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Tag: Ife

  • Ooni’s ‘death’ and Ife chiefs

    My interest in Ile-Ife stems from an understandable emotional attachment to the ancient town. Though not an indigene of the antique town, my formative years were spent in Ile-Ife. The memories of my early years in Ile-Ife remain part of the most cherished aspects of my life. I had both my primary and secondary education at Ile-Ife.  My first degree thesis, at the University of Ilorin, partly centered on the ancient town.

    Ile –Ife is unique in many ways. It is the tradition power house and the custodian of the ancient tradition of the Yoruba race. As a young and curious undergraduate studying history, I was enthralled by the mystical aura surrounding Ile-Ife. I wanted to know as much as I could about this deeply mystifying ancestral home of the Yoruba nation. I could recollect that my search took me to the late Chief M.A Fabunmi, who was then the Odole Atobase of Ile-Ife. Chief Fabunmi was a living encyclopedia of the rich oral history of Ile-Ife. He knew the history of Ile-Ife inside out. One could actually affirm that whatever the late Chief did not know about Ile-Ife’s history did not, perhaps, exist. For days, Chief Fabunmi took me on about many astonishing tales that further highlight the reverent place of Ile-Ife in Yoruba tradition and history. According to him, Ile-Ife is the centre of Yoruba cosmology being the first place of human habitation in the world. It is “the spring where the sun rises before any other place in the world”.

    Chief Fabunmi further revealed that the palace of the Ooni, the venerated traditional ruler of the ancient town, has several ‘sacred rooms’ where the king discuses with the deities (and Ile-Ife boasts of an assortment of deities as it is claimed that diverse traditional rites are performed on a daily basis to these deities all through the year with the exception of one particular day which the Ooni alone knows) from time to time. Not only that, the palace, according to Chief Fabunmi, has certain links where the deeply initiated could connect directly with ‘Olodumare’, who is considered by the Yorubas to be the Supreme Being. There are also revelations about certain doors that must not be opened within the ambience of the palace by the uninitiated.

    Ife’s traditional ruler, the Ooni of Ife is one of the most highly revered kings in Africa. Almost every king in Yoruba land got his beaded crown from the Oduduwa house which is personified by the Ooni. In the political history of our country, especially in the post colonial era, the Ooni has played vital role in the nation building process. Sir Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi, who ruled in Ile-Ife between 1930 and1980, played significant role in the politics of the defunct Western Region. His successor, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, simply followed in this rich tradition, intervening in several political fiascos that could have thrown the country into turmoil since his assumption of the throne in 1980.

    In Ile-Ife, ancient traditional values are held as sacrosanct and the Ooni, who is the custodian of this tradition, is at the centre of it all. We live in a modern and technological driven age where hitherto highly revered ancient traditional norms and customs are either being gradually eroded or have actually been completely gotten rid of. But, being the “Source of the human race”, tradition rarely dies in Ile-Ife. Being the very basis of the existence of the town, the death of tradition in Ife could only mean the demise of the ancient town itself. As blood is to the body, so is tradition to Ile-Ife.

    The current debate surrounding the transition of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade further underscores the rich traditional values and customs of the ancient town. Traditional and social media recently went to town about the news of the demise of the Ooni in faraway London. As the news was gaining ground, the Chief Priest of the ancient town, Oba Olajide Farotimi Faloba, who is traditionally empowered to make available such information, promptly came out to debunk the news, affirming that the respected monarch is alive. Equally, while on a recent visit to Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Royal Traditional Council of Ife informed the governor that the Ooni of Ife was alive, contrary to the news being peddled in the media.

    The way things currently stand, there seems to be a stalemate. The Ooni was curiously absent at the recent wedding of one his sons in Lagos. His absence at the event has further heightened fears about the monarch’s real condition. Indeed, many, though without any concrete proof, are convinced that the revered monarch has gone to join his ancestors. Could it then be that the chiefs that constitute the Royal Traditional Council of Ife are lying about actual state of things?

    As it has been previously established, Ile-Ife is a deeply traditional town. The Ooni personifies the rich tradition of the ancient town. Supposing the Ooni has, indeed, passed on, traditionally, the Royal Traditional Council of Ife has the onerous task of first knowing and equally breaking the news to the entire public. The Ooni is not just an ordinary person. He is the custodian of the rich heritage of the House of Oduduwa. As such, if the delicate issue of an Ooni’s death is not properly handled, according to tradition, it could lead to dire consequences. The chiefs has the traditional task of averting such.

    So, the announcement of the death of an Ooni must follow due traditional process. Such announcement can only be made by the Obalufe of Ife, being the only person authorised by convention to do so and until he does that, the king implicitly lives on. Therefore, we need to respect this age-long tradition of Ile-Ife. Since it is the same tradition that produced the current Ooni, we must respect the words of the chiefs who are the preservers of the tradition. Tradition bequeathed Oba Okunade Sijuwade on us; we must keep faith with the same tradition to acquaint us about his supposed demise.

