A Professor of African Traditional Religion and Cultural Studies at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Adetunbi Ogunleye, has called for a revival and reawakening of African culture and traditions as a pathway to restoring moral values, peaceful coexistence, and a renewed sense of identity among Africans.
Delivering the 49th Inaugural Lecture of the university titled “Resting in Peace? The Dilemma of the Living Dead,” on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, Prof. Ogunleye warned that Africa’s moral foundation and social harmony are being eroded by the relentless spread of Western civilisation, foreign religions, and modern lifestyles.
He described culture as “the sum total of both material and intellectual equipment which people use to satisfy their biological and social needs,” lamenting that many traditional African values and practices, especially among the Yoruba, are fast disappearing under the pressure of modernity and external influences.
The don noted that traditional customs such as naming, marriage, and burial ceremonies have been distorted by Western education and religious practices to the extent that they no longer yield the moral and communal outcomes they once guaranteed.
According to him, many now assign names to children without reflection or connection to the circumstances of birth, adding that the growing preference for meaningless foreign names has weakened the moral attachment people once had to their identities.
Prof. Ogunleye decried the erosion of moral discipline and social harmony, which he linked to the abandonment of indigenous culture.
He expressed concern over the rising acceptance of cohabitation and same-sex relationships, describing them as alien to Yoruba culture and detrimental to the sanctity of marriage and family values.
“In the traditional Yoruba worldview,” he explained, “sexuality is not merely about pleasure or personal freedom. It is a sacred act tied to procreation, spirituality, and community continuity.
The harmonious union between male and female is not just natural but essential for societal balance and moral order.”
The professor also connected the weakening of ancestral influence to the adoption of improper burial practices, arguing that the deviation from traditional rites has disrupted the sacred bond between the living and their ancestors, once revered as moral guardians and protectors of society.
He warned that the rising tide of indecent dressing, promiscuity, indiscriminate killings, and disregard for communal ethics are symptoms of a deeper moral confusion brought about by the neglect of indigenous values and belief systems.
To address these challenges, Prof. Ogunleye called for renewed cultural education, in-depth research into fading traditions, and a balanced approach to modernity and heritage preservation.
He urged scholars to engage in rigorous academic documentation and revitalisation of traditional practices to sustain the essence of African identity.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, congratulated Prof. Ogunleye for the successful presentation.
He noted that inaugural lectures offer professors a platform to share their scholarly work while showcasing the university’s commitment to academic excellence and intellectual growth.
