My View On Awujale’s Mode Of Burial, By Wale Adedayo
Son of man deliberately restrained from joining others to pass judgement on the late Awujale of Ijebuland, his family and the Ogun State Government over the manner of his interment. Many of those who made statements about it did not go straight to the point.
A few years back, a Law came into effect in Ogun State stating how a deceased Oba MUST be buried. The Bill for that Law passed through the Ogun State House of Assembly. Let’s assume that most of the 26 members of the current Ogun State House of Assembly are Ibos, Hausas and Fulanis, not Yorubas. I know for a fact that the SEVEN legislators from the core Ijebu part of Ogun East Senatorial District are Ijebus, thus Yorubas. Did anybody ask them questions at the time? Did these legislators return home to ask their people what they want to be in that Law? Even the one representing Ijebu Ode State Constituency, did anybody query her?
Most people do not show interest in the affairs of Government until it is too late to do so. The late Awujale and his family acted in accordance with the Law. In today’s Nigeria, every tradition is governed by Law. That is why each time there is Obaship dispute, it is not the Oshugbos who intervene. Those aggrieved always approach the courts for justice. There is a Law about that burial in Ogun State. And the Law was followed to the letter.
Of course, son of man does not agree with those who packaged it. We did our bit when Otunba Gbenga Daniel was Governor. A similar Bill was brought to the Ogun State House of Assembly at the time, pushed from under the table by the same Awujale. The Bill was defeated on the floor of the House of Assembly. It failed to sail through. Maybe, those lawmakers at the time were Ijebus and Yorubas unlike today. The bird has flown, make una keep the cage of Isese.
During my short tenure as local government chairman, one of the first things we did was to officially observe August 20 as Isese Day. Of course, the sycophants came with noise, claiming that Mr. Governor is a Christian and will be angry. I told them to record what we were doing and send same to Abeokuta. It also took a while before the civil servants processed the funds for the day, as they also claimed there was no way they could document it. I told them to use whatever jargon they want to describe it, arguing that it MUST be done. To the glory of Olodumare, Isese Day is now a public holiday in Ogun State!
Our Traditionalists are too laid back about Government issues. They do not get involved, except to conduct Ibura of loyalty for the same people doing everything to destroy their way of life. Secondly, many Isese adherents are lily-livered. They get scared of Government officials easily. Of course, these Government officials often try to pretend as if Isese is foreign to Nigeria.
The Police on stop-and-search accosted my car a few years ago shortly after getting to Ibadan, Oyo State. Their attention was focussed on my Ifa, which was on the floor of the back seat. Four of them descended on me, claiming they have caught a ritualist. I was calm and laughing. They opened it and began asking all sorts of questions. I drew the attention of their superior officer to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion. I told him it is not just Islam and Christianity we practice in Nigeria. But the clincher, which the man, a Yoruba for that matter, did not have an answer for was a question I put to him: “If a Pastor’s car is stopped here, will you violate the Bible in his car as you just did to my Ifa? What if it is an Imam? Will you tear his Qur’an and be asking all these questions?” He could not answer.
What I deduced from that encounter was that they have been doing the same thing to others without being challenged. Isese adherents need to be proud of what they practice and not feel shy or ashamed anywhere. It is the same laws that protects Christians and Muslims in Nigeria that apply to them too.
In the Awujale case, Isese adherents should allow sleeping dogs to be. Of course, that Law can still be repealed. That is the job of elected House of Assembly members or a Governor, who believes in equity. They should wait for 2027 to elect persons who’ll represent them properly.