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Tag: Obaship

  • Yorubaland and the bogey of Obaship

    Yorubaland and the bogey of Obaship

    • By Sunday Olagunju

    Sir: The spate of chaos, confusions, litigations and undue delays which have characterized Obaship selection in Yorubaland in recent times, seem to have thrown the once revered and sacrosanct institution into serious tumult and near possible disgrace.

    Today, there are many stools in Yorubaland that have remained vacant for years due to differences among the contestants. In recent times, three major Yoruba big towns, namely, Ogbomoso, Ilesha and Oyo had their stools filled after some years of vacancies.

    No sooner winners emerged that some losers to the throne raised dusts and took the Oba-elects to court. These were rare occurrences in the past. In the past it was a taboo to take an Oba-elect to court, but nowadays it is the vogue, signaling rising degeneration of the values and relevance of the institution of Obaship.

    The importance of Obaship, especially in Yorubaland cannot be overemphasized, but given the high degree of degradation that has hobbled the institution in recent times, a lot of well-meaning citizens are beginning to lose interest in its likely impetus as a viable organ of maintenance of traditional law and order.

    Today, Obaship in Yorubaland suffer from five fundamental problems which must be tackled headlong or completely dealt with in order to restore the institution back to its past glory. The first is political interference as occasioned by the involvement of state governors who now compete with kingmakers for Obaship selection.

    Second is the corrupt tendencies by kingmakers who see the installation of a king as a life time opportunity. They jostle among various contestants, brow-beating them into parting with homogous sum of money as gifts or palm greasing before finally settling for the most unpopular or the least qualified of the contestants.

    Thirdly is unwieldly number of ruling houses who could hardly reach compromise to present one of their best for the position. Fourth is lack of accountability of how much a contestant for Obaship can spend to be regarded as reasonable within the limit of the law. Obaship selection too should be controlled in terms of expenses so that probable winners do not spend years after installation paying back debts and bastardizing tradition when unable to pay creditors.

    Finally, the waning popularity of traditional institution as a result of the poverty of most Obas who come to the throne without personal legacies and soon discover that their salaries are mere stipends that do not satisfy or confer on them the perceived dignity and financial freedom required of a traditional ruler.

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    What are the solutions to the incessant battles for Obaship selection in Yorubaland and what can be done to lift the morale of ragning Obas, many of whom are fast becoming disillusioned because of the perceived dead end of the Obaship position?

    One, the constitutional amendments before they become laws should accord responsibilities to Obas, especially the notable first class Obas who are well educated and experienced. Many of them are retirees from great positions in the society.

    In the past Obas were elected as governors, like Sir Adesoji Aderemi, Ooni of Ife, Sir Fadahunsi, Sir Francis Ibiam, Kazeem Ibrahim etc. They should be given responsibilities to keep them busy. Two, there should be pruning of ruling houses to ensure that only children born on the throne are eligible to contest after the demise of a king.

    Three, princes who are in diaspora should not be overrated above those at home who are not close to the traditional rites or who have to begin to learn the role for lack of home stay.

    Four kingmakers should be notable people who have personal means and not depending on crumbs from contesting princes for Obaship.

    Five today’s kingmakers should not foreclose completely traditional rites or rituals of the past, since it is a traditional issue. It must be a combination of the tradition and modern methods of prayer and supplications to God for the right choice of candidate.

    Finally, Obaship selection should be saved from the imbroglio of politics, especially by politicians who see politics in everything and will do all they can to either tilt or pervert the whole exercise to favour their nefarious decisions.

    •Sunday Olagunju

    Ibadan, Oyo State.

  • Obaship institution at the crossroads

    Obaship institution at the crossroads

    By Oluwole Ogundele

    Talking a load of rubbish and weakening the old domain loyalties of the institution of obaship in the south western region as elsewhere in Nigeria, have their deep roots in the colonial past. That is to say, that the old social order began to crumble away as from the tail end of the 19th century. The popular but inglorious invasion of Benin in Edo land in February, 1897 by the acting Consul-General of Nigeria (James Phillips) cannot be forgotten in a hurry. This was during the reign of Oba Ovonramwen who succeeded Oba Adolo in 1892. Indeed, this was an assault on the country’s collective kingship system.

