Desecration of tradition: Yoruba elders must wake up
Adegbite Isaac ADEEYO
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Recent developments have shown unguarded propensity to cause crisis and promote hatred in Yorubaland. Religious fanatics and bigots have started creating an atmosphere of insecurity through several unguarded verbal vituperation which if not properly managed could disrupt the existing peace in the zone.
Yoruba land was thriving with its own culture, traditions, values and religious beliefs before the normadic incursion of Islam and Christianity. Our forefathers showed their hospitality by accommodating adherents of the two religions without setting boundaries for them.
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The palaces of traditional rulers in Yoruba land were always the first port of contact for any missionaries who desired to preach the gospel to our people, the traditional rulers of that period gave free land, accommodation and liberty to freely propagate the gospel of Islam and Christianity to the people without limitations.
It is quite unfortunate that the same throne, habitat, culture and tradition that harboured these religions and enabled them to flourish at the detriment of traditional religion are now an object of insult and assault from religion extremists and agents provocateur whose only sole interest is to compromise our land, heritage, culture and values because of their religious ideology.
Freedom of religion is copiously enshrined in the constitution, but the major parts of what make up the Constitution are our culture, traditions and values. It is morally and religiously wrong for anyone to seek to devalue the throne of our fathers under the guise of obedience to a religion principle which is not in conformity with our tradition.
An average Hausa/Fulani man will never ridicule the throne of Sultan or any Emir under the guise of religion creeds. Why should any sane Yoruba man now decide to exhibit disdain for our traditional rulers!
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Religion is an opium of the people, government should not fold its arms and allow these reckless act to go further before taking meaningful and conscious efforts to nip it in the bud. Yoruba land is a land of peace and religion tolerance. It will be out of place for a few fanatical elements to strive to diminish and devalue our revered traditional rulers’ thrones.
Let those who seek to promote their own creeds, ideologies and contrary beliefs move to an environment where such is allowed, Yoruba kings deserve utmost respect from all and sundry.
Adeeyo is of the GNS Department, Federal Polytechnic, Ayede Ogbomoso.
Editor’s Note: Remarks as one below must have prompted this article by Adegbite Isaac Adeeyo
