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Tag: ‘Heritage

  • Heritage, Ikoyi Club partner

    Heritage Bank Plc has partnered with Ikoyi Club 38 to host the monthly mugs competition of the golf section.

    Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Heritage Bank, Ifie Sekibo said the bank partnered the club because, “we needed to pitch our tent where it matters, needed to be visible and to put our footprint in the sands of time.”

    Sekibo, who was represented by the Regional Head, Lagos Island 2 of Heritage Bank, Abiodun Agbaje,  remarked that while the lender could not do everything at the same time, it was specifically looking at some events that are educative and have high calibre of people to deal with, adding that as a bank, they need to grow their business base with the kind of people that are at the event, who are high-calibre business people.

    He said the event was one where a lot of business people gathered together in one place at the same time, stressing that Heritage Bank’s purpose is to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.

    Also speaking, Joe Oduah, Chief Executive Officer of Resource Churchill, one of the players who contested in the competition, described the mug competition as a monthly tournament played by members only, adding that the winners are usually presented with a gift, which is a mug.

  • Experts seek greater funding, support for conservation sector

    A strong case has been made for government and organisations to adequately fund and support digital preservation of information and heritage, in order to safeguard accumulated knowledge assets and promote sustainable development.

    The call was made by Professors Gabriel Olubunmi Alegbeleye of Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State and Wole Michael Olatokun of Africa Regional Centre for Information Science (ARCIS), University of Ibadan,  in Abuja during a conference of archivists in the academia, government and private sectors.

    Tagged “2018 Digitisation and Preservation Conference,” the parley, which held under the aegis of Nigerian Library Association, Preservation and Conservation Section (NAL-PAC) and sponsored by International Association for Social Science Information Science and Technology (IASSIST) was in response to the 32nd session of the General Conference of the UNESCO (2003) Charter, which drew attention to huge losses that the world may suffer through preserving heritage via digital technology, and enjoined member-states to take legal, economic and technical measures to tackle and remedy them.

    Prof. Alagbeleye, in a keynote address to the conference, blamed Nigeria’s inadequacy in digital storage and management on knowledge and skill deficit. He, therefore, canvassed formal education and training in library and archival schools, participation in workshops and conferences, vigorous self-education and increased official funding and support to develop the industry.

    He lauded the International Council on Archives for its recent initiative to promote coordinated support with emphasis on education and training in digital records curation programme for archivists in Africa between now and 2020.

    Alagbeleye remarked that the ease with which digital contents could be altered manipulated, and amended, raised concern about their continued authenticity and integrity, while rapid replacement by faster and more powerful versions of digital software and hardware technologies, with newly added features and functionalities often rendered existing information difficult to read and interpret.

    He remarked that long term documentation and preservation of information and knowledge materials is critical to sustainable development of science, arts, education, culture, public policy and society, thus it deserves greater attention and investment by stakeholders.

    Prof Olatokun, noted that creating and protecting digital resources and preserving their integrity had become challenging for many organisations and countries worldwide due to the dynamic nature of digital technologies and trends in the industry.

    Describing it as a development issue, he said it was important for government and institutions to guarantee long term availability of accumulated knowledge, so that it would be utilized in the future only in the scientific, technological, educational and cultural fields, but also as a policy issue “so that those yet hampered by digital divide will someday be able to share it” and for future generations to benefit from it.”

    He listed the challenges confronting the industry as lack of digital preservation policy, inadequate power supply, unskilled professionals, technical obsolescence, poor maintenance culture, technophobia, storage media degradation and inadequate funding.

    The university don, however, noted that while the challenges looked the same globally, they were particularly hard to address in lower resource environments such as Nigeria, where the issues are just as complex as in advanced countries but where material resources, control systems awareness and professional capacity were often scarce.

  • Unveiling our heritage in Christ from the word!

    Welcome to another exciting week. I hope you were blessed by last week’s teaching. May God engrace us to access the required keys to divine direction in Jesus’ name! Today, we shall focus on Unveiling Our Heritage in Christ from the Word!

    It is important to understand that God’s plan for the redeemed is a robust heritage in Christ which is written in the Bible; the Word of God.

