Ifayemi Elebuibon, an Ifa priest, has explained the position of Yoruba tradition regarding the fate of the wives of late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Atanda Adeyemi.
Following the monarch’s passing on Friday, there have been a lot of interest, especially from Nigerians on social media over the fate of his young wives.
But making clarification on the matter in an interview with Premium Times on Monday, Mr Elebuibon, an Oyo based priest, said the queens could either remarry after the late king’s burial rites or remain in the palace where the new king would inherit them as his wives.
He said: “At present, they will be mourning the departure of their husband. After the ceremonies of the right of passage, those who wished to stay back in the palace can stay, the new Oba will come and take care of them, and those who wish to remarry can go and remarry,” he said.
“The new monarch would inherit them as part of his inheritance to the throne.”
According to him, the wives of the Alaafin could only remarry after fulfilling traditional sacred rites of atonements and disassociating themselves from the palace.
He said they are not allowed to marry any member of the royal family or ruling branch.
The Ifa priest also told Premium Times that the traditional burial ceremony and rites of the late monarch have since commenced.
“It is the third day already, and every day comes with its traditional rites and rituals. The ritual would last for three weeks or three months,” he said.
Further explaining the roles the king’s wives play during the burial rites, Mr Elebuibon, who is also a historian, said the Oloris are supposed to be indoors, away from the eyes of the people, until the traditional burial rites are entirely over.
“After the rites and rituals are concluded, the queens would decide their fate; remarry or remain in the palace and become a bride to the new king.
“The new King comes from the various branches of the ruling house. All the ruling houses are like one big family, so from the various branches of the ruling house, they will select a new monarch, where the kingmaker and the Ifa priest would pick him, give him some orientation, and hand over the entire palace to him, including the wives of the previous king.”
According to the Ifa devotee, everything in the palace belongs to the new king when he assumes the throne, the wives and properties alike.