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• Monarch, Gani Adams, lawyers slam Oba Akanbi
By Lukman Olabiyi
Eminent personalities, including traditional rulers, lawyers and Yoruba culture promoters have slammed Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Adewale Akanbi for allegedly stopping some traditional religious practices in the town.
Oba Akanbi was recently said to have declared that the traditional Oro festival should no longer be held in the town.
Speaking on the development, Oba Abdullateef Amodemaja of Maparaland, Agbada, Ogun State, berated those ridiculing traditional practice. The monarch spoke during the annual Ifa Festival organised by Olokun Festival Foundation and Oodua People’s Congress (OPC). The monarch said whoever was not pleased with the doctrine of traditional worshipers should not get close to the traditional stool.
“If you don’t want to have anything to do with traditional practice, it is either you stay in the mosque or church and be their leader.”
Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, in his speech at the festival, declared that no religion is superior to the other, saying the traditional religion has equal right with other religions.
The Yoruba generalissimo, who is the chief promoter of Olukun Festival, pointed out that religious fanaticism had set the country back for a very long time, making many people to loss their lives, core values and identity through religious crisis and bigotry.
“Religion is purely an act of fulfilling God’s purpose on earth. It is about our destiny. It is about God’s perfect creation and reflection of life.
“True religion in most cases tells us about the beauty of life, about God the Supreme Being and the hereafter. So, we should see it as such.
“China, Japan and other great countries in Asia became what they are today because they appreciate their culture and traditions. In Asia, you hardly see cases of religious crisis. In Europe, the people are predominantly Christians, but they allow people to practise their faith without molestation or threat. There are people in Europe that have no religion,” he said.
Founder of Journalists for Democratic Rights, Adewale Adeoye, described Oba Akanbi’s declaration as extremist, unconditional and illegal, noting that it should be ignored.
“The title of Oluwo is for all. It is Oluwo of Iwo kingdom, not for Muslims, Christians or traditional worshipers. The constitution of the country recognises freedom of faith, association among others.” Former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Dave Ajetumobi also held that the declaration of the Oba amounts to a breach of fundamental right of traditional worshipers.
