Burial rites bill: Traditionalists storm Ogun Assembly in ritual gear

Traditionalists on Wednesday morning stormed the Ogun State House of Assembly complex in Abeokuta over the controversial bill seeking to regulate burial and installation rites of traditional rulers.

Daily Trust reports that members of Osugbo cult fully clad in their ritual gear arrived at the assembly in a procession at about 10 am.

The assembly is holding a public hearing on the proposed bill.

The Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, presided over the session.

The bill seeks respect for human dignity and promotion of modernity in the installation and burial of traditional rulers.

The proposed legal framework, when finally passed into law, is expected to curb idolatry practices in the process of installing and burying traditional rulers.

The Muslim community, however, described the bill as “a welcome development.” But traditionalists in the state under the aegis of ‘Isese’ practitioners called on the State Assembly to stop further process on the bill, saying if the bill scales through and signed into law,” it would constitute an infringement on the rights of the traditional worshippers and might promote chaos and pandemonium in the communities.”

The Spokesperson of the ‘Isese’ practitioners, Ifayemi Osunlabu, said “Obaship institution is contained under the traditional institution, as such, anybody who voluntarily gives himself out to be crowned and installed as a king will immediately attain status of the “second in command to oracle” of their respective lands and domain.

“Having agreed, accepted and concurred to fall in line and abide with rules, regulations, doctrines and practices of such tradition, such person should abide by the tradition.”