The burial of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, according to Islamic rites, has split Yoruba royalty, pitted tradition against religion, and reignited a fierce debate over whether kings should uphold centuries-old traditions or follow personal faith. From palace elders to government officials, from Ifa priests to first-class monarchs, the battle over how a king should be laid to rest has become a test of the very soul of Yoruba heritage. Traditionalists, on their part, warned that sacred rites are being trampled under the boots of foreign faiths and they are ready to fight, even in court to defend their tradition.

It will be recalled that the late Oba Adetona, who reigned for 65 years, joined his ancestors on Sunday, July 13, 2025, and was buried according to Islamic rites on July 14, 2025, at his Ogbagba private residence in Ijebu-Ode, amidst tight security, after the prayer led by the Chief Imam of Ijebuland, Shaykh Miftaudeen Ayanbadejo. The traditionalists who came in their numbers to the burial venue were, however, prevented from having anything to do with the burial by security operatives from the Nigerian Army, Police, NSCDC and the DSS, who marched them out of the premises.

According to the Olowa Iberu and Chief Priest of Ijebuland, Chief Rasaki Osimodi, “the traditionalists who went to the burial venue were members of the Osugbo cult who had been instructed beforehand by the Lisa, who is traditionally second in command to the Awujale, not to fight if they were turned away from the Awujale’s house and leave peacefully or stay if they were welcomed, and they followed his instructions precisely.

“In fact, many more traditionalists wanted to come to Oba Adetona’s private residence where he was buried that day, but the Lisa prevailed upon them not to, citing a specific instruction given by the Awujale himself before his death. Lisa said that Oba Adetona had directed that Muslims must bury him and, additionally, soldiers had been stationed around the town. So, what could anyone do?

“It was the government that signed an agreement with Baba Awujale stating that he must be buried according to Islamic rites. If not for the government’s backing, the Osugbo society would have taken possession of the body because, traditionally, it belongs to them. The late king’s children claim he did not associate with us, the traditionalists. But we know that Kabiyesi did partake in our rites — and he left obligations unpaid.”

The late monarch had previously fought for a law to empower a royal father in Ogun State to choose how to be buried after his death. The Bill, known as the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State 2021, was eventually passed into law by the Ogun State House of Assembly. Section 55 of the law grants traditional rulers the unequivocal right to be buried according to their personal religious beliefs, alongside traditional rites. Section 56 of the law explicitly prohibits harmful practices such as mutilation, cannibalism, and human rituals, and criminalises the killing of persons or use of human parts during burial rites or the installation of a monarch in the state. The late Awujale’s wish not to have his body subjected to traditional practices after death was fully respected at his burial.

My people are now free from the bondage of traditional cultism —Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi

In his reaction, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Osun State, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, said that the burial of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, has ushered in a new era where the bodies of late kings will no longer be subjected to indignities.

Oba Akanbi said the burial of the Ijebu monarch according to Islamic rites has brought freedom for Yoruba kings who can henceforth determine how they wish to be buried. Oba Akanbi, in a statement released by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, lauded the courageous demonstration by the Awujale, his family, and Governor Abiodun, calling it a victory for the Yoruba race. The monarch said any town that wanted their king to be butchered after death should appoint a herbalist, or a member of the Osugbo or Ogboni cults as their king. He said the sanctity of the Yoruba traditional institution had been protected by the process adopted in burying the late Awujale of Ijebuland. The monarch said kings are servants to their subjects and are honourable men, and their honour needs to be protected even in death. “Honour doesn’t die with the king. They should be honoured to the grave and beyond, and not butchered like an animal after death,” he said.

Oba Akanbi asserted that the burial process to be adopted in burying Yoruba traditional rulers should henceforth be on the recommendation of the king before his passage or his family after his death.

He emphasized that the seizure of the corpse from his family by any secret cult or traditional group should be optional, depending on the wishes of his family. Oluwo said that in his ten years of rulership, he had freed the people of Iwo from the bondage of traditional cultism. He said he would not relent in his campaign against such retrogressive practices. Oba Akanbi declared that the “Osugbos and the Ogbonis have no relation with the Yoruba monarchy”. He said his stool would eternally resist every attempt to enslave the stool.

Kings should be buried according to their religious beliefs — Olororuwo of Ororuwo, Oba Qomarudeen Adeyanju

Speaking in a similar vein, the Olororuwo of Ororuwo, Osun state, Oba Qomarudeen Adeyanju, said that a person is crowned a king when he is alive and not his corpse and as such, when he dies, he has the right to be buried in line with his religious belief, not according to a particular religion.

He said, “It should be noted that each monarch has his own religion that dictates his relationship with God. It is therefore wrong to make traditional burial rites compulsory for a deceased king because it was not stipulated in the agreement before his coronation as king. Though, things may differ from one locality to another, but for me, the most important thing is that a king should have the freedom to decide how he wishes to be buried. In my town, previous traditional rulers were buried in line with their religion, most of whom were Christians. For instance, my predecessor was a Christian king and he was buried in the church and no traditional burial rites were done. There was also another king who ruled for 44 years (1927 -1971) who was a Christian while alive and was buried in accordance with Christian rites.

