Alaafin: Open Display Of Ruler's Corpse Against Traditions — Oyo Traditionalists

Traditional religious adherents have frowned at the open display of the body of Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi III, the departed Alaafin of Oyo.

The corpse had been openly displayed during the Muslim prayer session held for the departed monarch.

The traditional worshippers insisted that such acts were against the tenets of traditional respect for a deceased king.

Making this known via a statement jointly signed and made available to journalists on Monday, the Chairman, Traditional Religion Worshippers’ Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Branch, Adefabi Dasola Fadiran, and Secretary, Fakayode Fayemi Fatunde, condemned the practice of displaying the monarch’s body for public view and sharing on the internet.

The duo while appreciating the Sango devotees for tolerating Christians and Muslims in Oyo town for the final prayers on the monarch revealed that the same act was witnessed during the burial of the late Olubadan, Oba Saliu AdetunjI.

"We made our minds known as well, this is a trend that must stop or we will all be contributing towards the total annihilation of our tradition and culture, our Yoruba monarchs and kingmakers should please make efforts at remedying this malady.

“However, we extol the Ṣàngó devotees for being tolerant to allow the Muslims and Christians to do the initial prayers before the final rites commenced, it is a good sign of religious tolerance that we have been advocating.

“Oba Adeyemi was a true devotee of Ṣango and that was why he joined the ancestors on Sango Worship day.

“It is rather disappointing to have seen the corpse of our revered Alaafin being displayed all over the internet, it is saddening and we want this to be on record that we as a body are protesting this act, we do not want our children and grandchildren to question us in the future that we did not act or talk,” he said.