    From scriptures, we discover that God’s Word is a spiritual mirror that reveals who we are in God’s perspective in redemption and when we walk in that light; we will obviously, walk in liberty. For it is written: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (James 1:22-25). Also, God’s Word is likened to water that shows us who we are, what we carry and what we can do. It is written: As in water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man(Proverbs 27:19; Ephesians 5: 26; Isaiah 55:1/11).

    Furthermore, the Word says: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father(John 14:12). This connotes, we have a most elastic destiny in Christ, which empowers us to keep making progress.

    What, then, is the Word Saying about Us?

    • Everyone that is Born again is Redeemed to Enjoy Health and Vitality: The Bible says: Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed(Isaiah 53:4-5: see also Matthew 8:17). Thus, redemption entitles us to live a sickness and pain -free life. The same way He took the place of Barabbas in death and he walked home free is the same way He took our place in sickness and disease; so we can walk free from them for life.
    • We have been Redeemed to Live the Overcomer’s Life: As it is written: For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4). This means, we have been redeemed to live the overcomer’s life through the instrumentality of faith which has capacity to crush every gang up of hell against our lives. It is written: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (Ephesians 6:16). Never assume faith; consciously cultivate it because faith comes by hearing and understanding the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Remember, we do not overcome because we are born again; we overcome because our faith is actively alive. However, our victory is guaranteed if we are born again and we engage with the Word of faith. So, we are not just free because we are born again, we are free because we take responsibility to build our faith against the gang ups of hell on our lives(2 Corinthians 2:14).
    • We have been Redeemed as the Light of the World for Dominion: We have been redeemed as light in the world of darkness, that means we have been redeemed a pacesetter, a pathfinder and a trailblazer (Matthew 5:13-15; Isaiah 60:1/3). So, every child of God is redeemed a light to the world and can only remain lighted by the Word. For it is written:In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth (John 1:1/9/14).

    In summary, you can only access your heritage in Christ from the Word if you are born again. Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Today, I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Thank You Jesus, for saving me! Now I know I am born again!”

    For further reading, please get my books: In pursuit of Vision, Following The Path Of The Eagle, The Breakthrough Power of Vision and Understanding Divine Direction. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have five services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org; Face book: www.facebook.com/davidoyedepoministries/;  Twitter: @DavidOyedepoMin

  • Osun to establish Yoruba world heritage centre

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said his administration will establish a Yoruba World Heritage Centre to be called New Ife to revamp African culture, tradition and customs.

    He said creation of the centre was part of his administration’s efforts to support a Yoruba agenda, repositioning and placing it as well as Africa’s in their rightful position.

    Aregbesola spoke yesterday in Osogbo, the capital, while hosting members of Blackmyths Group, who double as members of Theatre Arts and Motion Picture Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN).

    They were led by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Alhaji Adebayo Salami.

    The governor said his administration was poised to bring to the limelight the new Ife in order to present to the world the socio-cultural values of the Yoruba.

    He added that the centre will reproduce ancient Yoruba land and how the people lived about 500 years ago, as well as how the present generation is living and how the incoming generations will live in the next 500 years.

    Aregbesola said the centre would serve as a socio-cultural and ethnic institution and heritage where the rich Yoruba culture, particularly their virtues, codified as Omoluabi ethos, will be promoted.

  • Ima Ozun: Sustaining heritage

    One of the traditional burial rites performed in IhuIyase, a community in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, before a burial takes place is called Ima Ozunin in Ika language and necromancy in English.

    The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines burial as the act or ceremony of burying a dead body.Necromancy is also defined as the practice of claiming to communicate with the dead in order to predict or learn about the future.

    IhuIyase is a community made up of about eight villages under the Iyase known as chief Iyase of Agbor. The villages are: Alihame, Aliokpu, Aliagwa, AgborNta, Oki, Ewuru, Alihagu and IdumuOza. The people that make up the community are predominantly farmers, with some engaging in petty trading. The population is about a million people.

    Ima Ozun started in the community some decades ago when strange and mysterious deaths became rampant. Young men and women who were the future leaders continued to die while the aged lived longer. The fear of losing the future generation spurred the youth into confronting the elders on the unusual deaths in the land. It was as a result of the need to curb the incessant, controversial and mysterious deaths of the young people of the community that Ima Ozun was introduced. This was to enable the community ascertain the actual cause of death of her people. Ima Ozun means finding out the actual cause of death with the help of a magical herb called ‘Ama’. This leaf called ‘okor’(scarce) is only known to the restricted few who are supposed to know it. The leaf is kept a secret to avoid its being compromised by evil powers thereby retaining its potency.

