7th July, 2020
PRESS RELEASE:
MURIC BACKS OGUN BILL ON TRADITIONAL
RITES
A bill that will allow traditional rulers to be installed or buried
after death according to their faiths has gone through the second reading in
the Ogun State House of Assembly. The bill which is
known as HB No 36/OG/2020- A Bill for a law to provide for the Preservation,
Protection and Exercise by the traditional rulers of their fundamental Rights
to be installed and buried according to their Religions or Beliefs and for
other related matters is being sponsored by Hon Akeem Balogun, representing
Ogun Waterside State Constituency.
In a press statement issued by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) on
Tuesday, 7th July, 2020 and signed by its Director, Professor Ishaq
Akintola, the human rights group described the bill as long overdue, consistent
with the spirit of democracy and a sine qua non for freedom of religion.
“We hail Hon. Akeem Balogun
for sponsoring the bill that will allow traditional rulers to be installed or
buried after death according to their faith. We equally commend those lawmakers
who supported it. This bill is long overdue, consistent with the spirit of
democracy and a sine qua non for freedom of religion.
“The imposition of only one religion (i.e. traditional religion) during
installation and burial on all Yoruba Obas is an infringement of their
Allah-given fundamental human rights. It is like life imprisonment for them.
Yoruba kings have the right to choose the manner of their installation and no
one has the right to cut a king off his brethren in faith.
“Besides, the world is changing and Yorubaland cannot afford to
maintain an archaic and anachronistic system particularly when such erodes the
liberty to enter into covenant with one’s Lord regarding how he will rule his
people and how he will meet his Lord in the Hereafter. These are fundamental
issues which no homo sapien should be deprived of.
“In this regard, we commend traditional rulers who have expressed
their opposition to the outdated system. For instance, the Awujale of Ijebu-Ode, Oba Sikiru Adetona, has rejected the old
system and declared his desire to be buried according to his religion (Islam)
whenever he dies. Oba Adedapo Tejuosho, the Osile of Oke-Ona Egba, has also been
installing the Oluwo and other chiefs with anointing oil as a born again Christian.
“The proposed bill will emancipate such rulers from the Yoruba
traditional system which is replete with monopoly and intolerance. It should be
noted that many qualified candidates to the throne have avoided contesting for
it because of their fear that it would make them do certain things which are inconsistent
with their faith.
“We posit that if all the
citizens in a city are subjects of the Oba; if the citizens belong to different
faiths; if the Oba is to rule over all his subjects; then traditionalists have
no right to impose their own faith alone on every Oba. These qualities of
intolerance and imposition are self-evident in the way traditionalists declare
curfews and forcefully recruit adherents to their faith.
“Whereas Chapter 4 Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) says inter alia, ‘Every citizen
of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any
part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or
refused entry thereby or exit therefrom’, traditionalists are in the habit of
ignoring this constitutional provision and imposing curfew arbitrarily.
“In law, only the state government on the advice of the state
commissioner of police can impose curfew on a town. Even then, such imposition
must be based on adverse security report. But traditionalists will not listen.
They force everyone to stay indoor and disorganize social and economic
activities at will. The lives of women in labour during such unlawful curfews
are endangered while students who have examinations stand the risk of failure. The
forceful conversion of children of their deceased members to the traditional
faith is another ugly dimension which reveals their dictatorial propensity.
“MURIC therefore welcomes
the new bill with open arms. It will clip the wings of traditionalists
particularly their gymnastic religiousity. However, we charge law enforment
agents to ensure that the bill operates successfully when it becomes law. It is
one thing to enact a law but it is another thing to ensure that it is obeyed.
Experience has shown that security agents have not summoned the courage to challenge
traditionalists when the latter take the law into their hands. This is where
the state government needs to watch. We also call on other states in the region
to emulate the bold step taken by Ogun State.
“As we draw the curtain, we reiterate our positive position on the
proposed bill to allow traditional rulers to be installed or buried according
to their faiths. It is a major milestone in the democratization of rulership in
Yoruba communities. Henceforth, law enforcement agents must deal with
traditionists who impose illegal curfews. State assemblies in Lagos, Oyo, Osun,
Ondo and Ekiti should also introduce the same bill and pass it into law. Apart
from being anachronistic, traditional system is characterised with tyranny,
intolerance and dictatorship. It is time to liberate the kings and the
citizenry in Yorubaland.”
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
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