The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has described the burial of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, as a historic liberation for the Yoruba traditional institution, praising the process for upholding dignity and rejecting what he called the “ritual bondage” often associated with the passing of monarchs.
In a statement issued through his Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, Oba Akanbi expressed deep satisfaction that Oba Adetona, who died on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at the age of 91, was buried with Islamic rites in line with his wishes. The monarch was laid to rest on Monday amidst tight security as soldiers ensured that traditionalists did not disrupt the burial process.
The Oluwo, a vocal critic of ritual practices associated with the Yoruba monarchy, hailed the courage of the Awujale’s family, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, and the state’s Attorney General, Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN, for upholding the late monarch’s instructions.
Describing the event as a turning point for Yoruba kingship, Oba Akanbi said, “The courage demonstrated by the late Adetona’s family, Governor Dapo Abiodun, and the Attorney General is commendable and a foundation blessing to restore the glory of Yoruba stools and its occupants. The Governor is true blue blood.”
He added that any town wishing to see its monarch subjected to ritual mutilation after death should consider appointing an herbalist or a member of the Ogboni or Osugbo cults as king instead.
Oba Akanbi maintained that the Awujale had paved a noble path by refusing to be associated with such practices. “Kings are servants to their subjects. They are honourable men who have sacrificed themselves in the interest of their people. Honour does not die with the king. They should be honoured to the grave and beyond, not butchered like animals after death,” he said.
He further argued that the decision regarding the burial of a Yoruba king should rest with the monarch himself while alive or with his family after his passing. He condemned any practice where cult groups hijack the corpse of a traditional ruler for ritual purposes, calling such acts undignified and oppressive.
Reaffirming his longstanding position against idol worship and secret cults, the Oluwo declared, “In Iwo, I have freed the Oluwo stool from bondage since my ascension 10 years ago. The Osugbo and the Ogboni have no relation with the Yoruba monarchy. Every attempt to enslave the stool will be eternally restricted by my stool.”
He added that the throne of Iwo would never be subjected to the command or dictates of any secret society and expressed confidence that the people of Iwo would continue to uphold these values even after his death.
The burial of Oba Adetona has sparked fresh discussions across Yorubaland about the sanctity and dignity of traditional institutions, with many seeing it as a pivotal moment that could redefine how monarchs are honoured at the end of their reign.