    The IhuIyase community believes that for every death there is a cause either through sickness, accident or someone slept and did not wake up etc. It is as a result of the compelling need to find the cause of such deaths and put an end to it that Ima Ozun was conceived. When a member of the community dies, the family of the deceased informs the elders who in turn summon the people appointed for the Ima Ozun rites.

    The process begins by announcing the death of someone by the town crier. This is followed by immediate response from the Idumu (quarter) that prepares the corpse before the arrival of the elders of the village. This includes bathing, dressing and placing in a casket for adults and wrapping with a mat supported with wooden sticks which are held together with ropes in the case of children. It is pertinent to mention that the tradition does not allow for the depositing of a corpse in the mortuary and also keeping of corpse till the following day. Ima Ozun is done to everybody irrespective of age, title, or background and when a person dies, the body is brought home no matter the distance. It is believed that once the body is kept in the mortuary, it may not say the truth again. The witches also might have gone to the mortuary to spoil the body to prevent detection of the true cause of death and protect the member who might have been responsible. On their arrival, the men who are assigned the Ima Ozun role are given the approval to begin  the rites. The magical leaf (ama) is placed in the the casket and two men from the Idumu in the okwanta age group are called upon to carry the coffin. The two men are then administered an oath to be impartial in the performance of the assignment, that they will only do according to the dictates of the corpse. At this point, members of the deceased family, irrespective of age or rank, are required to come out while all the women present are ordered to remove their head gears and shoes. In the same manner, the men are ordered to remove their caps. This is done as a result of the traditional belief that witches may hide their powers inside their shoes, head gears or caps. Nobody is allowed to stay inside in the house.

    When the casket is placed on the heads of the selected men, the men in charge of the Ima Ozun will make a circle on the wall with nzun (native chalk) where thebodyis supposed to hit in response to the questions that would be asked. They now continue with the rites by calling out the native names of the deceased e.g Ozugbo, this is then followed with the question. The first question normally, is: “Ozugbo, if your death is natural, you lived up to the age you were appointed to live indicate by hitting the marked circle”. If the corpse says no, it is indicated by vigorously shaking of the casket. They now proceed to the next question which is: “Ozugbo, if you were a witch and that is why the gods have brought your life to an abrupt end, hit the marked spot for all to see”. If it says no, the third question would then be asked. The corpse would be asked if he was killed by a witch. If it says yes by hitting the marked spot three times, the next question would be; “this witch that is responsible for your death, is it a male or female?” When the answer is given, it is followed with another question which is: “this female witch is she from your Idumu?” If the answer is “yes”, the next question would be; “this witch is she from your family?” If she is from the family, the elders will direct the corpse to be put down.

    At this point, consultations are made among the family members. All the female in the house are brought out and made to inquire from the corpse one after the other if she is the one responsible for the death. The one responsible is hit several times by the body and the watching crowd would boo her. Once she is identified, she would be asked to confess and thereafter appease the land which she polluted. It is also believed that only one person does not kill. The identified witch is made to identify her accomplices who are then made to point to where their charms are buried. The charms are then exhumed by the native doctors and neutralised. Once this is done they lose their power to kill.

    There was a period when soldierswere invited to drill and beat witches who were identified through Ima Ozun.

    In IhuIyase, the tradition of Ima Ozun, brought about significant reduction in the death rate of youths as no family wanted to be disgraced. However, the tradition also faced some credibility issues. Aggrieved families believed that the decisions were manipulated by the two men who were made to carry the coffin. In fact some of them faced a lot of insults which at times result in keeping malice with the aggrieved families.

    The tradition is also facing a lot of criticisms from the Christians who regard the Ima Ozun as fetish and magical which is against the teachings of Christ. They contend that necromancy is used as ultimate form of oracle consultation and divinity which should not be practised by Christians. This has polarised the IhuIyase community. The Ima Ozun tradition is gradually dying as a result of “clash of cultures” between the Christians and the traditionalists. Many have abandoned the practice and instead embraced the blind burial of members of their families who do not want the practice to be carried out on their deceased member. Such bodies were taken to the evil forest for burial but with the passage of time and more people embracing Christianity, the tradition is dying very fast and corpses are allowed to be buried at home on the payment of heavy fines.

