Mourners Disappointed over Kofi Annan’s Closed Casket

Ghanaians on social media and at the venue where the body of the late diplomat is laid in state have expressed disappointment because they were unable to catch a glimpse of the remains of the peace icon in his casket.

Some of the mourners who spoke to Citi News said the closure of the casket was not in sync with the Ghanaian way of honouring the dead.

According to some of them, the closure of the casket was not in sync with the Ghanaian way of honouring the dead. One mourner who spoke to Citi News said the closed casket took something away from the ceremony.

“I wasn’t happy when the coffin wasn’t opened. During the Vice President’s own, the coffin was opened and we all viewed it, so for this one, I wasn’t happy,” she said.

“We were surprised and we just came and saw the casket closed with a Ghana flag [draped over it]. So we were just asking that; did we come to observe the Ghana flag or we came to observe [him],” another mourner stated.

On Wednesday, 12 September, dignitaries including recognised groups, chiefs, Members of Parliament and Ministers of State, world leaders, will have their turn to pay their last respects to the former UN boss.

A burial service will be held on Thursday,13 September at the Accra International Conference Centre, followed by a private burial at the new military cemetery with full military honours and a 17-gun salute.

Mr Annan was the seventh United Nations Secretary-General from January 1997 to December 2006 died peacefully in Switzerland on 18 August 2018 after a short illness.