The Significant of Adiye Irana Ritual in Youruba Traditional Burial Rites

Abstract

African death and burial customs clearly illustrate the indigenous belief in the reality of the unseen world and the thinness of the veil that separates the living from dead. Elaborate rites and ceremonies are associated with death and burial, and their performance is a duty devolving upon individuals as well as upon community. This paper focuses on the significance of Adiye-Irana vital and the belief of Yoruba on life after death. It goes o traditional burial rites. It further examined burial ceremonies and provisions for the dead and as his journey to the unseen world. It concludes that death is inevitable; this is one of the Adiye-Irana. People who eat the fowl believe that one day, the same rite would be observed after their demise, hence the meaning "Adiye-Irana, kii se ohun ajegbe, meaning: as you eat sacrificial fowl of the dead, yours would also be eaten by some people after your demise.