- Explains why he stuck with one wife
Oba Timothy Oluwole Sunday Mosaku is the traditional ruler of Arigbajo in Ewekoro Local Government Area, Ogun State. Besides the residential estate of the multinational Lafarge Cement Company, his community also hosts the 18-hole Ishofin Golf Course which sits on 52 hectares of land. In this interview with GBENGA ADERANTI, the octogenarian monarch talks about his battles with some elements determined to unseat him, his plans for the community’s development and why he remains a monogamist even as a monarch.
What was your early life like?
I was born in 1936, here in Arigbajo. I attended United District Central Primary School, Arigbajo, I went to a modern secondary school in those days in Abeokuta, Government Trade Centre, Ijebu Ode and Institute of Management. I did journalism. I embrace all the religions — Christianity, Islam and traditional religion, because I am king over all.
Were your parents responsible for your education?
That is private to me. But for the modern school, they were responsible. Growing up, I had a lot of challenges because my grandfather had four wives, among them the late Hubert Ogunde-styled Ojuyemi.
How was life after your education?
After my education, I went into paid employment, and during this period, I started developing myself educationally. I can tell you that I am a management scientist I worked at Vono Plc. I was the president of Vono Plc workers’ union. I spent 12 years working in Vono. I also worked at the CSS Bookshop, now known as Bookshop House, four companies in one. I was at the commercial department.
In my early employment years, I underwent tutelage under Europeans and Nigerians. However, my finest master was not a European; he was an African called Allen Taylor. He called us during one of our training sessions and said: “Gentlemen, let me tell you a philosophy of life. You may be a carpenter and your classmate is a carpenter. But your classmate is making it and you are not making it. Change your course. Before you change up to five courses, you will make it out there.” So, I started following that principle.
We gathered that you are the first ruler of Arigbajo to be crowned an Oba. What would you tell us about the history of the community?
Arigbajo was founded by my forefather, Kusi Mamowolo; a great hunter. He came here in search of animals. After killing an animal, he would eat, give others some and take the rest to Itoku Market in Abeokuta for sale.
Before this place was founded, he had founded one Arigbajo very close to Wasinmi. They call that Arigbajo Ehin, I’ve gone there to officiate on many occasions. They have not had an Oba, only an Asipa. They cannot have an Oba without my permission. My domain here and Arigbajo Ehin, we are all Egba.
The people of the town speak Egba, Owu and a variant of Oyo. What could have been responsible for this?
(Prolonged laughter) We are all Egba. The relationship is that we have four sections in Abeokuta. They are Egba Ake, where you get the paramount ruler today who is Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo,; the only accredited Oba to give a crown to any Oba. So anyone installed by Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo is the only Oba recognised.
Considering the complexities that are involved in choosing a monarch, how were you able to surmount the challenges?
I had a sister whose name was Mobolaje Ajala nee Mamowolo. She was the one who took it upon herself to appeal to me to come and become the king. I initially didn’t want to accept because I knew that being an Oba would be a problem, given the way I wanted to live my personal life. But she prevailed on other members of the family to persuade and convince me.
I didn’t want to bear the burden. These family members came to Lagos several times in their bid to convince me. Many slept over for many days trying to persuade me. My sister, on one occasion, lamented that if she had been a man she wouldn’t have needed convincing a reluctant person like me. My wife (now the Olori) begged me that I should listen to her.
To manoeuvre and also to be sure I was the right candidate for the throne, I told them to go and consult the oracle. They went as far as Oke Nla, a very thick forested area in Ifo Local Government Area. I didn’t go with them. The reason my sister was concerned that the right person should become the king was because she had discovered then that some of our forefathers’ tenants were also agitating to become the king and at the same time sponsoring my younger brother so he could become their puppet.
These tenants originally came to Arigbajo to beg my grandfather- Mamowolo, to give them land and a chance to stay in the town. He even told them that they should go to other places but they persisted. Thus, my grandfather allowed them to stay, and in a show of ambition and ingratitude, they now wanted to occupy the throne, for which they have no right!
What did an oracle tell those who went to consult him?
The Ifa oracle told them that this man (referring to me) is not only a Baale (clan head); he is also a king even if he has little money now. They came back to me with this report, but I still ran away to Lagos but they followed me. One of the people that came to call me is still alive. He is Baale Adewole. So, I finally succumbed to their pressure and came home for installation.
