Faithia Balogun Announces Final Burial Arrangements for Late Mother Gloria Williams
Nollywood actress Faithia Balogun has officially announced the burial arrangements for her late mother, Gloria Williams, weeks after revealing her painful passing. The film star shared the details via her Instagram page on Monday, informing friends, colleagues, and fans about how the family intends to honour the deceased.
Strictly Private Ceremonies with Invitation-Only Access
According to the schedule made public, the burial rites are set to commence on Friday, March 6, with a wake-keep event. This will be followed by the interment and lying-in-state on Saturday, March 7. A solemn Thanksgiving Mass is then scheduled for Sunday, March 8, at St. Monica Catholic Church.
However, Faithia has made it clear that the upcoming ceremonies will be strictly private. In her post, the actress emphasised that attendance would be limited to close friends and relatives, and entry into the venue would only be granted through a designated invitation channel.
"Please note that if this invitation does not come from a designated number, there will be no admission into the hall," she wrote, warning that there would be "no admission" without a verified invitation.
Larger Public Ceremony to Follow
For the general public and distant well-wishers, the actress promised a much larger, all-encompassing ceremony to be held at a later date. She disclosed that a larger public burial ceremony would be announced at a later date to accommodate well-wishers who wish to pay their respects.
Faithia used the opportunity to appreciate the overwhelming support she has received since announcing her mother's demise. "I want to specifically thank everyone who has reached out since the demise of my dear mother. I'm truly grateful for the emotional support, the calls, the visits and the show of love. May Allah (SWT) bless you all," she wrote.
The actress added that she does not take the outpouring of love for granted, noting that the prayers and comforting words have meant a lot to her during this difficult period.
Background and Social Media Reactions
Last month, Faithia announced that her mother passed away shortly before her 55th birthday celebration. In an emotional tribute at the time, she described Gloria Williams as her "cheerleader, prayer warrior, best friend and gist partner."
Social media users have been reacting to the burial announcement with various comments:
- One user questioned the ethnic background: "So her mom is Igbo not yoruba? How come she's good in speaking yoruba if her Dad is Deltan and her mom Igbo?"
- Another commented on the burial location: "May her soul rest in peace. Burying her in Lagos is a slap in your face. You should have taken her back home, unless her husband didn't pay her bride price."
- A third user noted: "May her soul rest in peace. All of you that normally said her mum is yoruba should see this."
The actress has been clear about maintaining privacy during this difficult time while planning to honour her mother's memory appropriately with both private and public ceremonies.
