Ooni Ogunwusi
The Ooni of Ife is courageously charting a new route to peaceful coexistence within the country, and giving other leaders an example to follow, writes Vincent Obia
The attitude and body language of a leader can be a powerful motivator of peace or war. Perhaps, recognising this fact, the newly crowned Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, is leading an unusual diplomatic shuttle of goodwill among the royal palaces in his native Yoruba South-west. Ooni Ogunwusi, 40, whose coronation took place on December 7 last year, is deliberately pulling down age-old barriers that have been the bane of inter-communal harmony.
On January 17, Oba Ogunwusi paid a historic visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, to grace his 45th coronation anniversary thanksgiving, which was held at the Methodist Church, Apaara, in Oyo State. He became the first Ooni to visit Oyo town in nearly eight decades, since 1937. The visit by the Ooni, who was accompanied by many Obas, including Timi of Ede, Owa Ajero of Ijero, Ore of Otun Ekiti, Orangun of Ila, Akinrun of Ikirun, Aragbiji of Iragbiji, and Elerin of Erin Osun, marked a departure from the decades of rivalry between Oba Ogunwusi’s predecessor, Ooni Okunola Sijuwade, and Oba Adeyemi.
Applauding his guest for the historic gesture, Oba Adeyemi expressed happiness with “Ooni Ogunwusi’s moves to unite all Yoruba Obas.” On his part, Oba Ogunwusi described the occasion as marking “a new dawn for all Yoruba sons and daughters around the globe.”
Ooni Ogunwusi extended the diplomatic feat when on January 29 he visited the paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, in Ijebu-Ode, becoming the first Ooni to visit an Awujale in nearly 75 years. Oba Adetona said the last time an Ooni visited an Awujale was in 1941, during the reign of the late Oba Adesoji Aderemi. That visit ended nearly 75 years of rivalry between the two monarchies.
Ooni Ogunwusi had during his coronation in Ile-Ife last December emphasised the need for unity among Yoruba traditional rulers. He said, “My basic philosophy in life is not about fighting for supremacy, rather for oneness. Immediately I got the announcement that I was chosen as the next Ooni, I was very thankful to God. I met my team and pledged that I will reach out to all our royal fathers in the South-west to fashion ways to forge a common goal for the Yoruba race.”
Oba Ogunwusi spoke in a similar vein in his acceptance speech after being chosen as Ooni-elect. He said, “We shall use this stool to unify the entire Yoruba race; there shall be no division, no supremacy or animosity amongst us, we are all from the one and the same source – God Almighty.”
The monarch has proclaimed that his reign would be a model of coexistence among the royal palaces of the South-west. And he is making significant moves to achieve that.
The Ooni’s stance on communal harmony has enormous symbolic significance for Nigerian unity. Leaders of the people must always stand up for unity. They must recognise that where they stand on the question of inter-communal coexistence has a significant effect on the attitude of their people to peace and conflict.
They can choose to sway their communities towards love and peaceful coexistence or steer them towards strife and destruction. The leaders have a critical role to play in enthroning the reign of peace, unity, and progress that Nigeria badly needs for its social, economic, and political development.
Nigerian leaders at both the traditional and political levels should take a leaf from Oba Ogunwusi’s book. They should not only speak the language of love, they should also take practical steps to show love, as the Ooni has done since his coronation by breaking down walls of strife that have been a hindrance to social harmony.
Outside the traditional institution, Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State also seems to have recognised the crucial role of unity. Fayose recently moved to dismantle some of the political barriers to harmony between the geopolitical cousins of Ekiti and Osun, when he paid a surprising visit to Governor Rauf Aregbesola in Osogbo. Aregbesola belongs to All Progressives Congress while Fayose is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, and both men had related as sworn political enemies.
But on January 26, Fayose visited Aregbesola, in a symbolic gesture of cooperation. They embraced warmly and shook hands vigorously, to the delight of their followers and political observers. Both leaders vowed to maintain their political persuasions, but they promised to work together for the unity and progress of the region.
More of such efforts towards peace and unity should be encouraged across the country, especially, in the conflict-prone areas. Deliberate efforts by the political, religious, and traditional elite to enthrone peaceful coexistence would help in drowning out separatist and terrorist ideologies that have destroyed relationships among hitherto harmonious communities and taken a heavy toll on lives and livelihoods.
Everyone would be a winner in the regime of social harmony – no one will be a loser. Ooni Ogunwusi has given an example for others to follow.
pix: New Ooni's peace initiative.jpg
pix: New Ooni's peace initiative.jpg
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