Category: Life and Style

It is no longer a hot issue among society players that top designer, Deola Sagoe’s marriage with Kofi Sagoe has hit the rocks. Kofi has since moved on with his life as he remarried many months ago.

Deola is also happy again. Not because a new man is in the picture, but because she featured in October First, a yet to be released movie of star actor, Kunle Afolayan. Celeb Watch gathered that despite being separated from the man that once meant the world to her, Deola is making the best of what life has thrown her way and none of the challenges has affected her glowing looks and career.

At the moment, few people would talk about high fashion without mentioning Deola Sagoe. Adopting the trade name, O’dua Originals, Deola is one of the frontline Nigeria-based designers. She has been on the big stage since she took over her late mother’s business. From that very beginning, it was clear that she was headed for the sky as her pieces compare to what obtains on the high streets of world’s most developed cities.

The beautiful daughter of Chief Ade Ojo, owner of Elizade Motors, did not cherish the uproar that followed her crashed marriage.

For popular Lagos clothier and owner of Ouch! fashion outfit, Uche Nnaji, the moment he has since longed for has finally arrived. The dark and handsome dude is over the moon after getting married to his lover of five years, Anthonia Onwamaka, last week.

The event held at the bride’s family home in Lagos. Celebrities, fashion icons and other eminent persons were there to celebrate with Uche and Anthonia.

It was indeed a classy wedding, and Celeb Watch gathered that the church wedding will hold later in the month.

His appearance and character were frightening: He is a six-footer, his eyes were blood shot, the cowrie shells attached on his regalia were dangling and making noise as he ran about, a leather band tied with some objects was around his forehead. The gourds tied on his neck were dangling sideways and swinging like a pendulum. The plaited hair on his head and the red coloured skirt he wore made him look like a woman. He was restless! As he came out from the sacred room where he wore his Sango regalia, the whole community went agog. At a point it looked as if it was going to rain. Those who were attending for the first time became afraid as they looked at the sky, thinking, it was going to rain. Some ran helter-skelter singing his praises, and showering panegyrics on him, while some were afraid to go near him, he pranced about like a possessed god.

Yes, that is the spirit of the deity – Sango, a warrior ,was at work. The man who is the present ‘Sango’ (Sangodele Ibuowo) who doubles as Ifa priest has become a changed man and a transformed being immediately he came out from the sacred room of Sango. A few minutes later guns boomed intermittently to herald his coming. This was the situation in Koso Community in Oyo town penultimate Saturday as the town celebrated Sango Festival which attracted the high and the low, from all walks of life both at home and from overseas.

Exploits

Koso community is named after Sango Oba Koso (The king (Sango) did not hang), hundreds of people trooped out to watch ‘Sango’ who displayed his magical feats in the presence of many that came to watch. Sango brought out a new sharpened knife and cut his own eyes, while blood was dripping out, it was shown to all spectators but later nothing showed that he had a cut. At another time a man hammered a six -inch nail into his eyes and forehead but trust the efficacy of African magic, the powerful Sango only shook his body as he removed the nail without a sign of blood coming out from his eyes! The spectators hailed him.

Sango usually displays his magical feat during the one week long festival and also in the Alaafin’s palace when a man sat in the air without a chair, he even crossed his legs, all these to show the prowess of a god called Sango who reigned and ruled in the 17th century and later became a deity worshipped and revered today.

For weeks the ancient town of Oyo was painted red as posters of all types with the Alaafin’s photographs were embossed on them, courtesy of different sponsors. At the roundabout leading to the palace were billboards and posters announcing the festival. In the palace were different kinds of people from all walks of life who thronged the palace to watch ‘Sango’, the man that spits fire! It was his festival. The crowd was huge.

Koso community has about 100,000 population, with churches and mosques but the community has predominantly Sango worshippers and thus have a temple where followers worship every Saturday.