    The corpses whose families refuse to pay the prescribed refuse to pay the prescribed fines are refused burial on IhuIyase

     

    • Mrs Okoh is of National Museum, Abuja
  • Tracking Ubulu, its heritage

    Tracking Ubulu, its heritage

    The introduction to Esther Nwogwonuwe Wright’s book, The Story of Ubulu Kingdom: A Historical Documentary of The People of Ubulu covers areas, such as the location of Ubulu communities; the language they speak, habitat and climate; seasons, occupation, Ubulu calendar, market day, market arrangements; currency and religion.

    But, Chapter One dwells on the Ubulu towns and how it all started. The mystery behind the activities of some migrants and the mystic pot called ‘Ududu’. The internal details on Ubulu communities pointed in this chapter give a clearer picture of their settlements. This is vital for an understanding that though, these towns and villages are scattered all over Southern Nigeria, they still display common features in their traditional practices and observances with the Ubulu Kingdom. Such as ima ani, the system using Egbo or Akpu tree or Ogirisi tree to mark out place of settlement. There is a common origin for all Ubulu towns and communities.

    Chapter Two focuses on Ubulu towns’ ancestral origin, reasons for their migration from their original place. It takes the readers to stories of origin, migrations, who they met in where they now occupy, how they made the place their final settlements, which reveal so much of their link with Ezemu and Obodo.

    In Chapter Three, the author talks primarily about the culture and traditions of Ubulu people. The people of Ubulu are great traditionalists with a record of accomplishment of ancient events, beliefs and history. They are remarkably distinguished by their cultural events and traditions from other people located in the same geographical zone. For the people of Ubulu, such cultural events and traditions are memorable, as well as colourful and are worth celebrating. Examples are Ikenga, Iwa ji, Iwu and Ine festival, Isa Ifi, idegbe, non-consumption of the civet cat known as Edi (the significant of these festivals and ceremony)

    Chapter Four talks about the founder of Ubulu Kingdom, Ezemu (a combination of the highest of human virtues), which made him an exceptional statesman of his time. In everything he did, he displayed intelligence, courage, patience, intrigues, and pursued his diplomacy with a deep sense of awareness that human destiny was divinely controlled. A man with enormous energy, a competent administrator, a great diviner and a diplomat, Ezemu used his talents to get what he wanted. He was well rooted in the use of herbal medicine. These attributes he combined and used to secure all he wanted for his kingdom. Ezemu, is a legend whose extraordinary accomplishments had an unequalled track record. Ubulu kingdom’s relationship with her neighbours during the era of Ezemu is an illustration of the diplomacy of state formation as well as patterns of inter group relations about the whole Nigerian geo?political environment.

    In Chapter Five, the author narrates the Ezemu/Ozim dynasty- From the lineage of Ozim, came the Umuozim. They are the direct children of the past kings in Ubulu kingdom beginning from Ezemu. They are the princes and princesses spread all over the quarters in Ubulu?Ukwu, Ubulu?Okiti and beyond. They are the supreme traditional authorities; the council of states, the owners of the stool and king makers in Ubulu-Okiti and Ubulu?Ukwu. Having studied the character this whole story is built around the man Ezemu and the various accounts that trail his origin, migration, settlement and the dynasty he left behind. It also recalls the impact of Obodo and Ezemu’s lives on the various towns linked by these ancestors and how they fared in their various settlements politically, economically, socially and culturally.

    Chapter 6 captures the political and socio-cultural organisations among Ubulu towns. The people of Ubulu towns still maintain ties with kingship, family, kindred, as well as age-grade with structures that differed slightly from one town to the other. The towns are structured into socio-political units in order to cope with and ensure effective control and ruler-ship. Their system of rule is based on divine right of the Okpala-Uku and the Eze, whereby the powers and authority of the Okpala-Uku (oldest man of a lineage) and Eze, (monarch), is believed to come from God and, as such, they are believed to be above equals and regarded as representatives of God and the ancestors on earth. They doubled as both the political and religious heads of their communities or towns. In one of the towns, the kings are mainly the political heads while the religious aspect is handled by the lineage head or Okpala Ani. However, despite the role of the monarch (Obi, Igwe, and title holders) the available Intelligence Report shows that, “the family systems remain the ultimate basis of administration” in Ubulu towns hence the slogan ‘eboka’ confirms the strength of the family in administration.

