- Safiu Kehinde
The burial of prominent Ogun state monarch, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, has sparked controversies over its conduct.
NPO Reported the demise of the monarch when passed away on Sunday at the age of 91.
Oba Adetona who was a Muslim was buried on Monday in accordance with Islamic rite.
Drama would however unfold during the burial as traditionalists stormed the funeral.
As captured in a viral video shared on X, the traditionalists identified as the Osugbo traditional cult had arrived at the residence of the late king to allegedly disrupt the Islamic burial rites.
The cult members were reportedly confronted by soldiers and escorted out of the premises.
According to report, eyewitnesses said the traditionalists had tried to assert control over the burial process, prompting swift intervention to prevent escalation.
Long before his demise, the Awujale had abolished the occultic burial of kings in Ijebu.
According to a report dated 10th of January 2020, Oba Adetona had declared the abolition of the occultic burial performed by the Osugbos while addressing Christian and Muslim faithful who converged at his palace for a prayer session.
The late monarch had insisted that the old practice of burying the remains of an Oba was not supported by any custom or tradition in Ijebuland even as the Octogenarian monarch described such practice as abominable.
The late Awujalẹ would further sought constitutional backing of the declaration as he initiated a bill titled “State Traditional Rulers (Installation and Burial Rites) Bill 2020”.
The bill was sent to the state’s House of Assembly, which passed it with Governor Dapo Abiodun signed it into law.
While this tend to explain the reason behind denial of the Osugbo cult group access to the monarch’s burial, it would however not go down well as netizens and other members of the public condemned the humiliation of the traditionalists.
They decried the deterioration of the Yoruba culture and heritage.
Some however defended the denial of the traditionalists access to the monarch’s burial.
“You can’t change the tradition in the north but that can be changed in Yoruba land. Soon, there will be emir or sultanas.”@UnlimitedEniola
“I’ve always held the opinion that anyone who’s a prominent Muslim or Christian has no business occupying an ancestral position like traditional kingship.
These religions are not indigenous to our land and should be what they are, foreign. You want kingship? Then fall in line or leave it alone and maintain your Abrahamic religion, you shouldn’t have both.”@Enoch
“The king is supposed to be irreligious, I don’t know what is wrong with Yoruba Obas these days, the stool is a traditional institution, you cease to be a Christian or Muslim the day you become an Oba.”@Ayoappeal
“It’s always the Muslims instigating religious war In Yorùbá land, was it Quran than picked him as a King or IFÁ ?
Áwọn alakatakiti esin 😏”@FolajeuwoNelson
“Tradition and culture made him King in 1960 but now tradition and culture can’t even bid him farewell. Our heritage is a gunner. As an Ijebu boy, I’m so ashamed of this.”@TheRayoKasali
“We the Yorubas are playing with FIRE Our traditional rulers are sleeping already, many of u guys might think this is right but it’s NOT the Muslims are doing too MUCH in Our Lands already the Yoruba Culture is fading away gradually 🤦🏽♂️”@IDAN_offLine
“Sorry i don’t think it’s what you think, the problem here is a non Muslim can not be part of physical prayers,as you know you can only pray for him by words, and even the Muslims will have to cleanse themselves spiritually before they attend”@Leaf
“It’s just like in a Christian burial. Let’s say the man is a member of any secret group. The group will be allowed to go to the morgue and do their thing or wait for the corpse to be brought home. Immediately the church takes over the program. No cult activity will be allowed”@ANnadiatu
“The king himself have said it before he should be buried according to Islamic ways”@Slaymansahil
“I weep whenever I see things like this. Anyone accepting to become a king should understand that he’s a custodian of the tradition of his people and should be fully ready to serve and be buried in accordance with the tradition of the people he served.”@Oracle
“The burial broke a lot of traditions. First, he was buried in his private residence and not where his predecessors were. He enjoyed the full traditional benefits while alive but suddenly turned to “Òkú Mùsùlùmí”. We, the Yorùbás need to wake up.”@AdamsAkintayo
“If you know you know you want to uphold your religion in good faith, you have no business occupying Amy traditional position. He’s a Muslim and so what? Why did he occupy a traditional position and know the normal process.”@Adepoju89500205