What Alaafin Of Oyo Said About His Burial Weeks Before He Died

For the umpteenth time, the premonition of late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi about his passage has been brought up for public discussion.

This time, it is about what would happen to his corpse after he must have joined his ancestors.

The reverred monarch died of an undisclossed ailment on Friday evening at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti. He has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

In a recent development, the 1st class monarch who died at the age of 83 reportedly stated some weeks ago that the Privy Council of Chiefs would know what to do with his corpse when he died.

This was disclossed by Dr. Festus Adedayo, journalist, lawyer and public affairs analyst. Adedayo made the disclossure in an essay that the respected monarch discussed the issue with him in early March.

The essay was entitled: “At last meeting, Alaafin said: I prepared place of my burial and Oyomesi knows what to do with my corpse.”

Adedayo said he held a meeting on 2 March 2022 with the Alaafin.

“His effusion of praise songs for me on this day was unusual.

‘Adedayo, mo wole, awo Alowolodu…’ he chanted his welcome endlessly in a poetic cadence that is the stuff of Yoruba palaces.

“Aside this, there were no tell-tale signs for me to ferret any inkling that this was the last time I would be seeing Oba Adeyemi alive, in a palace I had visited for over two decades.”

Their discussions veered towards the issue of what happens to a Yoruba Oba’s corpse after his death. This is because, there is always the myth that parts of the king’s organs would be preserved to be eaten by his successor!

Then, the Alaafin responded: “Why would a state government be bothered about the burial rites of a king?” he asked, incredulous.

“When the man dies, he doesn’t know what is done after his departure. He is gone; whether they remove his body parts or not. In my own case, I have picked the place where I will be buried in the palace. At my age, I am already at the departure lounge. The plane is on the ground and I am just waiting for the boarding pass. The Oyomesi know what to do with my corpse and they will do it.”

The Oyo Mesi is regarded as the privy council of Oyo. It was (and still is) a powerful body of noblemen which performs the function of a Privvy Council, enthrones a new Alaafin, performs rituals and the members act as the monarch’s principal advisors. Also, they perform judicial and administrative functions.