The International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) has announced plans to take legal action against the Ogun State Government and the family of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, over alleged violations of traditional burial rites.
Oba Adetona, who died on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at the age of 91, was buried according to Islamic rites—a move the ICIR strongly condemned as a deviation from long-standing Yoruba cultural practices that guide royal interments.
Speaking at a media briefing over the weekend, ICIR President, Dr. Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode, and the council’s legal representative, Ifasola Opeodu, described the burial as a breach of both traditional obligations and statutory law.
According to Fakayode, Part 8, Section 55, Sub-section II of the Ogun State Chieftaincy Law mandates the performance of traditional rites in the burial of monarchs, regardless of religious affiliation. He criticised the exclusion of the Osugbo Confraternity—custodians of final traditional rites—and praised them for maintaining peace despite being sidelined.
“This is not just about the burial of one king; it is a challenge to the core of Yoruba heritage. Ignoring our customs is a direct affront to the cultural identity that defines our people,” he stated.
The ICIR accused the late monarch’s family, government officials, and security agencies of preventing the Osugbo from carrying out their traditional responsibilities during the burial process.
Opeodu added that the burial constituted an infringement on the religious freedom of traditional worshippers. “The refusal to observe traditional burial rites amounts to an assault on the constitutional rights of indigenous faith adherents,” he said.
The council vowed to seek legal redress and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Yoruba traditional practices in future royal funerals.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu joined dignitaries in eulogising the late monarch during his eighth-day Fidau prayers in Ijebu-Ode. Describing Oba Adetona as “an enigma beyond description,” Tinubu praised his wisdom, integrity, and unwavering support for democratic ideals.
“I had an emotional attachment to him. He was truthful, courageous, and never deceptive,” the President said. “His legacy will endure, but it is now up to us to embody the values he left behind.”
Tinubu also commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his dedication to the monarch until his passing.
Other notable figures who paid tribute include Governors Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), and Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), as well as former governors Olusegun Osoba, Gbenga Daniel, and Ibikunle Amosun. Traditional rulers, ministers, lawmakers, and deputy governors from Ogun, Lagos, and Oyo states were also in attendance.
Governor Abiodun described the late Oba as a moral compass and champion of the people, noting that his reign brought peace, development, and honour to Ijebuland.
