Joseph Attoh 
The calm of a Saturday morning in Accra offered a striking contrast to the city’s usual noise as we entered the Osu Cemetery for a burial. The bustling rhythm of life beyond its gates seemed distant. Within those quiet grounds, every path, tomb, and inscription invited deep reflection. What began as a funeral soon became a sober reminder that the cemetery is not merely a resting place for the dead, but a classroom for the living.
Osu Cemetery sits like a silent world within the heart of the capital. Modern buildings tower nearby, the historic castle stands not far off, and in between lies a vast expanse where life’s achievements, titles, and pursuits come to an unmistakable end. Walking through, the air carried the scent of dust, aged flowers, and fallen neem leaves. The open graves – raw, rectangular wounds in the earth – spoke with a clarity that no sermon could rival. They reminded us that mortality is not theoretical; it is certain.
Among the graves were elaborate mausoleums and simple tombs alike: marble, granite, weathered cement, some new, others faded by time. Names once boldly inscribed were now barely visible. Yet the message remained the same – death levels us all. It was moving to come across the resting place of the late Prophet M.K. Yeboah, a former Chairman of The Church of Pentecost whose ministry left a lasting imprint. His tomb stood as a reminder that even the faithful await the resurrection hope promised in Christ.
The cemetery’s silent testimony echoes the words of Hebrews 13:14: “For here we have no lasting city.” All our pursuits of wealth, recognition, or earthly power eventually meet their end here. The question that lingers is: What are we living for that carries eternal weight?
Dr. Myles Munroe’s famous assertion that the cemetery is the richest place on earth felt profoundly true in that moment. Buried beneath the soil are unfulfilled ideas, unwritten books, unpursued callings, and God-given dreams that were never lived out. This stark reality calls believers to “die empty”, to pour out every gift, talent, and assignment God has entrusted to us before our time on earth ends.
Yet, the cemetery is not a place of despair for the Christian. It is a reminder of the victory of Christ’s resurrection. For the believer, the grave is not an end but a waiting place until the trumpet sounds and mortal bodies are raised to life.
Leaving the cemetery, the message was unmistakable: the time to live purposefully for Christ is now. The time to love, forgive, serve, create, and fulfil our calling is now. May we not add to the cemetery’s wealth of unused potential, but live fully for the glory of God, looking ahead to the eternal city where Christ reigns forever.
Written by Elder Louis Sitsofe Hodey (Ashaley District – Madina Area)
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