In a small sacred hut is where Sango was said to have hung himself, while another house made with mud and thatched roofs was where he used to wear his regalia. Not only this, there is a room where all are forbidden from entering. According to Mr. Odejobi Babajide, a historian, no one takes photographs of the inner place because the camera would be damaged no matter how powerful it is. “We have seen a lot that attested to that. This is a sacred place, we don’t joke with it, and people from all walks of life do come here to have a look.”

How Sango became a deity

Many still think the story of Sango is a myth but according to the community head of Koso, Pa Oyetunji Oyedemi, the Mogba Sango Alaafin, the story of Sango and his feats was real,” Koso was a warrior , he was a native of this community. This is the place where he was said to have hung. This place is where Alaafin of Oyo would choose the Mogba while Mogba would pick other chiefs.”

The spot where Sango hung has become a tourist attraction and no one goes there anyhow.”We offer sacrifices to the deity, Sango. We use ram, yam flower (amala), cock, and other things to offer sacrifices to Sango,” said Mogba Sango of Alaafin. Another, describing how important his position is, said his position or status in Oyo is powerful. “It is only Alaafin that has the power or prescribed authority to make him the Mogba Alaafin while he himself has the sole authority to choose Balogun, Ekefa, Ajagun Aran, Ekefa, ! Elerin, Yayi who all come after me, Mogba Alaafin,” he boasted.

A community without calamity

According to Mogba Alaafin, the community members are well protected against thunderbolt because they worship the god of Sango. And again, you dare not steal any property of Sango. According to Mr. Odejobi Babajide, “ There was a time when the door leading to the shrine of Sango was removed from Koso community and stolen. They knew it was an artefacts, for two months we searched for it and could not get it but we reported to the Alaafin who performed some rituals and sacrifices, later it was discovered in Badagry. Those who stole it could not move forward again, the door was recovered from them later.” Mogba Alaafin testified to the story and said, “It is true that it really happened but that was many, many years ago. It was not when I became the Mogba Alaafin, but it was true. You dare not steal any material that belongs to Sango at all. I remember that when those thieves were caught, they became another thing entirely. It is not done.”

This place has become a Mecca of sorts, according to Mogba Alaafin, “People come from all walks of life to worship and see things for themselves here.” He compared it with Christians and Muslims who are on yearly pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Mecca. He said, “ People coming here could be compared with those who travel yearly to see things these religious leaders they believe are their saviour did. It is a yearly pilgrimage as people from Brazil, America, Britain and other places come here to worship and see things for themselves. It is real, I mean the story of Sango.”

A Portuguese called Alexander Ifasope was at the scene where Sango displayed his theatrics. He said he was happy to have come down to Koso, to see things for himself. According to him, “It is true that in Brazil they also worship Sango but it is not as real as this. This is different from what I used to see yearly in Brazil. I christened myself Ifasope because I am one of the followers of Ifa and Sango. Thank God that I have the privilege to be here during this festival and it is great.”

A retired merchant ship sailor, Captain Bisi Fowokan Jackson, said, “I am an old man but I have believe in Sango our deity, that was why I am here today to celebrate with the devotees. I am a sailor of 28years working experience, though I have retired home and live in Lagos but Sango is what me and my children worship for that is what I believe. I don’t go to church or mosque at all and it does not mean anything.”

Prince Akinola Ajibade Hassan who came from Odoola Cultural Foundation (Sango Otta, Ogun State) said, “What we are doing is promoting our culture and preaching the gospel all over the world for those who don’t know and wanted to know more. I have been to the United States of America, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil , Rio de Janeiro, and so many places in the world preaching the gospel of African culture,”. He added that it is time to enlighten the world that Sango really existed. We have imported religions in Africa and we cherished them but this programme is to bring the lost sheep back to our own culture. The Alaafin of Oyo used to preach to us to cherish our culture. There is nothing bad in accepting a religion but we should not forget our culture and religion. In the United States of America we see Buddhists and they tolerate one another, it is high time Nigerians do this.”

