Sir: Awujale Sikiru Adetona never hid his disdain for what the Yorubas called Isese. He jettisoned his relationship with all forms of traditional worship and dared the Ogbonis, the dreaded Agemo cult group and similar groups to do their worst. He visited anywhere where taboo forbade him.
Many years ago, he withdrew from participating in the dreaded Agemo festival. At a point, the Agemos were said to have given him a year to live after he openly insulted them. He lived to the ripe old age of 91.
The holy books, the Bible and the Quran are replete with situations where God avenged Himself after being disparaged. There abound examples in Yoruba mythology of gods who took the battle to those who disrespected them.
Sango was betrayed by his most trusted general when he was in human form. Upon his death, whether self-inflicted or murder, he transformed back as an Orisa and set the kingdom ablaze in retribution. His people never took Sango and his power for granted again.
The Ijebu Kingdom has been inundated with cries that the Awujale was buried contrary to tradition. And as such very dire consequences will follow. What it is that would happen no one has told us. The offence we were told was against the alales (that is the gods of the land). If indeed the gods have the powers ascribed to them, then no one needs to defend them or even be their mouthpiece. Let the gods avenge themselves!
I was born in Ilese-Ijebu. The Elese of Ilese is one of the Obas who cannot see the Awujale. I find this tradition not only ridiculous but absolutely against good conscience and a breach of fundamental rights. I do hope that when a new Awujale comes to Ilese to wear the first crown as an oba, both he and the Elese would sort out whatever the issue that gave birth to this ridiculous tradition and be able to see each other. The new Awujale would fraternise with the Elese after his coronation. Enough of this otiose tradition!
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Awujale Adetona while alive gave notice of how he wished to be buried. He ensured that there is a law to back up his wishes. The law has been followed. The alales know all those who ganged up to do this. Let the gods pursue them!
There is no doubt that Awujale Adetona had a long reign and longevity made him an orisa of some sort. That perhaps was the reason why no one dared to challenge his beliefs even when he wrote a 275-page book about it. Modernisation of the obaship institution was a plus for him. We cannot be talking of human sacrifice in 2025.The so called burial rites are disgraceful, demeaning, fundamentally a breach of rights of humanity. I witnessed one so many years back as a young Ijebu lad. The body of the deceased Oba was tied by the neck and dragged throughout the community in the dead of the night!
Let each Oba die in dignity without his remains being mutilated and his remains buried instalmentally. This is one sure way of attracting quality people to Ijebu thrones. Take a census of Ijebu obas. We have lawyers, medical doctors, captains of industries and highly successful men in diverse fields.
If indeed the gods are aggrieved about Awujale Adetona’s stance on burial of obas and the manner he was buried, let the gods avenge themselves!
