The death of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade has exposed the fact that the Yoruba race is in dire need of devotion to her culture, writes Goke Omisore
The late Ooni of Ife, Sir Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi, His Royal Imperial Majesty and his successor but equally late, Oni Adimula Olubuse ll, both majestically ruled with all the pageantry of royalty that best defined the Ifes and Ile-Ife in the last almost hundred years in the Yoruba kingdom and the Yoruba dynasty in its utmost royal splendour. Sir Adesoji Aderemi wrote the book on royal dignity, elegance and opulence, Oba Okunade Sijuade did a good study as a Prince and emulated his predecessors with dignified regal as a king in his own times too.
Sir Adesoji Aderemi’s rule was in the golden age of Ile-Ife's grace and prosperity in the celebrated Western region of yore – the region scoring first in hallmarks of civilisations in various landmarks. Sir Adesoji Aderemi not only held sway has the most revered king of his time but was the governor-general of Western region. Ile-Ife was not only rich and famous as the cradle of the Yoruba, but equally held sway as the spiritual and political Mecca of Yorubaland in those days.
The late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, then Premier and his deputy were regular faces at the palace, when the late Sir Adesoji Adermemi reigned. Ile-Ife, arguably the richest county in the nation in the Era of cocoa boom before the oil boom that surreptitiously slide into doom, some are won't to aver.
At the peak of Ile-Ife's wealth, Sir Adesoji Aderemi rode in one of the five only customised long wheel-stretched limousine pantheon Rolls Royce in the league of the kings of England, Spain, France and Belgium. It was more than a symbol of wealth, clout and power but a class defined lessons on taste, elegance and panache.
That majestic marvel of science and craftsmanship on wheels, glided majestically in motion, oozing splendour, opulence and power that was truly awesome. The roof glided open in share artistry, where his majesty waved and dazzled his subjects, with two police sentries in a most befitting uniform patched on both sides of the car in motion. A quartet or few acrobatic motorcycle outriders awed spectators lining both sides of the street to catch a glimpse of this most revered monarch as they displayed disciplined, dizzying acrobatic display by royal guards.
Sir Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi, agile, robust, gap-toothed handsome monarchical personality, completed and complemented such great splendor. Gone are the truly golden days of Ile-Ife .Yours truly was in his teenage years, daily mesmerised by such magic on display. My mother's shop was situated at the most vantage spot en route this reality show in the ‘60s to ‘80s in Ile-Ife on Iremo-road, the high-street. Those were some spectacles etched permanently in my memories, in my formative years.
Truly, Sir Adesoji's time was memorably grand and blessed in almost all things, an era that was very had to top but behold, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade Olubuse ll, equally lived up to the billings and expectations of the Ifes in grace, charm, eloquence, wealth and fame. A cherubic face, good looking man too. He lived first class in all things by any yardstick. He had a tall order to match and he truly earned our respect in royal grandiosity. He had a royal carriage and Princely bounce in his steps.
He dutifully spoke unapologetically, in measured cadence and candour though his political leanings and often utterances and profiteering hardly earned him applause to put it mildly. I was a couple of times at his beck and call as his son and a student in my university days at New York Institute of Technology, in the early ‘70s, where deliberately his hotel of choice was America's best: The Waldorf Astoria's Presidential Suites. Even before he was crowned a king, he had always lived like one. Fate was kind enough to favour his childhood dreams.
He proudly abhorred speaking in the English language outside his domain, especially overseas and in fact, he had an English lady secretary doing his translations. He claimed the irumoles forbade him to speak any other language, other than his mother tongue, Yoruba. He is always maintaining the strict posture in commune with the gods, the irumoles and his ancestors. Please remember, Ile-Ife is where the sun rises first and of course, it's where civilisation begins, hello! He proudly propounded Yoruba mythology and divinity with unspoken dignity and grace that awed is American and European audiences, even natives.
All these above speak volume of the most dignified throne in Yorubaland. And our last two monarchs held their forte with uncommon dignified grace and lessons in grand royalty of any first class king anywhere in the world. This salient, latent instinct of pride in our gene runs in every ounce of Yoruba blood with a degree of haughtiness that borders on arrogance. Iran babaa wa ni'sebe. Won so wipe ajisebi Oyo laari, Oyo ki se bi babaa’nla, baba enikan.
