The burial of the husband as an opportunity for the introduction of his children, born outside of wedlock - An African pastoral study

African funerals have been an occasion to send off the departing person in a dignified way, but they also served as a communal affair where relatives could meet and mend their relationships. For the purpose of this study, funerals have also become a situation where unknown and even unaccepted children of the male deceased who were born outside marriage would be introduced into a family or clan. There would not be any guarantee that such practices would end up adding peace into the family, depending on the reactions and suspicions that the formal wive (or wives) and her (their) children to such incidents. Even though the contestations would follow on the trustworthiness of the deceased to his household, a few questions would arise, especially if there is some inheritance left by the deceased. This article used the conceptualisation analysis of the secondary sources via desktop findings to unveil some of the traditional reasons as well as repercussions of such practices. Without ignoring the African traditions towards the handling of cheating between husbands and wives, the study, by way of discussion, made recommendations to resolve this tendency as a way forward before making concluding remarks. The study contributes to the stability of African marriage, which is, amongst others safeguared by ensuring that while cheating is discouraged, children of the deceased must also receive justice in terms of relating to their family and clan.