The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has strongly criticized the remarks made by Justice Phillips Akinside of the Ogun State High Court, who asserted that traditional rulers must submit to cultural practices such as deity worship and posthumous rites.
While speaking at the fifth Chief Kehinde Sofola Memorial Bar Lecture, Justice Akinside had argued that monarchs who accept the throne under customary laws must abide by the traditions attached to the office, including burial rites, saying such obligations cannot be discarded under the guise of religious freedom.
In a statement released on Sunday, Oba Akanbi condemned the judge’s position as “misleading” and “sacrilegious,” insisting it promotes outdated practices that many Yoruba people have outgrown.
“The judge lacks a clear understanding of culture,” the monarch said. “Culture is not synonymous with religion. Yoruba kings are not religious figures and should not be forced into idol worship or secret societies. Our constitution guarantees freedom of religion.”
Oba Akanbi rejected the notion that kings must adhere to occult practices, especially in death, stating that no Nigerian law compels traditional rulers to participate in such rituals. He emphasized that the criteria for kingship is royal lineage, not membership in secret societies.
He also condemned attempts to diminish the dignity and freedom of monarchs, describing such moves as a step backward. “Responsible monarchs are fathers to their people, not tools of outdated customs,” he said. “We must evolve beyond practices that include mutilation of the dead and ritual killings.”
The Oluwo applauded the Ogun State Government and traditional rulers like the Awujale of Ijebuland, the Akarigbo of Remoland, and the Olu of Ilaro for protecting monarchs’ constitutional rights and rejecting ritualistic posthumous practices.
“In Iwo, we do not subject our monarchs to mutilation after death. That is a practice of secret cults, not a Yoruba tradition,” he stressed.
Oba Akanbi concluded by urging a modernization of traditional institutions, stating that culture must evolve with time. “The past is not perfect. Progress means correcting historical errors not glorifying them,” he said. “Traditional institutions are dynamic, not stagnant. Leave kingship to those who understand the difference between heritage and harmful rituals.”
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