The burial of the late Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Adetona, has sparked a heated debate between traditional religion adherents in Ogun State and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), over what they described as the marginalization or affirmation of the monarch’s religious identity.
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Oba Adetona, who died on Sunday at the age of 91 after a reign spanning over six decades, was buried the following day according to Islamic rites. The ceremony, led by Muslim clerics, drew sharp criticism from traditionalists who accused the organisers of excluding essential Yoruba cultural and spiritual practices.
The Isese Worshippers of Ogun State condemned the burial arrangement as a departure from the rich cultural traditions that historically mark the passing of Yoruba monarchs. They described the omission of traditional rites as a “disrespect to Yoruba heritage.”
Oba Isese of Ogun State, Oba Dr. Ifarotimi Adifagbola Balogun, expressed disappointment, stating that while traditionalists had long embraced interfaith harmony, the exclusion of Isese customs in the Awujale’s burial was a violation of cultural values.
“Our tolerance should not be mistaken for weakness. It is time our children began to appreciate and uphold their ancestral traditions,” he said.
High Chief Barrister Ifasola Opeolu, the Oluwo of Iperu, also condemned the burial, calling it “an aberration and a slap on the traditional institution.” He criticized the Ogun State Chiefs Law for disallowing the use of traditional rites in the burial of monarchs, calling for a repeal of what he described as a culturally damaging law.
“This is not just about the late Awujale,” Opeolu said. “It’s about protecting the sacred rites that validate Yoruba kingship.”
In response to the growing discontent, the Isese community has constituted a committee to engage the Ogun State government with the aim of reviewing the law and preventing what they termed the “erosion of cultural identity.”
However, MURIC, in a statement issued on Friday and signed by its Ogun State Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Jimoh Alao, and Secretary, Alhaji Olaleye Rasheed Damilare, strongly defended the burial process, stating that it was in line with both legal and constitutional provisions.
“The Islamic burial of the late Awujale was morally, socially, and lawfully justified. The objections are not only baseless but capable of inciting unnecessary religious tension,” MURIC said.
The group cited the Ogun State Traditional Rulers (Installation and Burial Rites) Law, 2020, sponsored by Hon. Akeem Balogun, which permits monarchs to be buried according to their personal religious convictions. MURIC further invoked Sections 34 and 38 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in support of the late monarch’s right to an Islamic burial.
They also emphasized that the late Awujale was a devout Muslim who had publicly declared his preference for Islamic burial rites.
MURIC questioned the motives of critics, noting that Christian monarchs have been buried with Christian rites across Yorubaland without similar opposition. They listed several precedents, including the Anglican burial of Oba Okunade Sijuwade (Ooni of Ife) and the Catholic rites for Oba Michael Olobayo (Obaro of Kabba).
“Are Muslim monarchs lesser in dignity and rights than their Christian counterparts?” the statement asked. “This hypocrisy must end. Ogun State must not return to the dark days of religious oppression.”
The group insisted that the burial of Oba Adetona was lawful, dignified, and reflected his personal religious convictions.
“The Awujale lived and died a proud Muslim,” MURIC concluded. “It is only proper and just that he was buried in accordance with Islamic tenets.”
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