The Aareonakafo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Adams, has appealed to Yoruba Obas to restore the dignity of the Yoruba race, insisting that the observation of traditional rites before installation and burial of royal fathers are part of the sacred rites that earned them true respect.
Iba Adams’s position was contained in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, on Wednesday.
The Yoruba generalissimo also expressed worry over the desecration of the Yoruba traditional rites, describing such as a monumental disaster.
Wondering the pace at which the core Yoruba tradition was going into extinction, Iba Adams said the installation and burial rites of Yoruba monarchs remain the most important aspect of the Yoruba traditional institution.
He said: “Our traditional rulers are the custodian of Yoruba culture.
“The rites are also part of our treasured tradition.
“Once you remove the rites from the Yoruba traditional institution, the whole essence of the tradition is lost and the institution is empty.
“The Yoruba traditional rites gives the Obas the reverence.
“It is dept of our core values, including the myths that enabled the monarchs to be respected as deities in their towns and communities.
“Apart from the myths, the spirituality of the process is beyond what anybody can desecrate because the image of Yoruba Obas looms larger as the god and second-in-command to the creator of heaven and earth.
“For instance, the Yoruba traditional institution boasts of having over 2,000 monarchs across Yorubaland and as such remains the only institution that endures with time.
“Even there are records that the relegation of the global empire affected Europe and the entire continent loses the respect that comes with the monarchical system of rulership.”
Adams, however, frowned at killing of people for rituals in the name of preserving the traditional rites, adding: “The traditional rites for installing or burying a Yoruba monarch is beyond the family of the monarch, it is purely a community’s affairs.
“Therefore, I am appealing to all our royal fathers to stay away from actions that tend to destroy Yoruba culture and traditions.”
Citing the positive attributes of embracing the Yoruba tradition in ancient town of Ife, where the Ooni is called Oonirisa, in Oyo where Alaafin is called Akin Oosaa, Benin monarch is always in seclusion for six weeks before installation as King and Okpolopo.
“So also Itsekiri, nobody ascends to the throne without going into seclusion.
“Even in Owo, the monarch has his hair weaved.”
Aare Adams said the Obas in the towns are like small gods, adding: “I also went for seclusion before my installation as the Aareonakafo of Yorubaland.
“Ife has had more than 50 monarchs in history, so also Oyo and Benin.
“So the ability to sustain the Yoruba traditional rites is a collective responsibility.
“We have our culture in greetings, in the clothes we wear and in the way we project our culture.
“As the Aareonakafo of Yorubaland, I am bound by my responsibility to raise issues against any attempt to kill our culture and tradition.
“We can hardly get it right if we ignore the tradition and the attendant rites.
“Many of the problems we face today can be attributed to the neglect of our tradition.
“Yoruba culture remains the best because it is the rallying point.
“As good as religion is to the well being of the people, our culture is also beneficial to us as a people point.
“It is not about religion, but about the tradition because there is a huge difference between culture and traditions.
“It is unfortunate when you see those whose jobs are to preserve the Yoruba culture and tradition commit sacrilege by going against the Yoruba tradition.
“Therefore, I am appealing to all our leaders to restore the respect and the dignity of the Yoruba traditional institution.
“The recent bill, titled: ‘Obas, Chiefs, Council of Obas and Traditional Council law of Ogun State, Bill 2021,’ signed into law by to the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Monday was an aberration to the Yoruba culture and tradition.
“There is no ambiguity in the way we install or bury our traditional rulers in Yorubaland.
“Rites are the major bases for dignity, cohesion and orderliness in every race all over the world.
“It will be a bad reference in the history of Yorubaland.
“If this is not corrected, it will be a bad precedent.
“It has never happened in our history that a government will enact such law.
“Traditional rites is the symbol of our culture and tradition in Yoruba land.”
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