A legal expert has provided clarity on the contentious provisions of the Obas, Chiefs, and Traditional Council Law of Ogun State, emphasising that the law does not abolish traditional installation and burial rites but prohibits harmful practices such as mutilation, cannibalisation, and human rituals.
Femi Oniyide, a lawyer addressing the Isese community of Ijebu Ode, highlighted Sections 55, 56, and 57 of the law, stating that misconceptions have arisen due to a lack of proper enlightenment.
Key Provisions of the Law
1. Section 55 (iii) affirms that the relevant Traditional Council retains the authority to determine the customary law and the nature of traditional burial rites.
2. Section 55 (ii) guarantees that a traditional ruler shall be buried according to the customs and traditions of the land*, but prohibits mutilation or cannibalisation* of the body.
3. Section 55 (iv & v) mandates that such customary declarations must be registered with the Commissioner within 21 days, with the receipt serving as proof of registration.
4. Section 56 (i) explicitly bans human rituals in the installation and burial rites of Obas and Chiefs.
What the Law Actually Prohibits
Oniyide stressed that the law does not abolish traditional rites like Ipebi (traditional seclusion for coronation) or customary burial practices. Instead, it outlaws:
– Mutilation of the deceased’s body.
– Cannibalisation in any form.
– Human sacrifice or rituals during installation or burial.
Concerns Over Awujale’s Burial
The lawyer raised a critical question regarding the recent burial of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona:
– Did the Ijebu Traditional Council register their customary burial rites with the Commissioner before the burial?
– If they had, Oniyide argued, the late monarch would not have been buried strictly under Islamic rites.
Oniyide advised all Traditional Councils in Ogun State to:
– Formulate and register their customary burial and installation declarations.
– Ensure compliance with the 21-day registration rule to preserve their traditions legally.
The lawyer maintained that the law does not erase Yoruba culture but seeks to eliminate harmful practices. He urged better public enlightenment to dispel misinformation and called for adherence to the legal framework to safeguard tradition.
“Except there’s another version of the law I’m unaware of, nothing has been taken away except mutilation, cannibalisation, and human rituals,” Oniyide stated.
By Femi Oniyide, Esq.
