Ooni of Ife's ''Abobaku'' reportedely on the run...Can the Oba be buried without him?

According to Ife tradition, when the Ooni dies he is accompanied to the great beyond by a chief with the title “Abobaku”, which literally means “One who dies with the king”.
But soon after the news of the death of the Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, there are reports that the designated Abobaku has absconded.
The Abobaku enjoys all the trappings of royalty with the king and is expected to suffer the same fate as the king when the latter dies.
Without the Abobaku dying with the Ooni, his funeral rites are deemed incomplete.
Nigerians have taken to Twitter to express what they think about the missing chief. Some believe the tradition is primitive and should have been done away with in modern times:

HENRY Okelue ‏@4eyedmonk

#BREAKING: Satellite images of Abobaku's last known position released by NIGCOMSAT

Quincessa @alicemayeze

Now, think about the countless ppl hu weren't as lucky as Ahmed. This isn't about the Abobaku, it's about a twisted traditional system

Wale Adetona ® @iSlimfit

So i read the Abobaku flee. Forget loyalty; If it were you, will you bobaku? AbobaFlex is the new cool.

Iyawo Inzaghi @Inzaghi1

What is Abobaku? Somebody will now die because a king died? Because why? Even Jesus didn't take anyone with him

Sugabelly @sugabelly

May the wind be ever at your back, Abobaku, and may the odds be ever in your favour.

Omo GbajaBiamila @OccupyNaija

So my father will be an Abobaku... Then he will now pass the culture down to me to die for 1 king like that? He must be mad, wallahi... LOL

Mark Amaza @amasonic

To defend this idea of Abobaku or whatever for the Ooni's funeral as culture is stupid - culture isn't static. It changes over time.

Then there are those who say tradition must be upheld. Some argue that the Abobaku knew what he was getting into and absconding now after enjoying the privileges of an Ooni is fraudulent:

Deji Asiru-Balogun @WilDeji

Biko, we are offering a reward for the capture of the abóbakú. The king cannot be washing his clothes himself on the other side. No!

AYOKUNLE Odekunle @Oddy4real

Abobaku was told in clear terms what he was getting into... He weighed d prons and cons and den accepted. So therefore #AbobakuMustDie

LVïï | TÑTK @AfroVII

A man who has no desire to be an Abobaku should not partake of the privileges it bestows.

AYOKUNLE Odekunle @Oddy4real

Wait. 1. He wasnt forced to be Abobaku 2. He enjoyed d perks dat came with d office. 3. Now he doesnt want to die? Who forced him before?

And the hilarious and sarcastic ones:

 

Clean the N.Delta ‏@manmustwack

The wife of Abobaku dragging him to the palace after they tell her if they dont see her husband they will use her son 

Bunny @_Alphawoman

The abobaku is childish. Ordinary death, he's running away.

#Abobaku will run to US Embassy thinking he's safe, only to meet the ambassador like''you don fokop''