Nigeria, July 23 -- In recent days, the controversy surrounding the burial rites of the Awujale of Ijebu-land Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona GCON, has once again stirred the complex waters where culture and religion collide. That a revered traditional ruler chose to depart under Islamic rites-eschewing certain customary rituals-has sparked reactions ranging from mild confusion to near-outrage. But beneath the noise lies a deeper conversation, one that compels us to re-examine the evolving nature of identity, culture, and the politics of belonging.

Culture and Religion: Kindred Twins, Not Opposites

Often treated as distinct entities, culture and religion are, in fact, deeply intertwined. Both are social constructs-products of human interpre...