Traditional worshippers have condemned the open display of the late Alaafin’s corpse during the Muslim prayer session, which they said was against the tenets of traditional respect for a dead king.
The traditionalists described as disappointing and saddening the display of the corpse of the late Alaafin all over the internet, noting that the same “disparaging” act was witnessed during the burial of late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji.
The traditionalists asked that the trend stop; hence, the tradition and culture of the Yoruba is at risk of total annihilation.
In a statement by Chairman, Traditional Religion Worshippers’ Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Branch, Mr Adefabi Fadiran and Secretary, Dr Fakayode Fayemi, the traditionalists called on Yoruba monarchs and kingmakers to remedy what it described as a malady.
The worshippers lauded the maturity in allowing the Muslim clerics carry out their prayers before taking over for the last traditional rites.
They asked all traditional worshippers to start different appeasements to smoothen the late Alaafin’s transition to the great beyond.
This is as they enjoined all Yoruba monarchs to emulate the late Oba Adeyemi in promoting traditional religion, which is the basis of their crowns.
The statement argued that the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, while alive, never minced words in condemning open display of any Yoruba Oba remains for any purpose.
They pointed to the fact that the late Alaafin opposed the attempt by the Ogun State House of Assembly to alter the state’s burial rites procedure, to weaken the power of traditional religion and practitioners in taking up the needed roles at the burial rites of any deceased king.
Furthermore, the body commiserated with children, widows, Oyo indigenes, the Yorubaland in general and the Sango devotees worldwide on losing one of its members.
The statement read: “We send condolences to the children, widows, the oyo indigenes, Yorùbá land in general and most especially, the Ṣàngó devotees worldwide who have just lost one of them. In fact, Oba Adeyemi was a true devotee of Ṣango and that was why he joined the ancestors on Sango worship day.
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“It is rather disappointing to have seen the corpse of our revered Alaafin being displayed all over the internet, it is saddening and we want this to be on record that we as a body are protesting this act, we do not want our children and grandchildren to question us in the future that we did not act or talk.
“The same disparaging act was witnessed during the burial of late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji and we made our minds known as well, this is a trend that must stop or we will all be contributing towards the total annihilation of our tradition and culture, our Yoruba monarchs and kingmakers should please make efforts at remedying this malady.
“However, we extol the Ṣàngó devotees for being tolerant to allow the Muslims and Christians to do the initial prayers before the final rites commenced, it is a good sign of religious tolerance that we have been advocating.
“We also use the opportunity to enjoin all the Ọbas in Yorùbáland to emulate Ọba Lamidi Adeyemi in the promotion of Yorùbá Traditional Religion which is the basis of the crowns on their heads.”