A prominent traditional leader in Ijebu land, High Chief Rasaki Adeneye, has cautioned that neglecting the traditional burial rites of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, could spell doom for Ijebu Ode and its people. Adeneye, who holds the title of Olowa Ibẹru Akile Ìjẹ̀bú, said the sacred rituals are integral to preserving both the throne and the peace of the community.
Speaking on the importance of Isese, the Yoruba indigenous belief system, the chief explained that every royal emblem — including crowns, beads, and palace symbols — is deeply rooted in ancestral practices rather than foreign religions. He stressed that failing to perform these rituals risks breaking the spiritual covenant that underpins Yoruba kingship.
Adeneye also criticized monarchs who attempt to distance themselves from Isese traditions, describing such leaders as “clueless” about the heritage they represent. He argued that Yoruba kingship cannot be divorced from ancestral practices, insisting that appeasing deities and observing traditional rites are vital to ensuring harmony and stability in society.
The chief further appealed to Ijebu people and the wider Yoruba community not to allow religious differences to erode their cultural identity. According to him, Isese remains the foundation upon which all other faiths in the land are built, and abandoning it in moments as significant as the burial of an Awujale would dishonor both history and heritage.
As the Ijebu kingdom prepares for the burial of Oba Adetona, who reigned for over six decades, Adeneye’s comments underscore the ongoing debate over the place of tradition and modern religion in Yoruba monarchy. The call highlights tensions between cultural preservation and religious pluralism, a debate that continues to shape the future of traditional institutions across the region.
