Tension almost marred the final rites of passage for the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, as traditionalists were forcefully prevented from conducting customary burial rituals at the monarch’s private residence.
Oba Adetona joined his ancestors on Sunday at the age of 91 and was buried according to Islamic rites on Monday.
The traditionalists, who arrived in large numbers in anticipation of performing the age-long traditional rites, were denied access by security operatives, including men of the Nigerian Army, who turned them away at the gate.
Sources at the scene described the situation as a “mild drama,” as chants from the traditional worshippers clashed with a firm military blockade, enforcing what has now become a state-backed burial approach grounded in religious freedom.
The development follows the enforcement of the controversial Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021, which empowers traditional rulers to be buried according to their personal religious convictions rather than strictly by native rites.
Specifically, Section 55 of the law provides that while customary practices may still be applied during a monarch’s burial, these must comply with the wishes of the deceased and follow outlined procedures.
Subsections (iii) to (v) spell out the procedural safeguards required to apply traditional customs, effectively allowing a monarch to opt out of ancestral rites.
Despite the law, the incident reignited debate across Ijebuland and beyond.
Traditionalists accused the government of eroding centuries-old customs, while proponents of the new law hailed it as a victory for religious liberty and human rights.
Adding fuel to the fire, Justice P.O. Akinside of the Customary Court of Appeal, Ogun State, recently argued in a public lecture that traditional rulers must still submit to the customs and rites of the institution they represent, especially in death.
The state government, however, dismissed his assertion, describing it as “a personal opinion with no legal backing.”
The late Awujale, one of Nigeria’s longest-reigning monarchs, was a known Muslim and had reportedly expressed a desire for Islamic burial, which was eventually observed.
This is not the first time traditional authorities in Ogun State have clashed with modern legal frameworks, but this incident — involving a figure as revered as Oba Adetona — may well set a precedent for how future royal burials are conducted in the state.
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