Final rites begin for Baale Masifa – Christians, traditionalists, Muslims to offer prayers, burial holds Thursday
Khalid ABRAHAM
Final burial rites have begun for Baale Masifa High Chief Gbadebo Oyebode Adeoba, who joined his ancestors last Friday (October 17).
The nonagenarian reigned for over 40 years (September 25, 1985 to October 17, 2025).
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His remains would be committed to mother earth Thursday, one of his sons, Babalawo Omo Oba Ifayemi Oyebode, told ogbomosoinsightonline.com, during a procession by Egunguns on Monday.
Omo Oba Oyebode said such observance by the Egunguns are traditionally staged for royals and other important personalities at their passage.
He affirmed the late monarch was a practicing babalawo until his death but that as a traditional ruler he embraced all religions. He said his father was loved by adherents of all religions remarking that was why clerics of the different religions are all scheduled to participate in his final home journey.
“Since Friday when he died, we have been having series of ceremonials as part of rites of passage. Christians will hold prayer programme on Tuesday, on Wednesday it will be the turn of Muslims. They said Baba was good and very accommodating to them. On Thursday, we will hold the final rites traditionally and lay him to rest.”
Asked to shed more light on the process of burying him, traditionally, Omo Oba Ifayemi disclosed, “It will involve visiting the abode of Ifa (Ile Ifa) to perform necessary rites, and also at the graveside. A royal father’s body is not ordinary. We are not against other religions offering prayers but according to the traditional religion we must perform the necessary traditional rituals too.”
Omo Oba Babalawo Ifayemi Oyebode
The programme he further informed would continue Friday. “The Oracle would be consulted through Ifa divinations and hold some rites on Friday. Next week Wednesday, there will be another programme called ‘Ile-ku.’ That is the final rite, that is what will signify he has gone up to meet his ancestors, that is what the burial of a royal father entails. We will then celebrate him with what we call ‘Iyere,’ an Ifa dirge, which symbolises he ‘ate at More,’ before ascending to heaven.”
He noted that the abandonment of tradition and culture is the root of most evils that plague us today. “If the necessary rites are not performed we can’t say our Obas have joined their ancestors (entered the attic – waja), they have not gone to Ile imo. That is what we believe. That is how our forefathers did it. So, it’s the stoppage of such rites that is causing all these evils and troubles bedevilling us.”
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He stressed that “Oro” as an instance wards off measles and small pox and other diseases from the community but we desecrate it today, “and so how shall we ward off such diseases? Failing to hold these traditional ceremonies is like putting ourselves into second colonisation. If we fail to perform the necessary rites we face its repercussions.”
His brother, Omo Oba Babalawo Oyebode Okikiola Ifayemi, corroborated his assertion. “The neglect of traditional practice is the reason we now have bandit and Fulani insurgencies in our communities like in Ilorin and Oyo. Alaafin had to raise alarm recently in Oyo because of Fulani herdsmen menace in the area. If traditionalists are allowed to perform the necessary rites such evils are nipped in the bud and warded off.”
He recalled the abandonment of traditional practice (isese) constantly pained the late Baale Masifa.
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Meanwhile, they informed many people in high places have been paying condolence visits since the demise of their patriarch adding that “People from all over the world would attend the burial on Thursday. Baba was a respected leader in the Ifa circle.”
The two affirmed the superiority of Masifa in terms of expansive territory and war-like spirit in Ogbomoso saying that recognition made the immediate past Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba (Dr) Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III JP CON CFR, made Oba Gbadebo Oyebode Adeoba the permanent chairman of the Police/Community Relations Committee (PPRC). “We Masifa people migrated from Ejigbo area in today’s Osun state for the protection of Ogbomoso during the Fulani imperialistic invasions (in the 19th century). That is why we were placed at the northern border of the town. Our forefathers armed themselves with special supernaturally fortified arrows. We performed our duty well. Today, no community has the expanse of land we have in Ogbomoso. From the stream at Masifa to Sabo, all those areas up to the borders of today’s Surulere local government. We are exceptional warriors, we captured Tombolo in 2005 and we brought down Salimonu. That was why the immediate past Soun Oba Ajagungbade III made our father permanent chairman of the PCRC.”
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