Devotees and temple

The Sango temple is painted red while the devotees wear red clothes and plait their hair. The devotees consist of males and females; children are not left out as they publicly declare that they are Sango devotees. In the temple are many benches. One of the devotees said they congregate every Saturday to worship. “Here we don’t know Christianity or Islam but we worship Sango here. We have many devotees, if you come in any of these Saturdays you will meet us worshipping.” Madam Nimota Sangobunmi who is well over 60 years of age was met dancing and singing praises of Sango said, “I was born into Sango worshipping and I remain in it till I die.” Immediately after saying this she ran after Sango who was still displaying his magical feat singing his praises. Another woman, Sangodele Sangogbemisola described the occasion as great. She said, “I worship Sango because it pays me. I was born into it, so how will I not be worshipping in its temple and celebrate the festival?”

Princess Ike Obaleye, who is the Ambassador of Ekiti and Obabinrin Sango was in his regalia as she held a fly whisk and a symbol of Sango called Ose, said, “I am from Ekiti and we don’t go to church in my family. We worship Sango. Tell the world that that I am doing what my Ori sent me. My husband is also a staunch member.”

The festival also attracts artists and the business class. Portraits and carvings of Sango and his materials were on display with other Yoruba traditional, clothing materials on display for sale. A marketer, Folorunsho Olatunbosun, who was there to sell his artworks said he came purposely to sell his goods to those who came for the festival

But how come the Koso town?

The story of Sango was narrated thus, according to Mrs. Grace Joke Akinola, a museum curator: “In the olden days, Sango was a warrior and a powerful king who reigned and ruled in Oyo Empire. When he became too powerful for the Alaafin of Oyo he created another place for him to be ruling as two captains cannot row a boat.” She continued: “Many did not know that the story of Sango was real until now. Sango was a king with powerful juju, but one day he set two of his powerful chiefs Timi (Agbale Olofa Ina) and Gbonka against each other saying he wanted to know who was more powerful between the two. While Gbonka had the power to sedate or make his enemy sleep off, Timi had the power to conjure fire along with his dangerous and powerful magical arrow that emits fireworks to kill his enemy.” Akinola continued, “Timi eventually killed and beheaded his enemy, Gbonka, at Akesan market. But later Timi discovered that Sango’s plan was to eliminate him, he then went to Sango and asked him to vacate his throne or face war, but to avoid being disgraced Sango went to hang himself while his wives Oya, Osun, Oba turned into river and flowed away while today we have Oya River, River Osun and Odo Oba in Iwo. To avoid disgrace by Sango’s followers as they were taunted that their loved king cowardly hung himself while the houses of those who went to town announcing that their king hanged himself were set ablaze those who were afraid and trying to avoid being beaten or having their houses razed changed their tune and later went on announcing that the King did not hang (Oba Koso).”

Alaafin must not meet Sango one on one

Today, the community where the king hanged himself is called Koso! Corroborating the story, Magba Alaafin said, “Sango hanged here in annoyance and it was a woman selling bean cake that saw Sango’s body dangling in the air who came to report the incidence. People started saying it that Sango has hanged himself, but later when the followers were annoyed they started burning their houses and the ‘song’ was changed to denial, Koso, meaning he did not hang!”

However, till today, the Alaafin of Oyo must not see Sango eye ball to eye ball for it is believed that they are two powerful kings who must not have a clash of authority.

Speaking at the celebration of the festival in the palace of Alaafin, Gani Adams who is the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) faction leader said the Yoruba should appreciate their culture and encourage their children to speak Yoruba language.

Dr. Paula Gomes, the Cultural Ambassador of Alaafin of Oyo, praised those who attended the festival and said she needed to educate people on the difference between Orisa and Olodumare, as she said Sango is Orisa.

Can you tell us about your early life?

My father was a great man. He was a teacher. But you know teachers of those days were very accommodative; every body in our town lived with us. Teachers were the greatest people then and that was why so many people stayed with us. My father, Chief Anakwenze from Abagana, trained so many people in our village; he was a highly respected man, he was a super disciplinarian.

