Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
We’re your one stop shop for ALL funeral services— embalming, cold storage, caskets, vaults, logistics, cremation, and more.
Ikoyi (main hub), Atan, Igbosere, and Abuja office.
Yes — private visitations are available at our Ikoyi viewing room.
Yes — our crematorium is on-site, discreet, and properly managed. We can also assist with any service you may want to hold before or after the cremation.
Yes — local and international. All permits and processes handled.
Valid ID (next of kin), death certificate, and any burial permit.
Yes — Ebony offers pre-plan options for individuals and families.
If a loved one passes away outside Nigeria, the first step is to contact the local embassy or consulate. They’ll guide you through the legal requirements, help you secure a local death certificate, and advise on whether a family member must travel to make decisions or sign repatriation documents.
From there, Ebony steps in.
We liaise with foreign authorities, secure the necessary permits, and coordinate all international transport logistics. We also advise on retrieving any personal belongings, documents, or valuables needed to complete the process or return to the family.
Once the body arrives in Nigeria, our team handles collection from the airport and ensures a smooth transfer into our care — ensuring a seamless handover without stress to the family.
With deep experience across different countries and protocols, we manage every step with precision and professionalism.
Usually, the next of kin: a spouse, child, parent, legal partner or sibling.
If there’s a Will and a dispute arises, the appointed Executor takes legal responsibility. They may appoint someone else to handle the arrangements.
In rare cases where no relatives are known, such as in hospitals or institutions, an authorised officer like a social worker may be asked to make arrangements.
Whoever is responsible, the process is guided by legal and practical considerations to ensure everything is handled appropriately.
A funeral isn’t just for the person who has passed. It’s for those left behind. It creates space for honour, closure, and reflection. While not legally required, many families find it a meaningful step in the grieving process. Planning ahead can also make things easier when the time comes.
Funerals come with decisions that can feel overwhelming especially when grief is fresh. A funeral director helps carry the weight of those details, so families don’t have to manage it all alone. They know how to navigate the paperwork, deal with institutions, and handle sensitive arrangements quietly in the background, allowing the family to focus on grieving.
You don’t need a religious leader to officiate. The service can be led by a family member, a close friend, or a non-religious officiator.
A Funeral Director is trained and certified to help create a ceremony that reflects the person’s values, lifestyle, and personality — whether or not religion is involved. Families are encouraged to take part in shaping the service, making it personal and meaningful in a way that feels true to them.
Some prefer to keep it simple, others include readings, music or short tributes. It’s entirely up to you. The most important thing is that the service feels honest and respectful.
Yes. We assist families with obtaining all required burial documents, including death certificates, burial permits, and any necessary approvals. Once all information is provided, most documents are processed within 3 to 5 working days. Our team follows up closely to avoid unnecessary delays.
Yes, family members may witness the start of the cremation if they wish to. This must be arranged ahead of time, and is subject to our facility’s schedule and protocols. Our team will guide you through what to expect and ensure the process is handled respectfully.
Ebony Cemetery Guidelines
The cemetery is open for visits Monday to Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
We are closed on Sundays, except where prior arrangements have been made.
Our service hall is available for ceremonies and prayers before burial. Each booking allows for up to 2 hours, and time slots must be reserved in advance to ensure smooth coordination.
Families may use our in-house decorators or bring their own team. A refundable caution fee is required before use of the hall. This covers potential damage to any part of the space or its furnishings during setup or use. If no damage occurs, the full amount is returned. All decorations must be cleared immediately after the event.
Visitors are expected to behave respectfully while on cemetery grounds. Stepping on graves is strictly prohibited.
To maintain uniformity and prevent confusion, personal customization of tombstones or gravesites is not permitted unless it falls within the options we offer. Unauthorised modifications may be removed without notice.
Vehicles are allowed inside the cemetery for funeral processions and other authorised movements only. Visitors will be directed to designated parking areas upon arrival. Please follow the instructions of our attendants to ensure safety and smooth coordination on site.
Cemetery Etiquette
Park in designated areas —NOT on the grass. There could be an unmarked grave there.
Cemeteries are not recreation parks; its for serious and solemn business. Always keep to scheduled time (and don’t keep the dead waiting). Do NOT go to a cemetery at night without permission from the cemetery association! If you are in that cemetery at night without permission you are trespassing and could get you arrested and possibly have to pay a big fine! It’s not worth it.
Have respect for the dead. A cemetery is not a playground for ghost hunters and taphophiles. It is a memorial to honor those who have gone before us. Treat it as such (besides, if it is haunted, and you are disrespectful, a ghost might trip you and twist your ankle!).
Don’t touch the sculptures on the graves. Don’t lean on a monument or sit on one or pose for pictures draped over a tombstone. Some of those are delicate and they have been exposed to the elements — you could damage them. And, yes that bench looks inviting, but it is for the mourners. Don’t sit on it. If you do accidentally damage anything, report it to the cemetery association and be ready to pay for repairs! It’s the right thing to do.
A cemetery is not a place for shouting and loud music. It’s also not a place for you to make all your cemetery jokes! We are not telling you that you have to be “grave,” but it isn’t really appropriate to get silly at the cemetery.
Remember not to leave any trash when you leave, and not to disturb what might be at the memorial. If there are flowers, coins, photos, etc. be careful if you move them and put them back leaving everything as you found it. These are memorials, places where people come to remember a lost family member. Keep them as such.