At the pick of Oyo Empire in Yorubaland, the political and military might spanning West Africa, that the Yoruba are often imitated in style and values that we hold dear, but never equaled. I am very proud to say that Yoruba culture is a religion that passes on from generation to generation in our culture, communications and life-style. To my chargering and I am humbled to say I have raised the finest values in all my sons. So, I felt mortally wounded upon sighting my second son's elbow, a tatoo! Bukola, my practising lawyer son, a well-bred young fellow born and raised in New York City set me on an emotional fire upon just sighting the tattoo. I, in a wild rage as most Yoruba father will most likely do, Aaagbeedo! Sacrilege!
I hauled a question right at him, shivering uncontrollably. Bukola, I am disappointed and disgusted! Why the hell are you wearing a tattoo? He, in a most relaxed unfazed cool of an American boy protested in mellowed respect tone of his voice, “Dad, why don't you take a look before you hit on me. I feigned reluctance, he moved closer and said: Dad, please take a look and please read this, a challenge he threw in my face. To my eternal regret, I took a closer look and noticed the Nigerian coat of arms with an incision on his skin, Omoluabi Yoruba ni mo je. I have never been more ashamed of my own mistake in my entire life and I burst into tears of joy and pride in my son. I hugged him in tears of joy and we embraced as I prayed for him.
The implication of the above should not be lost on all of us, Omo Oduduwas, that Yoruba is more than a culture; it's a religion of a proud race of roughly fifty million people spread all over the world. In the diaspora – from America to England; from Cuba to Brazil, where Yoruba religion is almost preferred and held in reverences with Christianity in dignity and pride that hardly exists in Ile-Ife. It is a spiritual chain that must not be broken. Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba race, even till today, is wanting with such degree of passion and devotion to our culture.
We appeared to have traded quite a lot to Western indoctrination in the name of education and Christianity, feigning civilisation. People still speak in Yoruba, sing and dance to Sango, Oya, Ifa-Priest. Babalawos still earn a living in Cuba till today, centuries after they were forcefully abducted into slavery and from Yoruba culture. Yoruba life style still thrives and alive in this part of Western hemisphere with deep passion steeped in claims to Yoruba ancestors, traditions and religion. Yoruba films are relished with somewhat spiritual possessions. Boy, the western world owes us reparations; we owe ourselves restoration of our sacred values and traditions, I reasoned.
For all Yorubas in Nigeria, Africa and our descendants worldwide in the diaspora by migrations or emigrations, I am making this salient and pertinent call to the Yoruba nation. Ife throne is the collective patrimony of all Oduduwa sons and daughters. It's high time we cast a more realistic wider net in search of: the ooni orisun adimula of Yorubaland; the source, the cradle, now or in the nearest future for posterity. Please, let a robust intellectual debate we are known for begin henceforth. If we are all descendants of Oduduwa, let this clarion call penetrate into our sense of beings and belonging. Eyinkule ni Ile Iya eni; Iwaju Ile ni ti babaa eni. E kaaro, e ji're bioooo!
To all the initiated, I have spoken. Dawn of a new order must begin to manifest now, a sort of renaissance of the Yoruba nation. The most pertinent and the true core of Yoruba culture: Respect, respect and respect must be held sacrosanct from generation to generation – non-negotiable – it stands on our cultural pivot and principle order of references.
Now, I am humbly calling on, we the Ifes, at the wake of this new dawn, in this historical moment, a life time opportunity of this all important magnitude of the vacant throne of our progenitor, must begin a profound change beyond royalty. Obas do not have tenure, they reign till eternity. I call on us to be humbled in reasoning and reality of the moment and take a win, win position, solemnly inherent in this most exalted throne of the Yoruba race, our progenitor, Oduduwa. Let us cast a wider and all inclusive net for the greater benefit of all. I dream of a truly Yoruba crown beyond Ile-Ife. Onirisa Adimula Orisun Yoruba should be more acceptable to all and sundry.
We must factor in our kits and kin in a marked departure from the confined tradition of picking only Princes from Ile-Ife royal precincts. The throne of Ile-Ife is the entire Yoruba’s collective patrimony. We have only been privileged custodian, a legacy we have held gracefully with dignity in trust for our kits and kin over centuries. To think otherwise is an irreparable minimum reducible damage to this exalted throne.
This all important throne is not first amongst equals. That is political heresy. The throne of our progenitor should be above all others, but there should not be a discounting of any of Odua's sons the ‘right of ascension to the Ife throne, if the truth be told. We are all princes and princesses of our progenitor, the great Oduduwa. Let us rescue this all important throne, into the safe haven of spiritual claims and secured religious forte before the vagaries and storm of political fiat one day renege Obaship into a political oblivion. Ours should be held untouchable on a religious ground, I reasoned. For Alajobi's sake, our ancestors, that is, we are Yorubas first before we are Nigerians is truism. That is self-evident.