As regards my mother, Margret Anankwenze, my husband is used to describing her as an angel from heaven. That is how my husband always describes my mother; she is a highly spiritual lady. I always tell everybody how she used to wake me up when I was a very young girl. When the whole world was asleep, she would wake me up, at about 1am and 2 am in the night, to start giving me moral talks.

My mother used to say, “You know you are my daughter, don’t do this. You can’t do that. Don’t allow men to come near you, if they touch you, that will be it! You will get pregnant.” So, I grew up with that strict moral training. Her counselling did a lot for me. It helped to mold me, to the extent that even when I got married, my husband used to tell me: ‘Look, I am not your boyfriend, I am your husband, if you need anything, let me know.’

That was because Mama (my mother) had told me that “If you take anything from men, you have to pay back in kind.” So, I was not into accepting things, anything from a man. So as a married woman, my husband used to tell me “I am your husband; I am not your boyfriend. Tell me what you need.” That was because I had already grown up with the idea that as a woman, you don’t take anything from men. That was as a result of my mother’s consistent counselling. I still recall her words: “You know you are my first daughter, don’t disgrace me o; you have to be exemplary because the whole world is looking at you. If you step wrongly, then, I am disgraced.”

You have been married to your husband for over 40 years, how did you meet and if you are to describe him, what will you say?

I call him my ‘Prince Charming’. That is actually what he is. We have come a very long way. We met when I was 13 and we married when I was 21. We have been through various scenes of life, through mountains, through valleys, but God was faithful and saw us through all. I give God the glory. Last year was a very, very rough year for us, health wise. He was very ill, as he was getting better, I also fell ill. Although, they were very fatal ailments but God was awesome. He saw us through; so we are today testifying to the glory of God, we are serving a living God. We are serving an awesome God; to Him be all the glory, now and always.

Only few women fall in love with a man who eventually ends up being an army general. Can we share your love story and how you lived through the years?

When I look back, I even wonder how I survived the whole thing. It was very traumatic. But you see, when God says, ‘this will be, that will surely come to pass. We had every challenge that you can imagine. I am the first daughter of my father; I have six senior brothers and a younger sister. I am his eldest daughter. So, he was very emotional about his daughter getting into marriage at 21! At that time, I had not finished my university education; to crown it all, it was during the war. To even make it worse, he was a soldier. My father said: “You this girl, you want to be a widow at the age of 21? What is wrong with you? Your age-mates are not yet married and you have not finished your education; for God’s sake, what is wrong with you? And to crown it all, he is from a very poor family.”

As far as they were concerned at that time, I perhaps could have been mad. They thought that something was wrong with me. But today, it is a good testimony because the last week of my father’s life on earth, that was in 1983, I went to visit him as I usually did at weekends; and as I was leaving him later, he started to bless me. He prayed for me, blessed me and told me that the only regret he had was that my husband did not come with me on that trip; that he needed to apologise to him!

He recalled how he had protested so much against him and the marriage. He said: “See how wonderful he turned out to be.” He said that, my husband has turned out to be one child that is better than a hundred children. And to think that he had been against him then made him sad. He said he needed to apologise to my husband. But I told him, you are my father. I have only one father; you have a right to say anything about your daughter. He said: “No, I was nasty to that young man. I need to apologise to him. Since, he is not here with you now, tell him, I am sorry about everything that happened since 1968. Remember to tell him that. Also tell him that I am sorry, that he should find a place in his heart to forgive me for all I did to him.”

I said Papa, why are you talking like this? He replied: “It is because my time is up, my time is finished. I don’t have anytime left.” This happened on a Sunday. By the following Thursday, they sent word to us about his poor health. I was informed on Friday, and I went there on Saturday. I was told that he had been in coma since Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

When I walked into his hospital room, he opened his eyes and talked to my mother who was there too. He said: “Somebody came in; her voice is like Ifeoma’s voice, is it Ifeoma?” He was referring to me. My mother replied: “Yes, she just walked in”, and he nodded. And that was the last thing he said in this part of the world. He was happy that I had come. And then, that was the end, he moved on to after life.

