MURIC supports Ogun Bill on installation, burial of traditional rulers

Advises State Assemblies In Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo And Ekiti To Also Introduce The Same Bill
A Bill that will allow traditional rulers to be installed or buried after death according to their faith, sponsored by Hon Akeem Balogun, representing Ogun Waterside State Constituency, has received the support of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

The Bill themed: “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,” has scaled the second reading on the floor of Ogun State House of Assembly.

MURIC’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, while speaking on the Bill and its sponsor, said: “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 group condemned the imposition of traditional religion on all Yoruba Obas during installation and burial, as an infringement on their Allah-given fundamental human rights.

The group said: “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.

“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.”

A statement, signed by Akintola, urged law enforcement agents to deal with traditionists, who impose illegal curfews. It advised state assemblies in Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti to also introduce the same bill and pass it into law.