When A King Dies Without His Rites: Awujale’s Burial And The Silent Burial Of Yoruba Tradition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The recent burial of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebu, at the age of 91, should have marked a sacred transition in Yoruba civilization. Instead, it ignited controversy: traditionalists were reportedly barred, and the Oba was buried solely according to Islamic rites. This event raises a deeper question beyond religion; it speaks to the erasure of identity, history, and spiritual order in the face of modern religious and cultural conflict.

In Yoruba cosmology, a king (Oba) is not merely a political figure. He is a sacred being, ritually installed as a spiritual custodian of the land. The Oba is initiated into sacred societies, subjected to rituals that align him with the ancestors (Ìgbà Ọ̀rún), and expected to uphold the Ìṣẹ̀ṣe—the Yoruba traditional spiritual and ethical system.

Upon death, the king is transitioned through specific rites, often managed by the Ogboni, Oro, or other ancestral institutions. These rites serve not just to honor him, but to maintain balance between the physical and spiritual realms. To deny them is to fracture that cosmological harmony.

With the advent of Islam and Christianity accelerated by colonialism, African traditional religion was mischaracterized as demonic, pagan, or regressive. Missionaries, European administrators, and some African elites championed foreign religious worldviews while demonizing indigenous beliefs.

This campaign of spiritual displacement led to widespread shame and abandonment of sacred customs. Today, many Africans identify publicly as Christians or Muslims, yet still rely on traditional rites at crucial life stages, proof of an unresolved spiritual conflict.

The Implications of Awujale’s Burial

1. Cultural Erosion

The refusal to perform traditional rites for a first-class monarch undermines the sacred order of Yoruba civilization and sets a precedent for future disregard.

2. Ancestral Disruption

The king’s transition is not personal; it is a communal event. Denying ancestral rites disrupts the spiritual protocol of kingship, weakening the bond between the living and the departed.

3. Identity Disorientation

Young people now witness a contradiction: we preach culture in speeches, but discard it in practice. This deepens identity loss and cultural alienation.

Can a King Impose His Religion on the People?

The answer is no. In Yoruba tradition, a king is bound to ancestral laws. He is not a prophet, not a pastor, not an imam. His private faith may be respected, but it must not override the public obligations of his crown. If he was installed by Ìṣẹ̀ṣe, then he must be transitioned by Ìṣẹ̀ṣe. He is not king over religion; he is king under tradition.

A Reflection from the West: Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral

When Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, the world witnessed her honored with time-tested British royal rites: state processions, Anglican liturgy, gun salutes, bell tolls, and symbolic ceremonies deeply embedded in English tradition. These practices were not questioned—they were celebrated as heritage.

However, when an African king dies, tradition is silenced, labeled “fetish” or “pagan,” and swept aside in favor of imported faiths. Why this contradiction?

Is British incense more sacred than Yoruba libation?

Are the robes of the Archbishop holier than those of the Babaláwo?

Is Queen Elizabeth’s tradition “heritage,” but Oba Adetona’s is “backward”?

If the Queen of England, who holds symbolic constitutional power, can be honored with sacred rites, why must African monarchs, believed to be spiritual vessels of the land, be buried like commoners?

The burial of Oba Sikiru Adetona without traditional rites was not just a religious decision; it was a civilizational error. When African kings die without their rites, the people bury more than a body; they bury memory, continuity, and the dignity of their ancestors.

Let us learn from others who protect their traditions with pride. If Britain can honor its queen with sacred rites, then Africa must never forget to honor its kings with the same reverence. Tradition is not superstition; it is the soul of a people.

•Written By Oludare Ogunlana