    Chapter Seven dwells on the war experiences and the Ubulu people. Ubulu towns, like many other societies in Africa, fought one aya (war) or the other in the process of its development. Such wars obviously make an impact on the people.

    There were internal and external wars and included wars, such as Aya Ugbolo, aya Obi Olise or Aya Emokpaogbe, Aya Ekumekwu, Aya Ogbe and Alumu, Aya Ani Obodo and Ikilike Ogwashi?Uku, Aya Umubu and Umuosele and the 1914 Abbi war. Though these wars had both negative and positive impacts on people’s lives, they came out a better people, strengthened, though not without some discouragements for their losses.

    Chapter eight is on Ubulu’s contact with the outside world – the ancestors of Ubulu Kingdom had created rooms for outside contacts as they could not have existed in isolation. With Ubulu towns scattered all over Nigeria, one would expect that a lot of contact would have been made. However, such contacts brought positive or negative results, or sometimes both. Despite everything, Ubulu towns have carried on making, creating and using every available opportunity to reposition their towns in the 21st century. The puzzle and solutions rest on the shoulders of all sons and daughters whose origin is traceable to Ani Ezemu and Ani Obodo.

     

  • Heritage, Dstv give N25m to winner

    Heritage, Dstv give N25m to winner

    Heritage Bank Plc, one of the sponsors of Big Brother Naija Season-2 reality TV show and MultiChoice Nigeria, owners of DSTV yesterday presented the 2017 winner, Efe Ejeba grand prize of brand new Sorento SUV and N25million cash prize in Lagos.

    Speaking at the grand prize presentation to the BB Naija Season-2 winner on Tuesday, Fela Ibidapo, Group Head, Corporate Communications of the bank, noted that beyond providing financial assistance to BB Naija contenders, Heritage Bank would between six to nine months help define the platform created for them; through business and advisory support services.

    According to him, this support will help chart a veritable course and equip the housemates with the necessary tools to make informed business choices during individuals’ careers.

    He affirmed that in a bid to bring additional value to Nigeria culture, Heritage Bank would ensure that in partnering with the house mates, they take positive steps towards creating, preserving and transferring wealth to Nigerians.

    “We are proud to be part of the reality show because our involvement has re-emphasize the wealth enshrined in our cultural heritage,” Fela said.

    He said BB Naija reality TV has projected the some of the positive aspects of the Nigerian culture of projecting kings and queens in every citizen.

    When we started this journey some weeks ago, people were asking us, how will you do it as a bank, remarking that with help of DSTV and the housemates among others they were able to create the needed experience among the Nigerian people.

  • Olojo Festival: Need to conserve cultural heritage

    Mindful of the boundless contributions cultural heritage could make in economic development of any country, the Osun State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Hon. Najeem Salaam, has advocated the preservation and full development of historical and cultural heritage of Yoruba land.

    The Assembly, which described the measures as fundamental to resolving the current economic quagmire, made the call in a statement signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye to congratulate the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and the people of Ife land on the celebration of this year’s Olojo Festival.

    It said there were lots of untapped potential in the cultural heritage of Yoruba land that could be developed to drive as well as unleash economic development of the zone.

    The Assembly regretted that the heavy reliance on oil has prevented the country from concentrating and diversifying other sectors of the economy such as tourism.

    “There are several hidden treasures in the cultural heritage of the people of Nigeria, especially in Yoruba land, that have been left untapped and under-developed.

    “This inaction of ours has contributed to the pains of economic recession when there was fall in the price of oil that we focus on, because the country had no alternative of economic development to fall back on.

    “No doubt, we are very rich in culture, tradition, heritages and festivals that can be developed to serve as long-term solutions to economic quagmire in this country, but we are not paying serious attention to them.

