No information on the specific funeral rites of the Ogboni society/cult could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, the following information was obtained from a Website identified as that of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (ROF) with a contact address of: 38 Abeokuta Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos, Nigeria (n.d.).

Included in the aims and objectives of the Constitution of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity Incorporated is:

4. To see to the mortal remains of any deceased members, by providing a coffin, up to a reasonable limited cost and to give his/her remains a decent deposit in the bosom of Mother Earth (1998).

The Constitution includes various references to matters related to the funerals of members (ibid.). Duties of the officer known as "The Ojomu" are outlined as: "Receiver of all reports of sickness or death of any member for financial relief or provision of Coffin within reasonable means. On the death of any member he becomes the Deputy 'Oluwo' while the Osorun acts as 'Apena' for funeral purposes only"; while those of "The Osorun" are outlined as: "Principal undertaker at the funeral of a member under direction of the Ojomu. He or whoever is appointed among the Iwarefa otherwise than any Apena by the Ojomu shall conduct the burial in accordance with the ritual (ibid.). With respect to female members the Constitution outlines the duties of "The Iyaloja" as: "Hostess of all visiting female members. She is to see to their comfort at Conclave meetings and at festive board. She shall receive reports of sick members for financial help and in case of death shall make proper arrangements for the funeral. She shall receive and present all applications from female visitors" (ibid.).

Section 18 of the Constitution is entitled "Funeral" and provides:

Whenever there is funeral of a member of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (whose family may agrees to the Fraternity's participation in the Funeral Ceremony) the Oluwo and the Apena of the Conclave of the deceased member shall become Chief mourners, to whom report(s) of the conduct of the ceremony shall be given at the Conclave or any other convenient place. No procession shall take place without the prior approval of the Alakoso of the Division (ibid.).

The Guardian reported on comments from a representative of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (ROF):

Requested to comment on the notion that the remains of dead members are tampered with before burial, he [Oshowole] explained that it is entrenched in their constitution that they should "see to the mortal remains of any deceased members by providing a coffin or financial assistance up to a reasonable cost and to give his or her remains a decent deposit in the bosom of mother earth.

"If that is what our constitution enjoins us to do and we do all that in the presence of family of the deceased brethren, I wonder who would allow the remains of his or her beloved one to be mutilated," the Olori Oluwo said (31 Dec. 2000a).

The Guardian provided information from an interview with the Olori Apena [leader] Otunba David Adelkunle Olaiya Adeniji,of the ROF and "until his retirement in 1976 a deputy commissioner of police" (31 Dec. 2000b). Speaking about the aims and objectives of the ROF, Apena said

It is our duty to see to the mortal remains of any deceased member by providing a coffin or financial assistance up to a reasonable cost and to give his/her remains a decent deposit in the bosom of mother earth. And of course we provide necessary funds, for the successful prosecution of the business of the fraternity, accordingly (ibid.).

The Olori Apena responded to a question about the conflict the ROF has had with the Christian church involving the burial of ROF members:

It is time that in most cases burial in the problem, but again our Christian brothers have been unfair and in most cases insincere to our departed brethren.

Remember I cited the fact that Ven. Archdeacon Ogunbiyi [founder and first Olori Apena] was castigated at the introduction of ROF despite other innovations of his in the church. Look at the case of our late Olori Oluwo, Oludare Holloway. He was very useful to the Methodist Church they knew he was in R.O.F but couldn't do away with him while he was living.

The question is why does the church use our members to make name and money while they were alive and only shout to complain about their membership of R.OF after death.

We only go to burials when invited by family of the dead. We don't want to quarrel with the church, so if anybody dies today and the family says they don't want R.O.F there we keep off; if the church doesn't want us there we will step aside.

If we are invited to participate we do whatever in the presence of the deceased family, how then can we be removing parts of their departed, beloved in their presence? If we are invited we don't cost the deceased family half penny. We provide for ourselves and friends who will like to join us. We only follow them to the burial ground and come back.

Members of R.O.F are members of one church or the other. We don't all belong to one church. So we see these people who preach against us and say what does not apply as nonetities; people who do not know what they are doing. They are all telling lies and flouting the commandment of God that forbids lying (ibid.).

For further information on the burial of Oludare Holloway please consult the attached 5 August 1996 article from Theweek. For further information on the Ogboni please consult NGA36833.E of 13 March 2001, NGA36834.E of 13 March 2001NGA35268.E of 31 August 2000, NGA34255.E of 14 April 2000, NGA33762.E of 7 February 2000, NGA33175.E of 6 November 1999, and NGA8434.E of 7 May 1991.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

The Guardian [Lagos]. 31 December 2000a. Lekan Fadeyi. "Perceptions of Ogboni." http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/ibru/br808006.html [Accessed 14 Feb. 2001]

_____. 31 December 2001b. Lekan Fadeyi. "'ROF is Not a Secret Society'." http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/ibru/br808007.html [Accessed 14 Feb. 2001]

The Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, Lagos. n.d.a. "Contact." http://www.rof-nigeria.org [Accessed 16 Feb. 2001]

_____. 1998. "Constitution of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity Incorporated." http://www.rof-nigeria.org [Accessed 16 Feb. 2001]

Attachment

Theweek. 5 August 1996. Godwin Agbroko. "Trouble in God's House." (The Ethnic NewsWatch/NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

LEXIS-NEXIS

REFWORLD

World News Connection (WNC)

Internet sites including:

The Guardian [Lagos].

Nigeria Media Monitor

The Nigeria News Network

Post Express [Lagos].

Vanguard [Apapa].

Search engines including:

Google

HotBot