NEVER take anything from a cemetery … except any trash that you might generate (including cigarette butts). Don’t take coins or toys or flowers or dirt or guitar picks or any other offerings that were left for the dead. It’s bad juju.
Of course, our affinity is not only to the dead; we are also benevolent so you can take photographs, and leave only footprints
Funeral Etiquette
The very first thing that one must do when a death occurs is to acknowledge it. If you learn of the death of someone whom you knew or if you discover that a relative or close friend of a co-worker or friend has died, you first sit down at your desk, take out paper and an envelope and write a letter of condolence. This is important especially if you are not planning to attend a funeral service or if there is no funeral service. Even if you attend a service, a letter is a nice, but not obligatory, thing to do.
You DO NOT send an email or post a “thinking of your family and you” entry on a funeral home’s website or Facebook. Death requires more from you. A handwritten letter is where one begins. It need not be long or witty, but a sincere message with a personal touch is best.
If you did not know the person that well you can simply say something along the lines of, “I was deeply sorry to learn of the death of your aunt. Please accept my heartfelt sympathy. Your family and you are in my thoughts and prayers.” Just make sure to be genuine. If you are not religious, drop the prayers.
We all have many suits in our closet. Well, maybe not. However, we should have one dark suit or dress on hand for occasions such as a funeral.
- For men, A black suit is your number one choice but a navy suit or a charcoal gray suit, and if you don’t have anything else, even a midnight-blue pin stripe are all acceptable. Your shoes should be black whether they be wing tips or captoes. Solid black ties are quite appropriate for someone who has lost an immediate family member.
- For women, just like the men, a conservative suit is appropriate, with a hat or fashion scarf for your head. Other wise a modest, dark gown (and covering your shoulders) reaching a bit below the knee is acceptable. If you must make up, never use loud colors and be economical with your face. You don’t want to be the focus when your tears leave scary marks on your face.
You never show up to a funeral home or Church service wearing jeans, a golf shirt, a baseball cap, or sneakers. Likewise, women should avoid sequins, bright colors, and big jewelry. Even if the men sitting next to you are thusly attired, you know that you know better and are more respectful than they are.
- For men, A black suit is your number one choice but a navy suit or a charcoal gray suit, and if you don’t have anything else, even a midnight-blue pin stripe are all acceptable. Your shoes should be black whether they be wing tips or captoes. Solid black ties are quite appropriate for someone who has lost an immediate family member.
- For women, just like the men, a conservative suit is appropriate, with a hat or fashion scarf for your head. Other wise a modest, dark gown (and covering your shoulders) reaching a bit below the knee is acceptable. If you must make up, never use loud colors and be economical with your face. You don’t want to be the focus when your tears leave scary marks on your face.
At many funerals today, a close family member or friend is asked to deliver a eulogy. A eulogy is a heart-felt tribute to the one we are there to remember. It is not an opportunity to get one last word in About the deceased. It is not a comedy act. It also is not all About the speaker. It is About the way the person who died and the way she or he impacted upon people’s lives.If you are delivering a eulogy, this is your chance to speak About someone in a very dignified manner.
If you are asked to deliver a eulogy, this is your chance to speak About someone in a very dignified manner. Make sure to sit down and take your time when you write it. Find the right balance between grief, cherished memories, and funny occasions. The length should be (but not more than) two letter or A4 pages in standard font size 12 to 14 depending on the font you choose, but Arial, OpenSans or Times New Roman are best.
Avoid any remarks About drinking or dating habits of the deceased and do not bring up anything else that could be perceived as embarrassing or disrespectful.
You may want to acknowledge the death of someone in a more tangible manner than just a letter. In years gone by one sent flowers to the funeral home or a mourner’s house. The purpose of the flowers was quite practical. It offsets the odor of death and the not-too-perfected embalming process. However, these days many people regard an overabundance of flowers as an excessive waste of money. Instead in the death notice or at the funeral home the names of one or two favorite charities of the deceased are noted in case one would prefer to make a memorial donation rather than send a spray of flowers. The choice is up to you if you want to make a charitable donation or not and it is up to you ultimately to which charity you would like to donate. The charity will inform the deceased family of the donation, or the funeral home will prepare a list of donors names and addresses. The amount of the gift is never mentioned.
Talking to Children and Teens
Your child needs your help to understand death. So it’s best to explain what has happened as simply and truthfully as you can. For example, ‘I have some sad news. Your Aunty Sal died this morning’.
Using the word ‘death’ can avoid problems too. If you say that someone ‘passed away’ or has ‘gone to sleep’, your child might be confused or frightened. For example, a child who is told that ‘Grandpa has gone to sleep forever’ might get scared of sleeping because he’s afraid he’ll never wake up.
If you feel very uncomfortable talking About death, you might need to practise with another adult first. You could go through what you’ll say and how you’ll answer your child’s questions. Or you might like to write down a few notes as reminders.
It can also be helpful to think About what you’ll say if you don’t know the answer to your child’s question. It’s OK to say something like, ‘I don’t know but I’ll try to find out’.
Grieving is a process that can take weeks, months, and years. Sometimes as a child matures, they will reprocess the death based on their new understanding and life experiences. Share your feelings and grief work with your child. A child will take comfort in knowing they are not alone in how they feel and they will look to the adults for role models in how to deal with grief.
Children need and want to talk About their loved one and their loss. Be patient and a good listener. Reassure the child they are loved and there is a plan for their care. This is especially important if the loved one who died is a parent.