Environmental sanitation implication of the disposal of the dead: a tale of two traditional African cities

Abstract

This paper assessed environmental sanitation implication of the disposal of the dead in two traditional African cities (Ile-Ife and Oyo in Nigeria) based on residents’ perception. Each of the cities was stratified into three residential zones: traditional zone, transition and peripheral zones. Across the residential zones, questionnaires were administered on 331 and 397 residents in Ile-Ife and Oyo, respectively. Findings revealed that dumping was the commonest method of the disposal of carcasses and burial was the commonest for corpses. The practices of the disposal of dead in the cities were without concern for environmental sanitation and public health. The study recommended enforcement of environmental sanitation laws and the need for planning for the dead as feeders for policy making, review and implementation on the disposal of the dead and other related issues in environmental studies both in the cities and others with similar setting.