The issue of abobaku is a thing of the past. There is a supportive story to bring this to nullity. It goes thus: Some 400 years ago, there used to be an ABOBAKU, whose duty it was to die with his master - the King. When a king dies, the abobaku was to be buried alive with the king. The belief was that if the Abobaku was not buried with the king, the community would record serious calamity. While this lasted, the Colonial Masters came. In the days of Colonialism, the white men came for the purpose of commercialization but hid under religion. As it was difficult to understand the white man's language, an interpreter needed to be engaged. At that time, the best interpreter in the community was the Abobaku. So, he remained the only one going round the community interpreting for the white men. Within few months, the white men found him indispensable in their onerous assignment. Then came the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: The Oba passed on. He was to be buried within 7 days. Consequently, the Abobaku must be prepared to bid the world farewell. Being an indispensable instrument in the hands of the Oyinbos, his masters devised a method to safe him. The second day after the demise of the Oba, Policemen came calling at his house, accusing him of stealing a goat. The same day of his arrest, the Abobaku was jailed for life. The tradition was for the king to be buried within seven days. On the 6th day, when it dawned on the palace chiefs that the Abobaku would not be available for the 7th day assignment, as he was sentenced to life imprisonment, it was decided that a life cow should be used as NO OTHER HUMAN BEING COULD REPLACE HIM as a tradition. And so, the Oba was buried without the Abobaku. Surprisingly, nothing calamitous happened. This was what marked the end of the obnoxious tradition in Yorubaland. This formed the basis for the adage: ENI OYINBO BA FERAN LOYINBO N TI MOLE. The white men did not want the Abobaku to die, so, they framed him up with stealing charges and jailed him only to release him a day after the burial of the Oba. My people, let the world know that there is nothing like ABOBAKU again in Yorubaland..

Good day

Source
Story as told by Chief Kemade Elugbaju

Cc lalasticlala kindly put this in the right section

ok

Tales by moonlight. If that story is true, I doubt if the yorubas at dat time would have allowed dia tradition rest and allow d whiteman have an important means of fulfilling dat tradition. Dem for take juju give whiteman epilepsy just to have dat dia abobaku

C why d westerners ll always b ahead..innovative and progressive set of people.. I don't know y we place much premium on monarchy....

olasmith10:
C why d westerners ll always b ahead..innovative and progressive set of people.. I don't know y we place much premium on monarchy....

lol

ogorkojo:
Tales by moonlight. If that story is true, I don't the yorubas at dat time would have allowed dia tradition go and allow d whiteman have an important means of fulfilling dia tradition. Dem for take juju give whiteman epilepsy just to have dat dia abobaku

You are not making any sense you stup1d little b1tch

Yevgeny:


You are not making any sense you stup1d little b1tch

Fools quoting people since 1815. Forsaken maga.

Abbey2sam:
The issue of abobaku is a thing of the past. There is a supportive story to bring this to nullity. It goes thus: Some 400 years ago, there used to be an ABOBAKU, whose duty it was to die with his master - the King. When a king dies, the abobaku was to be buried alive with the king. The belief was that if the Abobaku was not buried with the king, the community would record serious calamity. While this lasted, the Colonial Masters came. In the days of Colonialism, the white men came for the purpose of commercialization but hid under religion. As it was difficult to understand the white man's language, an interpreter needed to be engaged. At that time, the best interpreter in the community was the Abobaku. So, he remained the only one going round the community interpreting for the white men. Within few months, the white men found him indispensable in their onerous assignment. Then came the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: The Oba passed on. He was to be buried within 7 days. Consequently, the Abobaku must be prepared to bid the world farewell. Being an indispensable instrument in the hands of the Oyinbos, his masters devised a method to safe him. The second day after the demise of the Oba, Policemen came calling at his house, accusing him of stealing a goat. The same day of his arrest, the Abobaku was jailed for life. The tradition was for the king to be buried within seven days. On the 6th day, when it dawned on the palace chiefs that the Abobaku would not be available for the 7th day assignment, as he was sentenced to life imprisonment, it was decided that a life cow should be used as NO OTHER HUMAN BEING COULD REPLACE HIM as a tradition. And so, the Oba was buried without the Abobaku. Surprisingly, nothing calamitous happened. This was what marked the end of the obnoxious tradition in Yorubaland. This formed the basis for the adage: ENI OYINBO BA FERAN LOYINBO N TI MOLE. The white men did not want the Abobaku to die, so, they framed him up with stealing charges and jailed him only to release him a day after the burial of the Oba. My people, let the world know that there is nothing like ABOBAKU again in Yorubaland..

Good day

Source
Story as told by Chief Kemade Elugbaju

Cc lalasticlala kindly put this in the right section

That is my uncle though, Pop's immediate big brother.

I wonder where he got this from.

Am I the only one pitying the poor cow that was sacrificed?


RIP

I don't believe this story

The Real concept of the Abobaku was that the king needed a servant on his journey to run errands for him as he is still a king even in death. The king cannot be fending for himself alone. This is the work of the Abobaku. And while he was alive, the Abobaku could do anything he wanted, essentially he was above the law. That was his reward for dying for the king.