Aareonakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams on Saturday dispelled the rumours making the rounds in the media that the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi had been buried according to the Muslim rites.
Iba Gani Adams in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, stated that the transition and burial rites of the foremost Yoruba monarch is purely traditional and not religious.
The Yoruba generalissimo added that prior to the announcement of Kabiesi’s death on Saturday, the Isoro and the Oyo Messi had earlier observed the core traditional rites which, he said, went through the night and ended till 11 am today before Bashorun and the families of the Alaafin notified the Oyo state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, who later announced officially.
While warning those attaching religious meaning to the burial of the Alaafin of Oyo to desist from spreading lies, Adams insisted that the Oyo Messi and the Isoro had done the normal traditional rites, before the formal announcement, adding that the final process of the rites would be done tonight.
“As the Aareonakakanfo of Yoruba land, I think it is part of my duty and responsibility to set the record straight, especially, on pertinent issues that had to do with the burial of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi”,
“The late Alaafin’s respect for all the religions, either Muslim or Christian or even the traditionalist should not be misconstrued for anything.
“The Oyo Muslims community led by the chief Imam of Oyo, Sheilk Masud Adabayo Ajokideru did the prayer on the remains for seven minutes to pay their last respects for the late monarch before handing over the remains to the Isoro for further observation of the final traditional rites that will lead to the final burial at baara tonight. That was the truth and nothing but the truth”,
“Alaafin is not an ordinary king and the Oyo mesi, the Isoro and the Sango devotees cannot but complete the final traditional rites”,
“So the impression in the public domain that Kabiesi, the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi was buried according to Muslims rites was untrue and it was at variance with the core tradition of the ancient town of Oyo and Yoruba traditional institution in general”
In history ,the burial of foremost Yoruba monarch like the Alaafin must not be done in the open and those that should know knew quite well that the Isoro and the Oyo Messi must observe all the rites and necessary rituals before the burial”.
Adams, however, urged the Oyo people to uphold the core beliefs and practice of Yoruba culture and tradition, saying the only institution that remains sacred in Yoruba land is the traditional institution and the respect accorded to the traditional institution must be sustained with everything that matters.