You married at the middle of the civil war and he had to leave the war front to come and say ‘I do.’ The day you married him, what was really going on in your mind? Were you scared that he might die in the war front?

I told you when God wants something to be, He just makes it happen. We are only mortals; I don’t think we have control over many things. God is the sovereign power. But when I look back, I don’t even know where I got the courage to go on despite the protests from every member of my family. My brothers were mad at me; my cousins were mad at me; my father was not even talking to me. He didn’t talk to me until I had my third son Tobe. He was still very angry with me. When I had my first son, he said: “That girl, she is just ruining her life.”

Co-incidentally, when the war ended, it was like everybody was proved right. That was because when the war ended, my husband had nothing doing! They were on probation for three years. So, everybody was saying: “We told you! Didn’t we tell you? See what you’ve done to yourself!”

Men who approached me for marriage, whom I refused then, said: “See what you’ve done to yourself; a nice girl like you?” One man in particular said: “You refused to marry me, it is okay. But please, a good girl like you should not marry a soldier. Just wait, even if you won’t marry me, it is okay. Wait till the war ends, then you can marry the kind of man that deserves you. Don’t marry a soldier”.

Those hot words continued. It was when I had my third son that my father came to visit me. I was at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, then. He said: “Look at me, I am busy quarrelling and being angry with these people, but it is like God is even blessing them the more. It is as if God is with them. Meanwhile, I am busy being angry with them.”

When I had my first child, he shunned me. When I had the second one, he equally shunned me. He said: “Foolish girl, she has messed up her life; she didn’t finish her university education and she is marrying. What is she hurrying into marriage for?” So, when I had my third son, he said: “Look at me, I am busy in anger with these people, but it is as if God is not angry with them.” It was then he came to visit me for reconciliation. He brought a lot of gifts; it was at that point he started softening up.

So, what was your relationship like with your in-laws?

You know we all grew up together as children, so we are family friends. His father and my father were friends, so we all knew ourselves. So, Mama and Papa, that is my in laws, were like my parents right from day one, and they were very nice people. While I was at the university, I left the three children (three sons) with them. They looked after my three children while I was in school.

Now, your children are all grown up doctors and engineers, how do you feel?

I just give God the glory; it is all by the grace of God. I won’t take the glory, it is God that did it, and it is by His grace. We just did our bit as parents, but God completed the assignment. We have five very wonderful children; you can’t ask for better children, they are very nice children.

But none of them took after their father’s profession…

He always says that military life is a very dangerous life; that he has survived is a miracle to him. So, he never encouraged anybody around him to go into the military. That was because he said during the war, he saw somebody in front of him die; somebody at his back died; somebody by his right died and somebody by his left died. At that point, he said, one begins to wonder how he himself survived it all.

But then, I suppose that in Igboland, we give names that have meanings. And my people always say that, your name leads you! His name is Ifeayinchukwu, I supposed that is the flagship of his life, that which has kept on sustaining him and leading him. Ifeayinchukwu means ‘There is nothing impossible with God.’ So, he said he is always surprised how he survived. “At the end of a military operation, you find that people around you are dead, but somehow, you survived. So, everything is by His grace.” So, he said that the military is a very dangerous thing; so he never encouraged anybody around him even his nephews, he never allowed any of them to even think about it.

“You can go into any other profession,” he kept saying, “but the military, no.” I guess he did that because he kept saying that people just see the attraction, that they are not aware of the danger. “They just see the attraction and not the danger,” my husband used to say; that it is not easy to leave the army with your head on your shoulder. Either way you look at it, you either lose your head through a war situation or a coup-de-tat. So, he never encouraged his children to go for the military. “We only see those who have survived, majority did not survive.”

Can you recall the most challenging period of your marriage, a time when the line nearly snapped and you nearly did a re-think?