Were there others who contested the throne with you at that time?
Yes, our forefather’s tenants. It is these groups of people that I call chief tenants that are giving me and my domain problems up till today. They wanted to become the king or promote one of my brothers to become the king.
Are you saying that some of the people contesting the stool are not natives of Arigbajo?
They are tenants. They came to beg Mamowolo to give them land to stay with them. He even told them to go to other places but they begged. He allowed them to stay and they now want to become the king of the town.
At 88, your memories are still sharp enough to recall the past vividly. What is the secret?
It is like that because I’m married to one wife.
It is generally believed that a king must marry more than one wife and even inherit other people’s wives if they want. Why is your preference for one wife?
There is no Yoruba tradition that says a monarch should have many wives. However, some circumstances, like pity for some unattached women or other local reasons may persuade an Oba to marry more than one woman.
Anyway, the impression that an Oba must have many wives does not apply to me. That is their own. The Alake of Egba, as of now, is a monogamist. Maybe I copied him.
What are the things that have changed in the town since you assumed the throne of your forefathers?
I have brought different developments to the community and I still have plans to do more.
Even when I had not become the king, I had formed a society in Lagos in 1965, which I called the Arigbajo Improvement Union. We worked hand in hand with our people here from Lagos. The purpose, as the name sounds, is to improve the town. We recorded some successes and this is what I have continued with on the throne.
I was the driving force behind the building of the police station, although it is yet to be commissioned. I’ll say it was built with government money. I, however, gave them the land. There is the golf course along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. There, it is like Europe, where white men who work in Lafarge Cement recreate. I donated the land too.
I went there and they said I should come and play golf. I did and they were surprised that I could play golf. You know that once a soldier is always a soldier.
The Arigbajo Market attracts people from all over the country. What is that thing that makes it tick?
The Arigbajo market was founded by my grandfather, Egunleti Mosaku. He worked relentlessly to build it, and that is what has worked for its resilience up to date. Let me tell you, everybody from far and wide does come there to ply their trade. It’s the largest market in this area.
I thank God that I formed a society in Lagos in 1965 and I called it Arigbajo Improvement Union. We were working hand in hand with our fathers here.
Let’s talk about your other sporting activities…
I am also a footballer and soccer enthusiast. I started playing football in Arigbajo here. It was my Igbo teacher in school who set me on the path of football. One day, he just sent me to the field. At the end of the day, I became a very good player. When I was at Abeokuta, I was a very popular and well-sought-after footballer at a place called Four Corners.
What are the challenges that you are facing?
The biggest challenge is from our chief tenants. Up till today, they still want to be part of the ruling house.
What do you want the government to do for this community?
Education is paramount in the development of any nation or community. I appeal to the government (local and state) to support my domain with more primary and secondary schools. Also, we need more health centres for all the more than 20 villages under my domain. We lack potable water, so, we plead for public-spirited individuals and the government to construct more boreholes in the villages.
Our main market is the famed Arigbajo Market, but we want more markets and commercial development. Erosion is threatening the livelihoods and houses of many of my community members and even their farmlands. It has dug gullies everywhere to the river bank. Lack of drainage on some of the inner roads is part of the reason erosion and flooding is prevalent in Arigbajo. Government should help us grade our rural roads and even the tarred Trunk B and C roads are becoming impassable.
As I told you, those people who are making trouble do not want Arigbajo to grow. But as a monarch, you have to be cool. What they want is to destabilise the town. You said the town is not as developed as Epe. Yes, where there is a problem, there cannot be progress. Ten wards make up Arigbajo, but they had made nonsense of it before I came. It was terrible.
The problem of Arigbajo is traceable to these chief tenants. They have sold Arigbajo Market to one Igbo chap. That is the only factory my grandfather instituted. Egunleti Mosaku founded the market in 1951. Many of them were still sucking breasts when the market was founded. I have told everybody including the Ewekoro Local Government Chairman. I have gone to the police station with a lawyer over the issue.
It is the non-natives that are dragging the town backwards.
I’m calling on all the natives of this town home and abroad to join me in developing the town.
