A man from Mutasa District in Manicaland Province was divorced by his wife during their son’s funeral, a development described as a bad omen by the area’s traditional leadership.
Samuel Dube was handed a divorce token by his wife, Chipo Mapuka during their son, Lazarus Dube’s funeral on Monday last week.
The couple had two children together before Lazarus’ death.
Lazarus, who was waiting for his Grade Seven results, died following an ear infection after he had visited his mother in Odzi.
The boy’s funeral was characterised by the confiscation of the corpse, arguments with in-laws, and demands for lobola, according to Samuel Dube’s brother, Titus Sithole-Dube during an interview with The Manica Post.
Lazarus was buried in Odzi, at her mother’s home after his father failed to raise the funds to ferry the corpse back to Mutasa.
The Dubes were made to pay US$25 and a goat that was to be slaughtered at the funeral by their in-laws before they were allowed to bury Lazarus.
After the goat was slaughtered, Mapuka announced to the gathered mourners that she was divorcing Dube, and then gave him the divorce token. Said Sithole-Dube:
She took everyone by surprise. As everyone was paying attention to her bombshell, dogs came and stole the meat which had been put in a dish.
Mouths were left agape. We were forced to buy another goat as the in-laws demanded a replacement before Lazarus’ burial.
They said failure to provide another goat would result in us finding an alternative place to bury our child.
The village head, Toringepi Mapuka, told The Manica Post that it was unheard of in his area for dogs to steal meat at a funeral. He said:
My thinking is that the late Lazarus was against his burial here. A lot of mishaps were witnessed at his funeral wake.
Maybe, all these were signs that the late Lazarus wanted his body to be repatriated to their Mutasa home.
Yes, they had no money, but they should have done something to ensure that the boy was buried at his father’s rural home.
… He (Dube) was divorced in front of the mourners even though he publicly stated that he still loved his wife.
The wife alleged that he is abusive and neglects his family.
Dube said he was willing to make things right with his wife because he still loved her. He said:
I am yet to pay her lobola. Even though she divorced me in public, I still love her.
We still have a child together and if she no longer loves me, then I should have the child’s custody, lest we will lose her in the same manner as Lazarus.