Culture versus Religion

An interesting discussion is going on in Ogun State. A bill recently introduced in the state house of assembly, proposes to allow traditional rulers to be installed and buried according to their personal religion rather than according to ancient customs. As is proper in a democracy, the lawmakers have visited the headquarters of the four divisions of the state-Sagamu, Remo; Abeokuta, Egba; Ilaro, Yewa; and Ijebu-Ode, in Ijebu to sound out the people, traditional constituencies and religious groups on the bill.

Expectedly the discussions have been passionate and controversial. In my home town Sagamu, both the local Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Islamic community, according to reports, supported the bill. Not surprisingly the representative of the traditional institutions, the Olisa of Makun, Sagamu opposed the bill, saying “Tradition must not be discarded at the altar of civilization” and reminding the lawmakers and others gathered that the Christian and Muslim religions were foreign to Africa. He of course did not mention that electricity, modern medicine, television sets, motor vehicles, aero planes, secondary schools, newspapers, beer and coca cola, and modern governments and democracies were also foreign to Africa. I’m sure we can list one thousand other things which the esteemed Olisa and his household avails themselves of, which certainly will have been strange to his ancestors!

The discussion in Sagamu was more civil than in Abeokuta, where the representative of the Muslim community, Dr Lateef Adegbite, according to media accounts was almost assaulted by a traditional chief “who was apparently all along boiling with anger over Adegbite’s submission got up from his seat, rushed, pushed and snatched the microphone from Adegbite’s hand. The Muslim and Christian leaders present immediately rushed to protect the NSCIA scribe” The Muslim leader who incidentally as Seriki of Egba is also a highly placed traditional chief had made the points that the bill was long overdue; that the previous practice was understandable when Egba societies were mono-religious and mono-cultural; and that today 98% of Egbas were either Muslims or Christians who deserved the freedom to practice their religion.

In response to Chief Adegbite’s “blasphemy”, the Apena of Egba informed aspirants to the traditional institution that they had the option of either complying with traditional rites or to forget their ambition. He vowed that the Egba kingmakers would not sit by and allow the erosion of Egba traditions. However the traditionalist position turned out to be the minority sentiment in Egba as the representative of Egba Christians, the Anglican Bishop in supporting the bill, called for an end to barbaric practices inherent in certain customs and traditions.

In Ijebu-Ode there was a consensus in favour of the bill by all three constituencies. Our Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, strongly supported the bill arguing that the age long procedures (which I’m told include some truly dreadful practices) infringe on the fundamental human rights of the affected monarchs, and is therefore unconstitutional. True section 34 of the 1999 constitution upholds human dignity and prohibits inhuman or degrading treatment; section 38 guarantees freedom of religion, including the freedom to change one’s religion; and section 42 prohibits discrimination on account of one’s religion. In addition, section 20 directs the state to protect only those cultures which “enhance human dignity” while section 23 includes “religious tolerance” as a national ethic.

This matter brings to life the issue of the boundaries between culture and religion. In traditional African societies those boundaries were very unclear. Religion itself is often an aspect of culture, especially as those societies were typically mono-cultural and mono-religious. In today’s world where there are multiple religions the distinctions between what is tradition and matters of faith must be more clearly drawn otherwise what results is a whole sale alienation of individuals and groups who may be interested in their culture and tradition, but are excluded due to fundamental inconsistencies with their faith. I consider myself to be one such person. In any event the debates and tensions brought to light by the on-going discussions in Ogun State are timely and inevitable, and in my view healthy.

To some extent the traditionalists have a point. Why should a purist Christian want to occupy a traditional stool or chieftaincy which represents in a sense a priesthood of another faith, which is inconsistent with the Christian faith? Can it not be argued that the only priesthood a Christian should be interested in is that of Christ? Does the Bible not assure the Christian in I Peter 2:9 that, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye may shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”. Arguably this excellent royal priesthood supersedes any thrones or powers of the earth and those thrones are perhaps even inconsistent with the faith?

But then Obaship as presently constituted in Yorubaland is not just a religious institution. If it were solely and exclusively an agency of Ifa worshippers, we could ignore it and leave it to its adherents, just like the Moslems and Ifa worshippers do not have to have anything to do with the Provincial Pastor of say the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Sagamu, Remo. Obaship has received the sanction of the state, is backed up by laws and state institutions, has territorial jurisdiction and exercises authorities over all citizens in their territories whether Christians, Moslems or traditional worshippers. To that extent therefore, all are stakeholders in the institution. In that wise, we can actually rephrase the issue differently from how the Apena of Egba cast it and say that the traditionalists have the option of removing Obaship from every recognition of state and the law, otherwise the only sustainable course of action is to open it up to all religions. You can not approbate and reprobate. Indeed section 10 of the constitution prohibits the adoption of any religion as state religion!

Indeed the bill should be extended to include removal of traditional practices from the selection of Obas. As we all know, the notion that Obas are presently selected by Ifa is a notorious fiction. How many Obas can truly claim to have been so selected? The reality of today is that Obas are institutions of state selected and sometimes deposed by the government of the day. Culture is evolutionary, not static.