Gospel singer Ilagosa did not have a house in his rural home in Shemakhokho village, Vihiga County.
According to Luhya traditions, a man has to have a house before he is buried so family had to build one for Ilagosa before he could be laid to rest.
A dead person is usually brought from the morgue to stay overnight in the living room of their houses on the eve of the burial.
Before Ilagosa’s burial, his fellow musicians allegedly told the family to leave every plan to them since he was one of them. The artistes formed a separate group where they raised funds to build a house where the artiste’s body was to be kept before his burial.
More than Ksh700,000 was contributed in two WhatsApp groups formed after Ilagosa’s death.
The artistes had also promised to cement his grave, which did not happen when he was eventually buried on Thursday February 16, 2023.
The artistes also built a mud house which some members of the group questioned about the amount spent.
Ilagosa’s brother said most of the materials used to build the house for the deceased were sourced from their farm. Artistes only bought iron sheets and construction nails and labour for one week.
“Hio nyumba mlango ni secondhand, madirisha ni secondhand. Tell us the exact budget of the money used,” one follower demanded in the group.
Ilagosa’s casket cost about Ksh25,000 and his father is reported to have been given Ksh70,000 for food. But according to Ilagosa’s brother, the father did not receive the said amount and therefore, mourners did not have food for some days.
A cow was to be slaughtered, but it later emerged that this did not happen since the gospel artistes did not give out the money required for that.
There are claims that the artistes left before the service ended to go and eat.
“They did not come to the grave because they had gone to eat at one of the luxurious hotels in Shemakhokho village. They spent the night there. I would say, they just came for a road trip,” a source alleged.
The source also claimed that the more than 10 artistes each paid Sh2,500 per night for accommodation at the hotel and that this money was from the funds they had raised.
At some point, the area chief and the artistes differed during burial service.