    “In Osun State for instance, we are blessed with cultural heritage such as the Olojo Festival. Olojo has the potential to engender cultural pilgrimage, especially for the black in the Diaspora

    “Other landmarks such as Oranmiyan Staff and Oduduwa Shrine, among others in Ile-Ife; Osun Osogbo Festival and Grove in Osogbo; Olumirin Waterfall in Erin-Ijesa; Kiriji Memorial War Site in Imesi-Ile and many more all over the state are notable tourists’ attraction worthy of development.

    “These potential have the capacity to create jobs for youths, enhance their creativity and sell the tourism potential of the state to the world for self-sustaining economy”, it said.

    Noting that though the government of Osun State under Governor Rauf Aregbesola has invested much in the tourism sector, the Assembly said there was the need for greater partnership between the state and the Federal Government towards making the tourism sub-sector more attractive.

    Congratulating Oba Ogunwusi and the people of Ile-Ife on the Olojo Festival celebration, the Assembly urged all stakeholders to support the monarch and the government towards making the festival more attractive.

  • ALL SET FOR YORUBA HERITAGE AWARDS

    WITH its date drawing close, organisers Yoruba Heritage Awards (YHA), an award that promotes African Culture in Diaspora, have announced the itinerary for its 2016 edition. The 2016 edition according to the Director of Publicity of YHA 2016, Mr Akin Sokoya will take a new dimension as the event will last for three days.

    Set to kick off on Thursday October 20, the opening will avail the organizer the opportunity to meet the New York City Mayor, Borough President and visit Wall Street and world trade centre, Sokoya revealed.

    Come Friday October 21, organisers will have a business meeting with New York City Chamber of Commerce and also be on a tour of New York City. There will also be children Excellence Awards and Talent show between 6pm and 12 midnight, information has it.

    There will also be pre-award event on Saturday October 22 between 2pm and 6pm, while the awards dinner nite comes up between 7pm and 2am at LaGuardia Plaza, along LaGuardia Airport, Brookly, New York.

    In the past, the Yoruba Heritage Awards had been held in UK, Atlanta Georgia and the subsequent YHA shall hold in Dubai, South Africa, Holland, Germany and Nigeria, organisers reveal.

    The event which started in 2008 had since honoured Sons and Daughters of Nigerians who have contributed positively and immensely on the Yoruba community through their professions and businesses.

  • The Sultan: A Triple Heritage

    The Sultan: A Triple Heritage

    History is for human self-knowledge. The only clue to know what man can do is what man has done.

    The value of history, then, is that it teaches us what man has done and thus enables us to know what man is capable of doing”. By R. G. Collingwood

     

    Preamble

    The title of this article was not originally coined by yours sincerely. It is rather an adaptation of the title of a television documentary projected by a late African Professor of Political History, Ali Mazrui of Kenya, in the early 1980s. He   entitled the documentary ‘The Africans: A Triple Heritage’.

    The adaptation of that topic here becomes necessary because of the coincidence of history the type that gingered Mazrui into coining that topic.

    Today, history, being a teacher, has come back to the classroom to repeat itself to its numerous but willing students.

    Today’s Muslim generation in Nigeria is passing through a paved path of history without taking notice of it. This 20th Sultan is of triple heritage. As the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council (NSCIA) he is a religious leader. By virtue of his national royal status he is a political leader. And as a retired Brigadier-General, he is a military leader.

    Thus, his triple heritage is complete. Such an incomparable colossus cannot be equated with any rascally charlatan trying to seek national relevance with the clout of His Eminence in the garb of a religious leader.

     

    ‘The Wings’ of History

    On Sunday, March 27, 2016, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni landed in the Southwest of Nigeria like a beaming sun in full regalia of royalty.

    On arrival at Ibadan Airport, he was received by a galaxy of well-meaning Muslim personalities from the six states of the Southwest some of who formed his entourage to Iwo, the city of Scholars.

    That entourage was led by no other personality than His Excellency, Dr. Sakariyau Olayiwola (S. O.) Babalola, the President of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN).

    At Iwo, His Eminence first paid a courtesy royal visit to the palace of Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi.

    The latter joined His Eminence in commissioning the magnificent Mosque of ‘The Wings Schools’ where the bird of ‘Peace’ flies with the ‘Wings’ of knowledge. With its imposing grandeur, the Mosque has capacity to accommodate over 2,000 worshippers. And that provides an opportunity for the Muslims in the environs to observe their Jum’at prayer in the Mosque with ease every Friday.

