The late Alaafin of Oyo Oba Lamidi Adeyemi has left instructions behind that he be buried according to Islamic rights being the practising Muslim that he is before death.
Archbishop Emeritus of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Reverend Ayo Ladigbolu, disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH.
Shortly after the immediate past Alaafin died, Islamic funeral prayers were said he was buried according to Islamic rites. But soon after controversy followed over issues of traditional urial rites.
Rev Ladigbolu who is from the Agunloye Ruling House of Oyo Kingdom, said the late Alaafin has left no one in doubt that when he passes on he wanted to be buried as a Muslim.
The Archbishop who is a friend to the late monarch, recalled the late Alaafin encounter with lawmakers over traditional burial rites fo obas in the Oyo State.
What I can say is that the person who said that has not read Kabiyesi’s personal opinion on the burial of kings.
“I think it was late last year when the Ogun State House of Assembly was debating the issue of the burial of traditional rulers that Kabiyesi dabbled in that matter and clearly queried what the government’s business was in the mode or manner of the burial rites of traditional rulers.
“He said traditional rulers should be allowed to be buried according to their religious convictions and nobody will deny the fact that Kabiyesi Iku Baba Yeye, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, was a Muslim – a staunch Muslim who never hid his devotion to Islam.
“He was an Amir Hajj, the leader of all the pilgrims from this great land to the holy land of Mecca and Medina. Were people’s eyes closed when these were happening? So, how can they now be surprised or shocked by the reality that he deserved to be buried in the way of his own personal religion?”, the Archbishop queried.
He agrees that the monarch is the king of all religions in our culture, adding that the late Kabiyesi was comfortable with that.
“But that does not take away from him the right to believe in whatever religion he chose. If anybody is quarrelling over that and threatening hell and brimstone, I wish them good luck.
“I know the God who the Muslims believe and worship and to whom the imam said his prayers to commit the soul of the departed monarch is there. If whoever made that comment wants to call on another god to deal with the people, then it is left to him,” Archbishop Ladigbolu said.