Mark you, the separation of church and state frowns at such interventions on any respectable religion. We need a king, a la Spain, France, Belgium and the Queen of England. Not a king on the esteem throne of our progenitor, sitting in the council of obas. In Oyo today, Osun tomorrow, the throne of our progenitor should be above such frivolity, whose territory dwindles and shrinks at a command, on the whims and caprices of political fiat. The heart of men is dark and deep; we are an enviable race – we should be the imperial monarch of the Yoruba nation, not Ooni of Ile-Ife alone. The prize we have to pay is to open up.
Myth surrounding historical matters like this better be situated on the altar of truth and the search light of positive thinking, else the coming generation might be more violent in thoughts, should you consider my postulation radical, theirs could be violent in nature. Sirs, think again, they could scrap the monarchical institutions all together. Methinks my seemingly wild idea can be tamed under free unencumbered intellectual rigour of debates and distillation of facts that revolution of this magnitude are wont to brew.
Please and please, no pedestrian cowardly thinking allowed. The touch of a robust, pertinent and well-reasoned discussion on this matter here stands ignited. We are indeed a civilised race and we have come of age and shall not shy away from inevitable changes. Let us battle our challenges before our challenges drown us and sweep us away into yesteryears’ apprehensions or fear in this age of reason and unparalleled communications in this digital age.
Dawn of a new digital world of internet, professor Google has prowled into every atom of human brain and intellect, reducing myth, tradition and assumptions of facts on all hidden treasures to a click of the button away from reality. The loss of our revered late monarch, Oba Okunade Sijuade bares the naked reality on these facts. All attempts and muffled efforts to dignify or edit the loss of our revered king not only compound matters but people only succumbed to traditional rituals' claim in Shrugs, if they say so but unassailable facts were growing viral on the social media exposures to the global village.
His well-educated children, who are adept on social media knew better in today's world. The news broke at the wedding of my son in America. I thought I had an exclusive: Breaking news, our esteemed king is gone! All my son's chorused: Dad, stale news! How did you all know that our monarch is dead? Bamikole Omisore, the media assistant to the Senate President has broken the news. It's all over the social media. Idiot of a medium just rubbed me of a fatherly expose full of room for embellishments that's best concocted by me at least, for the entertainments value. I growled, may be the Ifes should sue all the Silicon Valley geniuses. Man can no longer bamboozle his own children the ways he loves to.
With all due respect to tradition and the king makers all of whom, I hold in very high esteem and I, a traditionalist to the core. However with our achievements in medicine, law, engineering, in the last one hundred years or more and a Nobel Laureate to boost on our race's enviable CV, please let Ifa, Opele, Babalawos and several other deities and local politicians and pretenders take a back seat while the deep and initiated calls to the deep. The league of very narrow-minded are swirling and prowling in a whirlwind in all efforts to pocket this treasure of our race. Their interest is damned-up in a selfish and pregnant ulterior motive and must not be allowed to hijack this highly revered throne for political manipulations and such other tendencies.
I honestly think this throne should be bulwark on the solid interest of our race and all governments of the South-west for the renaissance of the Yoruba nation. Onirisa Adimula Orisun of the cradle must not be seen to fear, favour or genuflect to people of small minds, but strictly represent all Yoruba interests at all times and defend this throne with his life, if the need arises. Mi o lee ku ki je oye Ile Baba're. The Nigerian nation has embarked on a transition of change full of unpredictable variables and political vagaries. Yoruba Ronu!
Myself crowding towards the biblical age of seventy, I have the privilege of possibly knowing all the aspiring, ambitious, humble, willing and reluctant candidates from Ile-Ife mostly, with all of whom I’m on first name basis. To all my brothers, you are all respected highly and worthy princes. I will simply say, put Yoruba nation first, Ile-Ife next and your ambition or dream the least.
My dream of a greater Ile-Ife is premised on the collective awareness and the love of all Yoruba sons and daughters, showing interest and pride in the cradle of our race. Where all Yoruba can be seen and willing to identify, develop, celebrate, respect and earn the prospect of tourism inherent in the status of Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba land, I envision Ile-Ife, the spiritual home of, we, the Yoruba in the mode of the Vatican state, a Mecca of sorts.
Here, charity should begin at home, in well concerted efforts, packaging and marketing our ancestral home of Odua, in a month-long annual celebration in various activities scattered in historical Yoruba towns in a colourful cultural events to climax on a grand annual parade in Ile-Ife, is not quite a distant dream. Imagine, on the last day of such grand month-long activities of all the existing branded events annually celebrated, Olojo day, Ojude-oba, Ekimogun day, Osun-Oshogbo, Eyo etc on the grand finale of such parade will be our first class Obas, living heroes or outstanding achievers all deck in full regalia, in open carriage-horses driven on a purpose built multi-lane oranmiyan drive in Ile-Ife.