     

    Commissioning

    While commissioning the Mosque by unveiling the plague that bore his name, His Eminence who was not in a hurry to leave the city of scholars, praised the proprietor of the schools, Prof Lai Olurode, for facilitating with peace, an indelible platform of knowledge for the people of Iwo in particular and those of the Southwest in general.

    He also offered a special prayer for the final year pupils of the secondary school and encouraged the generality of Iwo Muslims to maintain peace even in the face of provocation, saying Islam is about peace and not about violence.

    Quoting copiously from the Qur’an and Sunnah, he admonished Nigerians, especially non-Muslims, who often blame the misbehaviour of some Muslims on Islam to desist from such deliberate malignance.

    Asserting that there are no religious adherents in the world today without blemish, His Eminence concluded that Islam is the mirror through which Muslims should be viewed and assessed rather than the other way round.

    After commissioning the Mosque in the name of Allah the Compassionate, the Merciful, he led the congregation in the observance of Salatu-dh-Dhuhr making him the first Sultan ever to carry out such a duty in Osun State.

     

    First in History

    The coming of His Eminence to Iwo last Sunday was the first by any Sultan in over 214 years of the Sultanate in Nigeria. Besides, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar is the first and only Sultan to bring all Nigerian Muslims under a unified protective umbrella in history.

    Ever since he ascended the throne 10 years ago, he has paid meaningful visits to all parts of Nigeria rallying the Muslims in those parts towards peace and progress.

    He has thus earned the absolute confidence of Southern Nigerian Muslims who were hitherto skeptical of the northern leadership of Islam in Nigeria.

    The effective participation of Southern Muslims in the affairs of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) today through a number of leadership roles is a glaring attestation to this fact.

     

    The fountain of knowledge

    In Osogbo, the Osun State capital, there is a private citadel of knowledge and civilisation named ‘Fountain University’. The reason for naming it so is to enable it to be like an ancient well in the desert valley of Makkah called ‘Zam Zam’ meaning ‘Drink, Drink’.

    The well has been there for thousands of years serving hundreds of millions of people in all seasons without a halt. Zam Zam is an evidence of Allah’s special blessing for mankind in the past, in the present and in the future.

    Here is a well that never dries and the water is with neither colour nor odour. The more the water from Zam Zam well is consumed the more the well produces the water.

    In recent times, some airlines in collaboration with the Saudi Arabian government introduced a system whereby every pilgrim that wants it is provided with ten litres of Zam Zam as a parting gift.

    Thus, such pilgrims go back to their countries with the sacred water that heals ailments and enhances faith.

    With this, there is hardly any country in the world today without the knowledge and benefit of Zam Zam.

    Globally, therefore, Muslims know Zam Zam as the grace of Allah which no other religion is endowed with. If Zam Zam  had been an attribute of a religion other than Islam it would have been called miracle water.

     

    River Osun

    Incidentally, the river that gives the State of Osun its name is called River Osun. The name Osun is a Yoruba word meaning ‘Fountain’. But the function of that is a mythological aberration which cannot in anyway be equated with Zam Zam. While Osun, a coloured and odoruant stream is worshipped as a god, the well called Zam Zam, is seen and believed to be Allah’s grace with absolute purity for the benefit of mankind.

    The similitude of Fountain University therefore, is like that of Zam Zam, an inexhaustible fountain of knowledge and morality with the fear of Allah.

    In this University, students who are thirsty for knowledge and civility can drink and drink from its fountain to their fill.

    That Fountain University is sited in a ‘Fountain’ State is another historical coincidence which could have been made possible only by Allah. And that is probably why the Fountain University is based on the fear of Allah.

     

    Projects of Progress

    As part of his royal and spiritual itinerary in the Southwest region, His Eminence spent three days in the State of Osun where most of his time was spent at the Fountain University.

    On the first day which was Sunday, March 27, 2016, he laid the foundation stone of a 38-room Guest House being donated by Dr. Adul Rauf Wale Babalakin, SAN at the University after paying a royal and brotherly visit to His Royal Majesty, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Larooye II, The Ataoja of Osogbo.