     

    • Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.  
  • Ife declares 7-day oro festival

    Ife declares 7-day oro festival

    A seven-day sacred traditional oro festival known has been declared in Ile-ife, Osun State.

    According to traditionalists, during the period of the festival‎, residents of the ancient town, especially women must not stay outaside beyond 7.00 p.m.

    Meanwhile, major markets in the ancient town remain opened, as commercial and economic activities continued.

    Also, the Ooni palace at Enuwa was devoid of the usual human and vehicular traffic, except for the presence of the private guards and about four police men manning the gates of the palace.

    Though the reason for the declaration of the oro festival was not known, but informed sources believed it might be in connection with the alleged death of the traditional ruler of the town, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, which his chiefs have continued to dismiss and described as mere rumour.

    Preferring anonymity, the sources said that whoever violates the traditional order of the oro festival might have himself to blame for a dire consequence.

    According to the sources, traditionalists would use the period of the festival to appease the gods and perform necessary rituals that would make the town to enjoy peace and also avert looming danger in Ife and its environs.

    The sources, however, disclosed that the festival had nothing to do with the alleged death of the Ooni.

    They also claimed that this year edition of the festival only coincided with the “rumoured death” of the town’s monarch.

    To prove that Oba Sijuwade is alive, they said: “There is a door that remained closed during the life time of a sitting monarch, and since the door remained closed, it means that the monarch is presumed to be alive.

    “The closure of markets to business and ringing of a special bell to announce the death of the monarch are two major significant signs to show that a monarch has joined his ancestors and these are yet to be done.”

  • Vending Yoruba unity at Ife

    Vending Yoruba unity at Ife

    The real issue is how to ensure the survival of age-old Yoruba civilisation, without sacrificing the core Yoruba value of tolerance of difference and plurality of perspectives.

    Oduduwa Hall at Obafemi Awolowo University was a few days ago the site for vending the latest political product in town: Yoruba Unity. The hallowed hall of ideas right from the days of Hezekiah Oluwasanmi almost became a source of contestation between merchants of Yoruba unity and students sent by their parents to acquire the knowledge with which they hope to transform Nigeria. Today’s piece is not about the juicy details of the confrontation between students and sellers/buyers of Yoruba unity, as the writer was too far from Ife physically to witness any detail at the unity market. The column today is interested in looking at distractions foisted on the Yoruba and by extension the Nigerian political landscape at the expense of the real issues that matter to the life of citizens-Yoruba or non-Yoruba.

    Nigeria’s existence has been driven from the beginning by unity as a concept, later as a project, and finally as a product, acquired or given to wholesalers to market at the ancestral home of one of Africa’s most sophisticated nationalities. At the beginning of Nigeria, Frederick Lugard brought diverse peoples from the East, North, and West together to co-exist in a country without a common history. It has been argued by political and economic historians that Lugard, on behalf of the British government of his time, did not create Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerians. He was believed to have brought the southern woman of means and the northern prince together for the purpose of easing the coloniser’s burden of financing the administration of Britain’s new market in sub-Sahara Africa. While the peoples of Nigeria were trying to make sense of their new political territory by negotiating their cultural differences, the colonisers were doing their own thing, expanding their trade in their new market.

    Independence brought a new reality. The three regions had a noticeably federal constitution that allowed each region to develop at its own pace. Soon after independence, the central government dominated by the northern region brought the issue of unity to the fore by strategising for a one-party system of government. Leaders of the central government from the two parties in alliance infiltrated the political party in power in Western region. The Action Group was broken into two: Awolowo’s AG and Akintola’s NNDP.

    The open text of the crisis fomented by the rupture focused on search for national unity (referred to in today’s political parlance as main-streaming) as the source of contention between the Awolowo group and the Akintola group. That was the first time that the concept, Yoruba Unity, became the driver of political ideology among the traditionally federal Yoruba states, hitherto integrated by Action Group with the ideology of welfare politics.

    The frantic search for Yoruba unity ended with the first republic. Military dictators shifted the struggle back to search for national unity. Ironsi on his part created a unitary Nigeria to be driven from and by the centre. Another coup came to change temporarily Ironasi’s policies back to the federalism in place in 1963. Soon after, the game changed again, especially with the advent of the civil war. Unity became a national project again. New states were created year in year out. Citizens in the balkanised states were pampered with funds from petroleum exploitation, and just about every group forgot about itself and looked forward to funds from the central government to oil the machines of government and the throats of government leaders.

