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Burial Of Sikiru Adetona Under The Obas And Chiefs Law Of Ogun State 2021 Revisited
By Akin Ogunlola
Upon the death and subsequent burial of late Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebu by the Moslem clerics, and in line with the desire of the late Oba, many have argued that the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State which was passed in 2021 gave every Oba the power and right to predetermine how he would be buried.
Specifically, it has been argued by many, that each Oba in Ogun State could be buried in accordance with the dictates of his preferred religion to the exclusion of the Onisese or traditionalists in the town. That was what Sikiru Adetona did, and that was what happened. It was a monumental fraudulent distortion of the Law, and a great betrayal of the Yoruba people by the late Oba in my view.
It is a monumental betrayal because in the first place, SIKIRU Adetona became King, and ascended the throne under the customs and traditions of his people. Furthermore, he was a “traditional king” who was officially recognized and issued with a certificate as the “custodian of cultures, customs and traditions of his people”. He didn’t become king based on his religion.
According to a highly respected king in Yorubaland, the Olowo of Owo, the Chairman of Ondo State Council of Traditional rulers, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye III
“no one is forced to become Oba, and the role requires deep respect and adherence to customs, no matter how ancient”. The king further warned that those unwilling to uphold ancient traditions have no business occupying ancient stools. If you want to be an Oba, you must be ready to live by tradition. “You cannot wear the crown and reject the customs” The late Oba Sikiru Adetona knew all these before and during his reign but decided to betray his people, his customs and traditions nonetheless under the guise of being a Moslem.
In any event, contrary to the false claims and assertions being brandished around, the controversial Law of Ogun State regarding the installation and burial of Obas in the state DID NOT in any way, exclude or prevent the Traditionalists or Traditional Council in the town from being in charge of the body of a deceased king.
It is my position therefore that no desire or personal preference of a king on how to be buried, can trump the final decision of the Traditional Council on how his body will ultimately be disposed.
I hold this view because I have had the opportunity to read the 2021 Ogun State Law in question, and this is clearly stated in Part B, Section 55 of the Law which deals with TRADITIONAL RULERS INSTALLATION AND BURIAL RIGHTS.
Section 55 (iii ) specifically stated that :
” *Notwithstanding* *anything contained in this section* , it *shall* be the responsibility of the relevant Traditional Council *to determine* the Customary Law and the nature of traditional *burial rites* ” for the late Oba.
It must be emphasized that with the statement “Notwithstanding anything contained in this section” at the commencement of subsection (iii ), it is the intention of the Law makers to ensure that the provision of section 55 (iii ) supercedes, and takes precedence over any other provision contained in section 55 of the Law, together with any other thing stated therein which deals with how an Oba would be buried.
By virtue of that provision therefore, the ultimate power and responsibility to determine how a deceased Oba would be buried, rests exclusively on the Traditional Council which will then determine the nature of traditional burial rites for the deceased Oba. The Law however prohibits mutilation of the dead body under whatever rites chosen for the burial by the Traditional Council.
The next relevant thing is to understand what is meant by the term “burial rites”.
The dictionary defines “burial rites”, also known as funerary or death rites as ” *the ceremonies and practices surrounding the disposal of a deceased person’s body* “. Burial rites could also be described as “the rituals and practices associated with the disposal of a deceased person’s body”.
No further argument is necessary on this issue when the overriding Section 55 (iii ) of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State already stated very clearly that the manner, and under what custom/tradition, a deceased Oba would be buried, is the exclusive responsibility of the relevant Traditional Council.
CONCLUSION:
Therefore, it could be argued that the overall intent of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State 2021 is NOT to take away power regarding the installation and burial of Obas from the Traditional Council or the Onisese, but to address the unfounded fear of those who alleged that bodies of deceased Obas are sometimes mutilated. The Law achieved this goal by providing adequate safeguards and assurances to prevent occurrence of such practice by expressly prohibiting body mutilation and cannibalism.
Overall, the Onisese and Traditional Council which originally selected and crowned the king in line with traditions and customs of the people, still possess the ultimate power and responsibility over the dead body of any king in Ogun State, as well as the necessary rites, rituals, and/or ceremonies of how such a body is finally buried.
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