A road with a median, spotting the burst of our heroes past and present at each roundabout, a full length statures of our greater heroes or past historical scenes in a stretch of about ten kilometers a la Hollywood walk of fame, creating progressive visual stimulations and subliminal message of spirituality on such avenue, will definitely grow into myth waxing stronger on each annual events, with such drive or walk-a-ton ending at odua's shrine or grove will be quite a spectacle and the multiplication of this ideas and potential of the economic harvest can only be limited by our visions – a great boost to South-west economy, powered by South-west governments. Walt Disney, a single American dreamt it and did it – a man armed with a dream of an idea and the world justifiably celebrate him today.
It will draw an unprecedented command of visitors worldwide, buying tickets online. Hollywood, CNN, BBC, Aljazeera – all will feature prominently for the coverage and it will be a bankable event, where all sponsors will be in for serious contests and billings for rights of coverage. This idea could top Nollywood to all our kits and kin at home or in diaspora in a month long celebrations of our race – a home coming festival in diversified traditional activities on our culture, and entertainment that will make Brazilian carnival pale in comparison. We wrote the book on entertainment in Nigeria, our stars and mega stars of Nollywood fame and music are leaders of the pack. Ile-Ife is today sliding into an ancient relic and effigy of her past glories.
One of the most significant hallmarks of the Yoruba nation is: our religious tolerance in our collective celebration of all faiths together – joyful participations at all times – stands us out. Distinguished and civilized though, our politics divide us, naturally. We must do all to keep our religious tolerance that way. So, what have the Ifes got to lose, if any of our kin: Soyinkas, Babalolas, Ogedegbes, Adetonas, Adeyemis, Soyombos, Oguntolas, Abegundes, Oyayomis, kukus returned to mount their progenitor’s throne in the cradle? It should not be a distant reality but to be primed in the womb of time, and the possibilities exhausted. The Yoruba nation has been kept apart and divided by artificial boundaries and petty rivalries for too long; let us unite in spirit and time will heal all wounds.
However, should fate favour, any Ife prince: Adedoyin, Adefioye, Adedamola, Ademiluyi or Eludoyin, or Omisore, all are omo Oduduwa too. I think the criteria should be thorough and proper credentials. Above all others, Omoluabi of unblemished character, integrity and clout, laced on good pedigree and a chain of degrees and computer literacy should survive for now. The giant shoes of our last two Obas are quite a challenge.
My reservations on these profound facts must inform our immediate selection. The shoes and the vacuum left today are not only very large but reek of supreme royal grandeur of immense influence, wealth and fame and dignified clout. My apprehensions, Ile-Ife is lagging behind in few dignified steps and development lately. Fact: our next Oba must be a great asset to the throne and the progress of Ile-Ife and the renaissance of the Yoruba nation.
Now, let me address my confession and preference having clearly stated my reservations above and about the throne of our progenitor. I have an unwilling horse in a friend, my preferred candidate, who in my humble opinion is the tallest in this forest of choices. He dwarfs others significantly. If I was shopping for an Ile-Ife prince today, my first point of call, a readymade prince of immense means, clout, integrity, with a towering hunk of masculinity.
Even his frivolous habit and indulgencies are a mark of nobility. He is someone that all who knew him can vouch for – a seasoned business fellow, a seasoned and adept player amongst of men. However, my reservations on him: he his humble to a fault. He dines and wines with presidents, kings and princes, captains of industry, politicians of “timber and calibres" and a multi-lingua, detribalised fellow. Prince Oladipo Elusanmi Eludoyin fits the bill snugly.
He daily holds in his own rights, a-no-holds-barred court on influence of significant dimensions and consequences, yet very much at home with his drivers and common folks. But he is a reluctant candidate, who in the greater interest of Ile-Ife and the greater interest of the Yoruba nation, I honestly think all who have any influence on him at all, should conspire to draft Prince Oladipo Elusanmi Eludoyin on this great throne of his ancestors – a clarion call to our kingdom's duties.
After all, what profits a man...who neglects the call to serve humanity or his own people, in their most compelling hours of needs? May the good Lord bless the final choice of fate the arbiter of all destinies, Ile-Ife, the Yoruba Kingdom and the Nigerian nation. I humbly submit.
-Goke Omisore wrote from Lagos
0 comments :
Post a Comment