    The second republic brought back the importance of ideology as a basis of political rivalry within the Yoruba region, with nobody worrying about Yoruba unity. Awolowo, the leader of UPN looked for people comfortable with the ideology of his party all over Nigeria while leaders of the NPN also did the same. The Yoruba region had some of its respectable sons and daughters in both parties, but most of the citizens identified with the UPN. There was no civil war in Yoruba land between the Awolowo group: Bola Ige, Lateef Jakande, Bisi Onabanjo, Adekunle Ajasin, and Yoruba NPN leaders: Akinloye, Abiola, and others in the NPN. No individual or group proclaimed itself as the custodian of Yoruba unity. In the third republic, Abiola and Ige found themselves in the same a little-to-the-left political party, an indication that if there was ever any division within the Yoruba, it was not cultural but ideological. The fourth republic again brought individuals from the Yoruba region, hitherto in opposing political parties in earlier republics, together into the same party. Old-time politicians like Abraham Adesanya, Bola Ige, Bisi Akande, and new-breed politicians like Segun Osoba, Bola Tinubu, and Niyi Adebayo found themselves in the same party with a programme to bring the politics of welfare back, and the rest is history.

    During the time that Save Nigeria Group was struggling to ensure that some cabal around Umaru Yar’Adua was not allowed to violate the constitutional provision that the Vice President, regardless of his or her geographic ethnic origin, should become president in the event of the person elected as president dying in office, unity in Yoruba land was not an issue. It was assumed by everybody that what was needed was for the Yoruba to have the opportunity to exercise their fundamental human rights of association. Even at the time of the 2011 presidential election, no serious politician raised the issue of unity. It was only in the last two years that the search for Yoruba unity became a religion and product at the same time, as it did in 1964-65. It was the search for Yoruba unity that was on sale in Ife a few days ago.

    Lovers of Yoruba culture and values should thank their deity that the marketing of Yoruba unity on the campus of ObafemiAwolowo University did not lead to serious destruction of life and property. I was told that a few Yoruba obas had to remove their crowns, beads, and robes in order to hide their identities movement to examination halls. Without really believing that our obas would be that cowardly, I do not feel any empathy for any oba who needed to suspend on his own volition his own divine kingship, on account of poor planning by a group preoccupied with Yoruba unity, with or without purpose.

    Before we end this historical piece, just a few questions for vendors of Yoruba unity. Why should Yoruba unity be a matter of concern to non-Yoruba people? President Jonathan is an Ijaw man hosted at Ife by miners of Yoruba Unity. How is an Ijaw man likely to be of use to the mining of Yoruba unity? The humble man was put under pressure to explain that he has been unhappy for the past four years because he had not been able to make a Yoruba woman the Speaker of the House of Representatives. How would getting a Yoruba woman to be speaker enhance Yoruba unity, having just experienced years in which two Yoruba people–male and female–served as speakers and even a Yoruba man, Olusegun Obasanjo, served as president for eight years?  Is this search for Yoruba unity for the purpose of fighting other nationalities in the country or to fight Yoruba who do not appear sufficiently united to cause of the self-appointed miners and marketers of Yoruba unity?

    The problem facing the Yoruba people of Nigeria today is much larger than a search for what is not missing. The real issue is how to ensure the survival of age-old Yoruba civilisation, without sacrificing the core Yoruba value of tolerance of difference and plurality of perspectives. If the Yoruba must find unity among themselves, it should not be at the expense of threat to life and limb of the country’s president, born and bred in another proud Nigerian nationality group that also has good reasons to be distinct from the Yoruba in many ways. It is rather late in the day for any individual or group to call a dog a monkey for Yoruba people. The political conflict in Nigeria at present is ideological: PDP versus APC. No Yoruba man or woman should need to use the search for Yoruba unity to occlude his affiliation with any of the two ideological poles. It will be vintage Yoruba to be active in both parties and be seen to be doing so by the generality of Yoruba people.

  • Why Ife, Modakeke are at ‘war’

    Why Ife, Modakeke are at ‘war’

    Fresh facts have emerged on why the people of Modakeke and Ife are planning another round of war against each other.

    It was gathered that the Ife people are accusing  Modakeke residents of voting against their interest in the August 9 governorship election, which Governor Rauf Aregbesola won.

    Following the result, the Ife people were said to have demanded that the residents of Modakeke, who are predominantly farmers, should not return to the farmlands owned by the Ife.

    The Ife were also said to be demanding royalties on the farmland which the Modakeke have resolved not to pay.

    It was further gathered that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, during his campaign rallies to Modakeke communities, promised  to appeal to Ife elders and traditional chiefs to allow the Modakeke return to the farmland on the condition that they would vote for him.

    But with the more than 90 per cent votes in Modakeke for Aregbesola, this allegedly created “deep seated” animosity between Ife and Modakeke, resulting in a renewed plan by the two communities to go war.

