In this interview with BANKOLE TAIWO, the Chief Imam of Ijebu Land and Chairman of the League of Alfas and Imams, Ijebu Land, Alhaji Miftaudeen Ayanbadejo discusses the controversy surrounding the burial of the late Awujale and supreme ruler of Ijebu Land, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, in accordance with Islamic traditions.
For how long have you served as the Chief Imam of Ijebu Land?
I have served as the Chief Imam of Ijebu Land for approximately seven years. I am 78 years old.
What is the experience of Muslims performing the burial of the Awujale of Ijebu Land for the first time?
For many, it seemed unusual, yet for those of us in Ijebu Land, it was not. Around 20 years back, the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, convened a gathering involving all religious groups—Muslims, Christians, and traditionalists. The main topic of discussion was about permitting traditional leaders to be buried in accordance with their faith, whether as a Christian, Muslim, or traditionalist. Each of us participated in the meeting that took place in his palace.
The Awujale, during his speech on that day, stated, "If a royal father passes away, there must be consequences. As traditionalists, you will wish to carry out ceremonies; you will want to sacrifice people for these rituals. But can any of you, who consider yourselves traditionalists, permit your children to be sacrificed for ritual reasons due to the death of the Awujale or a monarch?"
They all strongly opposed it, stating they could not permit such actions. The Awujale then inquired, "Why, then, do you still claim that these practices should remain in effect or be promoted?" The late ruler subsequently declared that from that point on, monarchs who passed away should be buried in accordance with their religious beliefs.
"If the monarch is a Christian, he should be buried in the Christian manner; if he is a Muslim, he should be buried according to Islamic guidelines; and if he is a traditionalist, he should be buried accordingly." This practice has been taking place in Ijebuland for many years.
Are you implying that this isn't the first instance where an Awujale has been buried by Muslims rather than traditionalists?
Certainly, yes, this is not the first occurrence. For example, the Ebumawe of Ago Iwoye, prior to the present one, was interred by the Muslims. We also laid to rest the previous Dagburewe of Idowa, Oba Y.K. Adekoya; even Governor Dapo Abiodun attended.
It was similar for Esure and Bejeroku of Oke Agbo, Ijebu Igbo; we carried out the same actions for them. The traditionalists were there but did not interfere, so this is not unusual. Maybe the commotion about the Awujale's funeral is simply because he was a paramount leader, the chief among all traditional rulers in Ijebu Land.
However, people are quick to claim that Obas in Yoruba land are appointed by custom, and therefore their funeral rites must follow tradition...
I'll tell you, the late Awujale did not ascend the throne through any act of Ifa or divine intervention; he came to power by the will of Allah, which is why he was buried following Islamic traditions. By 1958, the late Awujale was employed in the audit department of the Western Region; it was from there that he traveled to London to pursue studies in Accountancy.
However, in 1959, the then Awujale, Oba Daniel Adesanya, Gbelegbuwa II, passed away, and it was time for the Adetona family to provide the next ruler. The custom of Ijebu Ode states that anyone who is to become Awujale must be 'Abidagba,' meaning children born while their fathers were reigning. Therefore, male children born before their father ascended the throne are not eligible to become Awujale.
At the time they aimed to choose the successor to Oba Adesanya, the Ijebu people were quite progressive, so they desired a young and well-educated individual. However, Pa Rufai Adetona, the father of Oba Sikiru Adetona, who was supposed to become the next Awujale, was already elderly and lacked formal education.
What happened then?
Prior to young Oba Sikiru Adetona's journey to London, he had a friend employed by a cocoa trader named Pa Owoduni in Maamu. It was noted that Oba Adetona would regularly visit his friend whenever he returned from Ibadan, where he was employed. Therefore, when the young Adetona finally arrived in London, he wrote to Pa Owoduni informing him that he had arrived safely and was beginning to adjust to his new surroundings for the purpose of his trip.
When people claimed that Pa Rufai Adetona was too old and uneducated, and therefore unfit to be Awujale, Pa Owoduni questioned, "What about his son, Sikiru, who is studying in London?" Thus, Owoduni received the letter that Awujale had written to him upon arriving in London, and he looked for the address in the UK. There was a man named Pa Shonibare who frequently traveled to London as if it were a short trip from Ijebu Ode to Ibadan. He was familiar with many places in the UK, so finding Awujale would not be too challenging. Pa Shonibare was sent to check on Awujale in London and also to assess his intelligence. Upon returning home, Pa Shonibare reported that the person he had visited might be young, but he was very smart.
While deciding to appoint the young Sikiru Adetona as the next Awujale, they also recalled that the law specified only a male child born on the throne could hold the position, yet in this case, he was not born on the throne.
