>cedi a time to see a man who once - sort of - died, but now lives.
>Search BBC News Online
>
>
>
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>     BBC ONE TV NEWS
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>
>See also:
>
>  16 Feb 00 |  Africa
>  Bodies dumped at Kenyan town hall
>
>
>
>Internet links:
>
>  Ghanaian Times
>
>
>The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
>
>Links to other Africa stories are at the foot of the page.

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