    Some other donors chose to be anonymous saying their donation were to the course of Allah who alone can reward human beings on their good deeds.

    On Monday, March 28, 2016, His Eminence commissioned an imposing two storey Senate building that will accommodate the University Senate, the Vice-Chancellor’s office and those of his deputies as well as the University Registrar’s and some other top officers of the University.

    The magnificent building was donated by the President of MUSWEN,  His Excellency, Dr. Sakariyau Olayiwola Babalola, OON.

     

    Convocation Lecture

    The Sultan then attended the University’s convocation lecture delivered by Sokoto State Governor  Aminu Waziri Tambuwal,  the Mutawalin Sokoto and then laid the foundation stone of the University Mosque being donated by Alhaji A. W. A. Ibrahim.

    He also laid the foundation stone of a 22 room female hostel being donated by Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Ali, SAN. In the lecture entitled “Religious Tolerance and the Challenges of Democratic Governance in Nigeria”, Alhaji Tambuwal said among other things that:

    “Obviously, religious intolerance in itself is the outcome of the way and manner that religious education is taught in various religious groups.

    “This is especially glaring in terms of insurgency, which is, for the most part, caused by poor education or the lack of it and religious bigotry. However, all factors as mentioned have been amplified by the nation’s conspicuous challenges to do with unemployment, poverty and leadership deficit…”. He then enumerated the causes of religious disharmony in the country as follows:

    1.Conflicts or misunderstanding fuelled by socio political, economic and governance factors.

    2.Disharmony facilitated by government’s neglect, oppression, domination and related discriminated processes.

    3.Conflicts and disharmony aggravated by the weak nature of State institutions.

    4.Conflicts and disharmony provoked by, for example, disparaging publications, vilification of other people’s views, values and wrong perception of other peoples’ faith.

    5.Conflicts essentially triggered by religious intolerance, fundamentalism and extremism which are mostly caused by poor education or lack of it”.

    After the lecture, Alhaji Tambuwal announced his personal donation of the University’s College of Law, the building of which he promised to commence soon. All the donations were within the launching of an endowment fund raising of five billion naira. But the donations were still far from the targeted sum.

     

    Honour for the honourable

    On Tuesday, March 29, 2016, His Eminence was honoured with the conferment of the Fountain University’s doctoral degree (Honoris Causa) during the 4th and 5th combined convocation ceremony of the University.

    Former Osun State Governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola also shared in the honour with a similar conferment.

    The official conferment on both men of honour was done by the Chancellor of the University, Sheikh Ahmad Lemu, the former Grand Qadi of Niger State.

    In all, about 370 students graduated with five of them coming excelling with First Class.

     

    Iconic Pro-Chancellor

    The Pro-Chancellor of the Fountain University is the immediate past Vice- Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, whose influence in attracting projects to the University is immeasurable.

    An indefatigable personality, Prof Oloyede is known for working tirelessly and dedicatedly for the success of anything progressive thing he believes in.

    As a man of many parts and focus, Oloyede believes that the greatest treasure for social and political wellbeing in any community is manpower.

    Thus, he took it as a personal assignment to build men and women of letters and honour for the future of Nigeria. This, he has done innumerably without expecting any gratitude from any mortal being.

    If the opening poem in this article is fitting to any contemporary Nigerian Muslim, Oloyede ranks topmost. His disposition to making great men and women is legendary.

    Unknown to the author of the following poem, there is an African called Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede who stands conspicuously out of the pack to bear the name of the principal character in that poem without showing it off. The poem goes thus:

    “Who shares his life’s pure pleasure and walks the honest road; Who trades with heaping measure and lifts his brother’s load; who turns the wrong down bluntly and lends the right a hand; he dwells in God’s own country and tills the holy land”. We are all witnesses.

     

    The Great Duo

    The combination of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto as President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Prof Oloyede as the Secretary-General of that apex Muslim Council is unprecedented in the 54 years of the existence of that Council.

    If any Nigerian Muslim generation can ever be said to be fortunate, the current generation is surely the one.

    We pray the Almighty Allah to spare the lives of this duo with very sound health and continuous Allah’s guidance that they may jointly be able to pilot the affairs of Nigerian Muslim Ummah to the Cape of Good Hope. Amin!