Every locality has its established ordinance on burial of kings. Hence, it shouldn’t be mandatory for a king to be buried in accordance with some particular religious rites especially traditional rites. The reason for the insistence that a king should be buried according to the traditional rites is just for extortion.

Traditional rulers should not abandon tradition for foreign religions —Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi

The immediate past chairman of the Ondo State council of traditional rulers, who is the Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, however, kicked against traditional rulers who abandon traditional practices after ascending the throne. He declared that such monarchs should either uphold the institution’s customs or vacate their revered positions. The Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladelusi, said that “since traditional rulers swore an oath to protect and uphold the tradition of their community, it is wrong to abandon it for a foreign religion. He declared that when he became the traditional ruler, he swore an oath to the kingmakers to uphold the culture and tradition of the town and would not deviate from it. He said there are more than 30 deities in the palace and several herbalists and traditional worshippers who consulted for the Deji. According to him, “Christians, Muslims and traditional worshippers worship the same God, and it makes no difference as long as they get answers to their prayers. There is a deity known as ‘Esu’ in the palace through whom we pray to God for answered prayers. I have changed the annual Oyemekun day to Ulefunta to reflect the traditional importance of the festival. I would not do anything that would undermine the tradition and culture of my community”.

If you want to be an Oba, be ready to live by the traditions — Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye

On his part, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, slammed monarchs who jettisoned tradition once they were installed in their respective domains. The first-class monarch said anyone who does not want to abide by the ancient practices of the traditional institution should not accept being enthroned, asking. He issued a stern warning to aspiring monarchs, declaring that those unwilling to uphold ancient traditions have no business occupying royal stools. The monarch insisted that no one is forced to become an Oba, and that the role requires deep respect and adherence to customs, no matter how ancient. He said, “If you want to be an Oba, be ready to live by the traditions. You can’t wear the crown and reject the customs. Nobody is compelled to become a king. Personally, I am a traditionalist to the core. Before becoming Olowoof Owo, I lived in the palace with my father for 25 years and fully understood the requirements. Tradition is not repugnant; it is a sacred heritage that must be preserved.

“I knew what the role demanded before I ascended the throne. I have never found anything repugnant in our traditions. If you can’t embrace them, don’t accept the crown. Taking up the role of a monarch is a matter of choice, not by compulsion. If you want to be an Oba, be prepared to abide by the customs. If you cannot, then don’t accept the position. Let us embrace our traditions; they are not in conflict with dignity or modernity.”

Traditionalists also kick

According to the Araba of Osogbo and cultural icon, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, “In Yoruba culture, when one is to be crowned a traditional ruler, he goes through some rituals (Oro) to open a path between him and the ancestors, hence, when he transits to the great beyond, he would also go through rituals (Oro) to signal the end of an era. Different cultures have different ways of burying their dead ones.

“Yoruba culture, before the advent of Western religion, had special ways of burying different people, including traditional rulers, traditional chiefs, priests, among others. Over 30 years ago, the late Awujale advocated that traditional rulers in Ijebuland be buried according to their religious beliefs.

“I led a delegation of Orisa World Congress to meet him and prevailed on him to abandon the struggle because of his place as a traditional ruler. It was said that the Osugbo who conducts the ritual mutilates the body of such kings, cutting away some organs and parts. But this is all part of a conspiracy to destroy our culture as a people. Those who want to destroy Yoruba culture and supplant our culture for foreign ones are the ones saying this. Traditional religion no longer uses human sacrifice. Orunmila (a Yoruba deity) was prepared to sacrifice his own child, but a goat was substituted instead. So who among us still performs real human sacrifice today? When a king dies, they are supposed to perform spiritual rituals that reconnect him with his ancestors. That is the purpose of the rituals, it’s not for harm but for dignity and continuity. My advice to Yoruba traditional rulers is that it is their character that will determine if they will be in paradise. If someone is buried according to Christian or Muslim rites but lived a bad life, he will not get to heaven”.

Also reacting to the development, the traditional religion adherents, under the aegis of ‘Isese’ Worshippers of Ogun State, described the exclusion of traditional (Isese) rites from the monarch’s final journey as disrespect to Yoruba cultural heritage. Speaking with the weekend vanguard, Dr. Ifarotimi Adifagbola Balogun, the Oba Isese of Ogun State, condemned the exclusive observance of Islamic rites at the burial, while they sidelined the traditional ceremonies historically linked with royal departures.

Adifagbola attributed the development to what he called the “tolerance and peaceful disposition” of traditionalists who, in their efforts to promote interfaith unity, have permitted their children to marry across religions. He warned that this tolerance should not be mistaken for weakness, adding that the burial method adopted was an affront to Yoruba tradition .According to him “We condoned the situation out of love for society, not because we are powerless. But it is time our children learn to take pride in and participate in the religious practices of their parents. This is how our traditions can regain their place of honour.”

Another traditionalist, the Oluwo of Iperu, High Chief Ifasola Opeolu, described the development as “an aberration and a slap on the traditional institution.” He condemned the Ogun State Chiefs Law, which mandated that Obas should not be buried according to the customs of the traditional religion under which they ascended the throne. “This is not just about Awujale; this is about protecting the sacred rites that validate the authority of Yoruba monarchs”, he said. (Saturday Vanguard)