The most challenging period of our marriage was those initial years, when he had nothing to do. They were on probation and we were in the village, we had nothing doing. And he was the sole breadwinner of his parent’s family. There was no money, it was not easy. It was tough and as a matter of fact, my parents asked me: “What are you doing there? You this girl, come back home! What are you doing there? Are you sure you are normal? What are you doing there? Come back home, so you can go and meet your brothers in America. Your age mates are not yet married.”

The day they brought that message to me, I told them: “Look, I made this decision and I am standing by it.” I learnt when the person they sent returned home and told them, they all started crying. They said: “Don’t you think this girl is mad? Her head is not correct o, somebody we are trying to save; she is not ready to save herself.” So, I sent back a message: “Tell them I made this choice and I am standing by it.” And I added: “Tell them by the way, I am travelling to Lagos (that was when my husband was in detention), that somebody told us they have found where he is. So, we are going to Lagos to see if we can find him.”

We spoke to your husband some time ago, he confirmed that his life has always been characterised with near-death situations and miracle escapes from very terrible military encounters; what was your own role during most of those deadly situations?

Maybe it was the quality of character of the youths of my era; somehow I am a woman of faith. I always believe God is sovereign. I have never told anyone this story before. At the end of the war, my people sent for me, trying to encourage me to return home. ‘Come and go meet your brothers in America.’ I learnt that the General who just finished fighting on the Biafran side was part of the newly re-absorbed officers into the Nigerian Army and who were under house arrest in Lagos for military trial. My first son was just three months old then. I heard that my parents and relatives were crying for me. They said: ‘Are you sure this girl is normal, carrying a little baby of three months to a place she is not familiar with?’

But God is sovereign, in that at the end of the war, my father in-law called me. Papa had no money; he said: “Look, this is all the money we have in this house, but since you are going with the baby, I am going to give you everything because what can we do? If you see him, please, find a way to send words to us, so that we can have rest of mind.”

My-inlaws even thought my husband and others had all been killed. So, when I entered the bus, the Niger bridge was broken then as a result of the war. It was when you get to the Niger Bridge, that you find other means of transport to cross you over to the Nigerian side.

But immediately I came down from the bus that took me there from the village, I was just arranging my basket and trying to hold my little son properly when somebody pulled by as I was arranging my things and said: “Young lady, where are you going with this little baby? He is so young.” I told him I was going to Lagos and he said: “You know what? I am going to Lagos too. Come, let’s go together.” If it was like now, you can be sure it is a kidnapper! So, he said he is going to Lagos but “see, Lagos is far away o. I won’t be in Lagos until like 10pm.” So, I said, it is okay.

What happened after?

When we got to Agbor, he stopped, went and bought four pillows. He told me to get up and he laid it on the seat. I was at the back seat of his jeep. Then he told me that he wanted me to be comfortable. He bought me some fruits and said he wouldn’t be in Lagos until 10pm. So, he wanted me to relax; if I wanted to sleep, I should sleep. If I was hungry, I should let him know. After that, we started the journey again and on the way, he asked me: “So where are you going with this little baby? He is so young.” That was when I told him that my husband was an ex-Biafran officer and some of them were in detention and that we just found out where he was, and that I was going to find him. He asked me where the venue of their detention was and I told him, ‘Hotel Majestic, Yaba.’ He told me he knew the place. He said we should drive there straightaway to see if they would allow us to see him.

When we got to Lagos around 10pm, we drove straight to that place, but when we made some enquiry, we were told he was there, but that they had closed for the day. We were also told that we could not see him, but he would be told that we were there to see him. We were told to return the next day.

My Good Samaritan asked me what we were going to do since we couldn’t see him. Actually, I had an address of some of his relations who lived then in Obalende. I showed him the address, and again, this good man said: “Oh, I know the place. I will take you there.” So we drove straight there and we looked for the number; that was number 50-something, and as we would have it, the first door we knocked turned out to be that of my husband’s relations -Eddy and Ben. So they saw me and exclaimed, ‘Heee, Ify, Ify, Ify!’ They embraced me, they took the baby and my basket from me and the man now said: “Now, I am sure you are safe, bye-bye.” Then he just walked away into the dark, started his car and drove away.

