A Nigerian mortuary attendant, known as a mortician, has gone viral on TikTok after revealing what happens to clothes removed from lifeless bodies. In a video posted by user @dchief_mortician2, he explained that the issue of deceased persons' clothing can lead to serious problems for morticians, including court cases, as family members sometimes suspect the clothes are used for spiritual purposes.
Clothes Are Often Burned to Avoid Odor
The mortician stated that many people who bring a body to the mortuary either forget to take the clothes home or deliberately leave them behind. He clarified that the common practice is to burn the clothes once removed. "The real truth about this is that, you see the clothes they bring to the mortuary, what we usually do with them is that when we remove the clothes, we burn them. They have no use because when they start piling up, they'll start smelling, so that's why we burn them," he said in the video.
Personal Method: Immediate Return to Families
The mortician shared his own approach to avoid misunderstandings. "Me, what I usually do is that once they bring a person to the mortuary, I remove the clothes and give them to the family members immediately," he explained. This practice, he noted, prevents any suspicion that the clothes are being misused.
Public Reactions to the Revelation
The video sparked reactions from viewers. Solomon D Mortician commented, "Confirm we did it too we return the clothes to the family as well." Another user, BIGG'JAY, said, "Yeah I partially understand." Rhema Tonge praised the mortician, writing, "You're a professional in this job bro. you need to get to Europe to end better money. you're so intelligent and experienced too." Mondayimuentinyan shared a personal experience: "My dad's clothes was giving to me." Some viewers also asked about the emotional toll of the job, with FLAMES inquiring, "How do you deal with mood especially when you receive a number of love ones."
Broader Context of Mortuary Practices
This revelation comes amid other discussions about mortuary customs. In a similar story, a Nigerian lady recounted how she spent a huge amount of money on native doctors after a mortuary attendant convinced her she could bring her late father back to life. Separately, a 24-year-old female mortician explained why she and her colleagues knock before entering rooms where dead bodies are kept, and she shared that she lives near the mortuary and believes in ghosts despite never encountering one. These accounts highlight the myths and realities surrounding mortuary work in Nigeria.