Thus, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was the leader of the Western Region, stated that the law could be modified. As a result, the law was revised, and Pa Shonibare along with others were sent to London to retrieve the young Adetona, who was later crowned as the new Awujale in April 1960.
In all of this storytelling, where does Ifa or 'Opele' Oracle fit in? The Awujale was selected by the Almighty Allah. Even the seclusion, 'ipebi,' that they mention, holds no significance; they are merely keeping it hidden because they don't want too many people to know about it.
Therefore, from the start, Kabiyesi did not have faith in all these gods, the Oro, and similar entities. Indeed, Kabiyesi was always eager to state, "Imam, the Quran is the sole eternal and supreme guide; whatever you find in it, do not alter it because of me, inform me when I am mistaken."
The idea that monarchs should be interred based on their faith did not start with the burial of Awujale; it has existed for nearly twenty years.
Even prior to the enactment of the 2021 Obas and Chiefs Law in Ogun State?
Indeed, only that Kabiyesi had been engaging with the government to facilitate its enactment as a law, and this was accomplished in 2021 when Governor Dapo Abiodun approved the bill into law.
The traditionalists who were excluded from Oba Adetona's funeral are now blaming the Muslims. What is your response to this?
What's the purpose? Why did you come to say you want to bury the traditional leader? Was he a traditionalist? Why aren't they willing to change their habits? If this were permitted, as it was in the past, by 6 pm, Ijebu Ode would have turned into a ghost town because people would be hiding in their homes, as these individuals would be searching for people to kill for ritual reasons.
Should these practices be permitted to persist? Why are they preventing tradition from adapting to new changes? Why do you claim that everything must be done in secret? When Christians observe any of their holidays, it is done openly; similarly for Muslims. However, the activities of traditionalists are consistently concealed. What is being hidden? Bring it into the light for everyone to see; those who choose to support you will do so, and those who do not will remain distant.
It is also claimed by traditionalists that there are repercussions for not permitting the Awujale to be buried according to traditional customs. Do you agree with this view?
What outcomes? If something occurs, it is the traditionalists who are responsible, not due to any god. If anything happens to someone, the traditionalists must be blamed. Consider Prophet Ibrahim mentioned in the Quran; he was thrown into a fire by those who worshipped idols, but God rescued him. It was the people who cast him into the fire, not any idol.
Therefore, if any event occurs, the traditionalists must have planned it, and they should be held accountable. Regardless, the Awujale, while he was alive, consistently stated that he did not belong to them, that he was a Muslim. He was born into Islam, lived his life as a Muslim, ascended to the throne in 1960, and by 1962, he had made the pilgrimage to Mecca. He passed away as a Muslim and was buried accordingly.
Aren't you worried that this might lead to religious conflict in Ijebu?
Not at all. I simply mentioned that this isn't the first or second burial carried out in accordance with Islamic guidelines. The reason there's so much commotion is because it involves the Awujale, who serves as the leader of all the Ijebus. We haven't encountered any issues with traditionalists before; they will remain separate, and we will handle our affairs. Therefore, I still don't anticipate any problems.
What cherished recollections do you hold of the late Awujale?
He was a man of high moral standards. When he disagreed with you, he was usually correct. He had a deep appreciation for honesty, sometimes to an excessive degree. Indeed, Awujale might have perished due to your truthfulness and sincerity. He strongly disliked deceit. His rule was also marked by peace and prosperity. The progress of Ijebu Land during his leadership was quite swift. Yes, there was a period when people attempted to remove him from power because of political reasons, but God Almighty protected him.
If the traditionalists maintain their strong resistance, is it probable that Muslims will take legal action regarding this issue?
This issue does not occur because a law allowing Obas to be installed and buried in accordance with their religious beliefs was enacted by Governor Dapo Abiodun approximately three years ago. Therefore, anyone wishing to take legal action will have to deal with the government and not us.
Did anyone show surprise when the governor declared every August 28th as Isese Day? So why should there be an issue now… because an Oba passes away, all the markets have to shut down, people must avoid going out, and we continue with all these practices in this modern era?
The era is evolving, and our traditionalists must also adapt their approaches. The reality is that Ijebu Ode is a town where 90 per cent of the population follows Islam; the remaining 10 per cent consists of Christians and other groups. The small number of Christians originally had a Muslim background but gradually embraced Christianity.
What is your message to the people of Ijebu Land and Nigeria in general?
My communication to the inhabitants of Ijebu Land and Nigeria at large is that we need to be prepared to embrace the present situation. We ought to acknowledge what has transpired and view it as a step forward, without any necessity for conflict among ourselves.
We have all been living as one, and this unity must remain. We should not let the passing of the Awujale create division among us. Let every person support growth and advancement. We have merely followed the stance of the law and the desires of Kabiyesi, Oba Adetona.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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