When my mother heard this story, she said: “An angel visited you, that God still sends His angels to direct His children’s path.” She was sure that was an angel. He didn’t take a kobo from me and the irony is that if I see that man today, I don’t know whether he is tall or short or black. Even his name, I didn’t remember to ask him. ‘That was an angelic visitation. Just from nowhere, he directed you; he didn’t take a kobo from you, and made sure you were okay; drove you round until he was sure you were safe before he left’, my mother said.

The next day, I was accompanied by Eddy and Ben to Hotel Majestic, Yaba, where I was allowed to see my husband. He had already been told that I was around. So he was eager to see me. After that, we kept going there everyday to stay with him until he was released in May. After that, we all returned to the village. Nobody thought he would come back alive, so we first stayed in the village. It was rough but God has a way of sustaining His own. We survived it somehow. Even my late senior brother said to me: “You this girl, you made this choice o.” He said: “Are you listening? I don’t want anybody coming to cry to me; you made the decision, so you are on your own completely.” That is how life has been for us. We were always in God’s hand.

When fortune later smiled on him and he became Minister of Science and Technology, how did you handle fortune as his ‘first lady’?

Well, I did my own bit as a wife. You do your own and God completes everything. I was able to do my bit as the wife of the Minister of Science and Technology. It was a very busy period of my life and the house was very busy, round the clock; visitors were coming into the house and going. I was always cooking; my house was a market place. But that was how my mother trained us; that anybody that comes into your house must be given food. She said, let them eat and be fed. So, that was my bit then.

At a particular time, he was almost made the Military Administrator of Anambra State; what happened to that dream and how did you handle it?

Yes, it didn’t come to pass because he had a major eye problem then. That was between 1985 and 1986. He had a very major eye problem that was quite traumatic but again, God was faithful. It was retina detachment, something that can lead to immediate blindness. In his medical book, it was written in red ink to show it was an emergency. They said: “See your doctor immediately; this is like a medical emergency.” So, he had to travel to America. My brothers just left university then and one of them is a medical doctor. And they arranged this surgery and he survived the whole thing; eight hours on each eye; eight hours of micro-surgery on each eye; my husband is an overcomer. He has seen it all. Again, I just give God the glory for bringing us this far. I have always wished him every blessed thing that he wishes for himself. We appreciate him, we love him and my prayer is that God will continue to move him to a higher ground.

The designed crown on the arch entrance into the expansive palace is conspicuous as it adds to the aesthetics of the palace. Engraved on the arch is Olukare’s Palace. The leaves on the big baobab tree at the centre of the market serve as a shade, protecting people from the scorching sun. According to the monarch, Oba Akadiri Momoh, the tree has been there since 1923. The dark in complexion monarch looks younger than his age: Simple and humble with his fly whisk, the royal father appeared in immaculate flowing white gown (agbada) as he walked majestically with his beaded royal staff. He spoke using anecdotes and punctuating them with nuances on how he unexpectedly became the king on his arrival from America in 1978!

According to him, he never thought he would become a monarch, because when other contestants were warming up, it never crossed his mind until he was invited to come and contest by the “elders” who had consulted the Ifa oracle and asked God to choose the best. “ I did not have the notion, the idea wasn’t in my mind. People just told me sometime before then that if there was a chieftaincy vacancy I would be the one to pick. I didn’t believe that until when I returned from the United States in 1978, people were approaching me from my royal family for the royal stool saying ‘this vacant stool in your royal house why can’t you join them in the contest,?. But I said I did not have the energy, I did not have the capability of struggling, of running up and down. All my people continued advising me. I had a sister who is now late, she financed all the running around from Lagos to Ikare.”