    The Modakeke and Ife communities fought a war from 1997 which lasted about five years over creation of Ife-East Local Government and the citing of the new council’s headquarters within Ife.

    Many lives and property were lost to the war, until the Federal Government under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, intervened and ended it.

    Last week, Modakeke youths blocked the roads leading to Amokegun, Oyolowa, Alapata villages and would not allow motorists plying the areas to Ore in Ondo State have a thorough fare.

    Armed with cutlasses, axes and guns, the youth, who were shooting into the air, made a bonfire on major roads across their communities.

    Police spokesperson Mrs. Folasade Odoro said riot policemen have been drafted in the area.

  • Ife people celebrate Oranmiyan Festival

    Oranmiyan was one of the seven sons of Okanbi, the only child of Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba.

    The legend, Oranmiyan, despite being the grandson of Oduduwa was the pioneer Alaafin of Oyo. He was famed as a strong enigmatic leader who led his people into a path of greatness that lasted several centuries, leaving a heritage that lasts till today.

    After establishing Oyo, he left and conquered the Benin people and again founded the Benin Kingdom. After several wars and conquests, Oranmiyan returned to Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba and was the sixth Ooni of Ife.

    He later joined his ancestors. The place where the staff of Oranmiyan lies in Ile-Ife, Osun State is now a centre of tourist attraction. This great legend that has continued to shape the destiny of a race deserves to be celebrated as a unifying force for the Yoruba people. Oranmiyan is a unique name that has occupied a column of Yoruba history as a warrior, conqueror and legend.

    An organization committed to the development of Tourism in Nigeria, FLABSY Travels & Tours has received the approval of the Ooni of Ife, Alaiyeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade, to organize a festival which would bring all Ife indigenes and the entire Yoruba at home and in diaspora like Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, United States of America etc. together and use the platform of the festival to identify and bring to the fore a unique and binding tradition for the Yoruba people, utilise the platform to propagate Oranmiyan as a central figure in Yorubaland and explore all creative means to ensure that through the festival celebrations, Oranmiyan staff becomes a tourist haven, ensure that the festival is enlisted in the calendar of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and the World Tourism Calendar, achieve a top-of-the-mind festival event for Odun Oranmiyan and create awareness for Ife indigenes at home and abroad use the platform to drive investment opportunity to Ile-Ife.

    The festival event would be devoid of Political affiliations or leanings such that every Yoruba man would be eager to attend yearly and attract corporate organizations that may use the festival opportunity to showcase their brands as well as compete for sponshorship of the festival to achieve optimum mileage and revenue generation.

    The significance of Odun Oranmiyan cannot be over-emphasized, as it is the festival that will unites the people together. It is also a celebration of a deity and warrior of the Yoruba. Therefore, FLABSY Travels & Tours is determined to celebrate Odun Oranmiyan 2013 in August 2013 so well that people will want to be associated with the annual festival not just as Ife people but as citizens of Osun and Yoruba in general. Oranmiyan is arguably the most deified of the whole Yoruba deities. He was only the Yoruba King that was confirmed to have established other towns, like Oyo and Benin, became their King and later returned to his abode and also became a King before his eventual transformation as denoted in the Oranmiyan Cenotaph.

    The Oranmiyan Cenotaph is a renowned tourist centre that has drawn million of visitors to Ile-Ife and has continued to do same. The name has appeared in many cultural and historical books. Oranmiyan is a religion to many in Yoruba land as it is being worshiped while they visit the Cenotaph to pay homage and reverence to the deity.

  • OAU council visits Ooni of Ife

    OAU council visits Ooni of Ife

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, has stated his readiness to support anybody or group of people willing to use their talents, intellect and resources to project the image of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, to the world.

    The monarch gave the commitment in his palace when the new Governing Council of the institution visited him.

    Led by the Pro-Chancellor and chairman of council, Prof Roland Ndoma-Egba, members were charged to use their wealth of experience to take OAU to a greater height among its peers.

    Oba Sijuwade thanked the council members for the visit, praying that OAU would witness and experience unprecedented progress, success and development during their tenure. The royal father, who observed that the personality of the chairman and the workaholic nature of his team would make the job of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bamitale Omole, easy, showered the council members with royal blessings, and presented gifts to Prof Ndoma-Egba.

    Prof Ndoma-Egba extolled the monarch’s virtues, praising him for using his royal stool to bring development to Ife, Osun State and Yoruba race in general. He said: “Kabiyesi, your reign has brought peace, development and stability to this kingdom of Ife and the Yoruba human race. We depend on your royal blessings and wisdom to succeed in everything we shall do here.”

    The chairman, who praised the contributions of the Ooni of Ife to the development of OAU, said his team would ensure the institution maintained its academic standard.