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 passed away on Sunday, 13 July 2025, at the age of 91, was laid to rest according to Islamic rites. However, the ICIR has condemned the process as a departure from established Yoruba customs that traditionally govern the burial of monarchs.
Speaking during a press conference on Saturday, ICIR President, Dr Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode, and the council’s legal representative, Barrister Ifasola Opeodu, described the burial as a breach of both tradition and the law.
Fakayode cited Part 8, Section 55, Subsection II of the Ogun State Chieftaincy Law, which he said mandates the use of traditional rites over religious alternatives in the burial of kings. He criticised the sidelining of the Osugbo Confraternity—custodians of final traditional rites—and praised them for their restraint.
“This is not just about the burial of one king,” Fakayode stated. “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.”
The ICIR accused the late monarch’s family, state officials, and security operatives of preventing the Osugbo from performing their role during the burial.
Echoing the council’s stance, Barrister Opeodu described the burial process as a threat to democracy and an assault on the religious freedom of traditional religion practitioners.
“The refusal to follow the traditional burial laws amounts to an assault on the religious freedoms of indigenous faith adherents,” he said. “Such lawlessness, especially when endorsed by state actors and religious figures, sets a dangerous precedent.”
The ICIR vowed to pursue legal redress and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding Yoruba cultural traditions in the handling of future royal funerals.