His growing up

The Economics graduate of Ohio University, USA said he was brought up by his aunt, a disciplinarian. This, according to him, helped him in life later. “My aunt brought me up. She was a very serious disciplinarian, she was called Mama ‘Deoti, and was junior to my father. She made me. Anytime I was going to school she would give me money for my feeding and warn me not to go to anybody’s house to eat. I was always the first to get home when we finished from the school because if I was late mama was ready to discipline me. Much later, I discovered something. The first salary I got, I brought it to her in Ikare. I told her, “Mama this is my first salary, if you want you can take all. She did not say anything but prayed on the money and gave it back to me. They all liked me in all the places I’ve worked and that is the work of mama.”

Forced to be baptised

Though, he was born into a Muslim family, he was forced to become a Christian while at Victory College, Ikare. “When I was in secondary school, I became a Christian, though I was born into a Muslim family. My original name was Akadiri. I was named Saliu Momoh Akadiri. But when we went to Victory College, our principal, Rev. Akinrinle, said we must be baptised, and very many of us were. The baptismal name appeared in my certificate but when I became the Olukare I had to go back to my original Muslim name because we are originally Muslims. We have a soft spot for Christianity. When Babalola, the CAC founder, came here, it was the Olukare who housed him and helped him to establish. When Isaac Lenor came, it was Kabiyesi who first assisted him too.”

Friendship with the late Fawehinmi

Oba Momoh during his school days was a friend of the late radical lawyer Chief Gani Fawehinmi, “Yes, I’ knew Gani Fawehinmi, we were friends, we were boys together, and he was a good company at Victory College.” According to the monarch, the late human rights activist, “although was a little bit rascally but sharp. Gani had a friend, two of them were very rascally and they were very good in the class. I think the other boy is also a SAN now. He practised law in Kano. They were good boys. You know when you are in school, when you are young you would say if I had known I would have done this, or done that, it happened to everyone, almost everybody.,”

Why he broke his marriage vow

While many monarchs have harem of wives, Oba Momoh did not pray for such. However, due to circumstances he had to bend the rule of one man one wife. “I have two wives now. Before, I had only one but when I became the Oba they said it is untraditional for an Oba to have one wife. I said I was not so much interested in having plenty women. I only married one more just to obey my parents,” he declared.

Asked to look back and check whether he had made any mistake or the other with his years on the earth, he declared, “I am 75 years old and I can’t remember if I made any mistake because if my parents told me something I obeyed except when as a small boy I went to school to watch football and when I’m back my aunties will spank me.”

The first day to wear a crown

On how he felt the first time he wore the royal crown, Oba Momoh exclaimed: “I was firstly uncomfortable. But by and by, I got used to it and it was no more a new thing.”

When he assumed office a new palace had to be built because the old palace was built in 1900. “When I came to the throne I had no place to entertain my visitors, and it was during the military era when one of our sons who was an Ambassador died in Ikare. The President sent somebody to come and commiserate with us, so the governor came with him to Ikare. They came with an entourage, we sat down for 10 minutes and the place became very hot and I felt very, very uncomfortable. I came out, went in and was disturbed. After all said and done, they left. I now sat down and thought of how I would get money to improve the palace. I prayed and got help. Many good people assisted. And I was able to build a big one where I entertain visitors. Then I had a very small mosque but I said ‘no, we’re Muslims and my grandfather brought Islam to Ikare. I had a sister who was very rich, I talked to her and to some people, and told friends that if I have visitors where would they go and sleep or stay for the night? That was how the new building was erected.”

On how he manages the town

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, the saying goes. While the monarch did not deny it, he said he leads his community with comfort and with simplicity and with a cool mind. “I always listen before I pronounce my verdict. I soft pedal to carry the whole people along. If somebody has come to lodge a complaint, I would ask him to state his own case and if any one of them is wrong I will say he was wrong and that is one thing I do. The truth is bitter but at the same time I will have to tell it.”

The monarch said he listens to radio and read newspapers to know what is going on. “When I was young my hobbies were playing football and I used to run. They gave me a nickname. I enjoyed my youth. I don’t harbour any ill-feelings against anybody. I look simple and happy. I don’t put things in mind. I am very straightforward. Whether you abuse my simplicity or not, I take things easy.”