Many would brand it civilisation. A teenage Yoruba boy wakes up in the morning and takes a fond stare at his father. He takes two footsteps towards the old one and stretches out his right hand to greet his ‘friend’ – sorry, father! ‘Morning dad; wazzup …’ he says. To him, the dog’s belly is the only home to cultural values!
Of course, many a father with no regard for tradition would even give such child a warm embrace, but certainly not die-hard custodians of traditional values in the ilk of Chief Fatai Lawal Olumegbon, the Olumegbon of Lagos. Such a child would not be fortunate to escape his ire!
An encounter between this reporter and Olumegbon at his palatial Ikoyi, Lagos home last week established it: That he would never settle for anything short of unalloyed traditional etiquette and moral rectitude from any of his children. Everyone felt a sense of parental discipline when his last child prostrated to greet everyone at the session. His humility was infectious.
“Oh, this is a typical African child,” a guest gleefully remarked. And Olumegbon looked into his eyes, revealing emphatically: “Naturally, a lion cannot beget a dove. Tradition and culture run in my family. No civilisation or wealth can take it away from us. I have deep passion for the tradition and culture bequeathed to us by our ancestors. And at over 50, I am old enough to know that any society that jettisons its culture and tradition is courting perdition. That is why we, Lagos chiefs, don’t joke with the festivals, sacrifices and other traditions of our ancestors – and that is a major secret behind the steady growth of Lagos.
“Also, my regard for our culture is exemplified by my personal lifestyle. I am a man of moderation. I neither smoke nor drink alcoholic beverages; I only drink water and soft drinks. And you will rarely see me in social events carousing,’ he added.
Perhaps his way of life has to do with his birth. Maybe yes. He went down memory lane: “I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. My father, Akanni Eko, was a Marine Engineer; my mother, Alhaja Sikirat Eko, was the mother of the Oba of Lagos. My father was from the Olumegbon family, while my mother hailed from the Elegushi family. I was the only child of my mother. After passing out of Ansar- Ud- deen Secondary School, Surulere, in 1977, I attended Lagos State University (LASU), where I studied History and Diplomacy and later, Lagos Business School (LBS), where I bagged a Diploma in Business Entrepreneurship.
“So sad, my father died when I was just nine years old and I became an orphan at 10. But I was privileged to be under the guardianship of the parents of the present Head of Service (HOS) in Lagos State, Mrs. Shade Jaji. Her elder brother, Adedapo would not spare me the rod because I was stubborn. Shade would always cry for me, but today, I thank God the beating has made me what I am today. I founded my own business concern, Olofinjana Enterprises; I became the Secretary General, Movement of Oojo, which the extended as far as Badagry, Seme, Badiya et cetera. My life is a worthy lesson for every growing child.”
Olumegbon, a kingmaker, who capped all the Idejo Chiefs, then dropped a bombshell: “If my father were alive, he would never have allowed me to become the Olumegbon on September 25, 2002. He was a devoted Muslim. He did not smoke, drink or womanise. Chief S.L Edu of blessed memory was his closest friend.
Olumegbon, who “had always dreamt to be a king,” is married to the daughter of the departed Lagos monarch, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan – the younger sister of the Onilado of Ilado. “My first son is an engineer; the daughter that followed him is a lawyer; all my children studied in the best schools in the world. I had children at an early age. I am a shrewd businessman, but first, an Ifa priest and custodian of the deities of my forefathers,” he emphasised.
Saying that his influence has immensely helped his community, he explained: “I have built a more befitting palace for the Olumegbon clan, educate our youths to look away from dependency on land as a means of survival and train them in schools to become self-reliant and responsible citizens. These have helped us to retain 1400 hectares of land, making us the largest land owner in Lagos. Julius Berger is now clearing the land, which extends as far as Ajah, Sangotedo and Okun Ajah.”
Maintaining that protracted tussle over the land had long been settled, he said: “We are the rightful owner of Ajah land, going by the Supreme Court judgment given on December 9, 2002 by the Honourable Justice Salihu Modibo Alfa Belgore in Abuja.”
Asked if he was already fulfilled in life? He answered: “No. I can only be fulfilled when I become the Oba of Ajah. Until I was 20 years, I never knew I was a prince and yet my ambition was to be a king. In 1981, I was involved in the Eyo Elegushi as a youth because of the interest I had in Eyo in general. But in 1982, I became aware of the Eyo Olumegbon through my uncle who sighted me in 1981 at Eyo Elegushi parade. He told me about the Eyo Olumegbon; the organisers were instructed to give the Eyo cap freely to me as I am a potential king.”
Olumegbon, who urged the incoming Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to fight corruption, improve education, agriculture, power sector and electricity supply, urges the Governor-Elect of Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode to build on the legacies of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola in Lagos.
He heaped eulogies on Tinubu, saying: “Asiwaju is a man of vision; cry to his house and you will leave smiling. I am a graduate of the Asiwaju School of Thought. We remain loyal his cause.”