    After a polite reply to the Consul-General’s letter not to visit him (Oba Ovonramwen) because he was performing Ague ceremony for his late father, James Phillips, including his entourage came to Benin. Visitors were forbidden from entering the community to see the king during that festival. However, most members of the group were killed by the Benin soldiers who were lying in ambush. The brutal expedition that followed was a manifestation of the hidden agenda of the Consul-General to enter the city with a view to looting the Benin world-class court art pieces.

    One great lesson from this incident was that the monarch (Oba Ovonramwen) took his courage in both hands. This was an attempt to defend the culture and tradition of his community. Today’s obas need to have the courage of their convictions at all times.   Monarchs must be ready to take the bull by the horns in the interest of cultural sustainability and general human progress.

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    Despite the inevitable, but ontologically ethnocentric judgements across the global village about cultures and traditions, every serious, development-oriented society respects its age-long heritage. This is within the confines of critical transformation or change. It is common knowledge, that European and Asian geo-polities among others, necessarily allow their cultures to occupy centre stage in the scheme of things. Their kingship systems are still being respected despite the challenges and sensitivities of modern global politics. They are not moronic at all!

    Obas in Yoruba land have to maintain their terrestrial and extra-terrestrial statuses as “living” ancestors. Their palaces are major political, cultural, and social powerhouses. In actuality, palaces are sources of inspiration to the people. Therefore, those overbearing former and current political leaders, who lack the capacity to domesticate “international” protocols, must begin to do a rethink.  Those who treat obas, emirs, and obis like a bunch of trash need to go back to school. Traditional rulers represent the hearts and souls of their communities. Such an existential reality is a global language. Despite the dynamic character of culture, certain salient facets must be preserved for the sake of social stability and robust humanity.  Preserving our cultural originality or authenticity is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians.

    However, the kings should not have unbridled extroverted minds. They have to be reserved humans in order to earn maximum respect and/or honour. Obas are supposed to socialise with people within the framework of moderation or decorum.  In other words, some reasonable amount of seclusion is of the essence. Kingmakers in Yoruba land always make it compulsory for an oba-designate to be inside ipebi (a secluded, sacred space) for some days. This is part of the training process. Surprisingly, some obas-designate try to avoid this stage, although at their own peril. This may account for some of the reasons why a few of them occasionally cast caution to the winds.

    It is too easily forgotten, that obas are deities as the crowns sometimes, cover their faces. In the past, community members see the faces of their kings only on special occasions. An extremely extroverted mind or prince is not fit to be an oba/king. The phenomenon is beyond the idea that it is my turn to rule. The chagrined world, watch some post-colonial political leaders as they defecate on the public space due to power-drunkenness. They have to liberate themselves from the bondage of superiority complex-a relic of savagery.  However, those kings desperately pursuing contract awards here and there cannot have their cake and eat it. But there are some extremely fine minds who double as obas in our communities. Others should start emulating them.  Kingmakers should help us in showcasing the best candidates when searching for new obas. In this regard, a considerable degree of de-materialisation of their minds (kingmakers) is very critical. Good character and readiness to serve a given community with justice and fairness are of the essence. This is how we can begin to gradually craft a new obaship institution enshrined in integrity. The lost glories must be reclaimed at all costs.

    If caution is not taken, some megalomaniac individuals among us would soon start whipping our obas either inside the palaces or in the public space. Nigeria is on the edge of a precipice. There is fire on the mountain!

    In my opinion, the modern political class seriously needs the traditional rulership institution more than hitherto. Thus, for example, the high crime rate in today’s Nigeria can be reduced to the barest minimum with the collaboration of the obas, obis, and emirs. We seem to quickly forget that these maligned traditional rulers, are the best surveyors and security officers of their domains.  They can easily identify strangers coming into their communities. They also can get intelligence reports about them. These rulers need to be motivated so that they can begin to collaborate much more than hitherto with the police and other security personnel. Therefore, state governors cannot succeed without these obas.

    No rural development projects can be sustainably executed without networking with our community leaders.  Obas and other categories of local leaders across the board, remain a force to reckon with. Flexing muscles with them is counter-productive in a plethora of ways. It is very worrying, that after more than six decades of independence from Britain, most of our political leaders have failed to grow up. Their numerous trips to overseas countries are like a mere jamboree. They have failed to critically incorporate some of the best values from the Western world into the Nigerian socio-economic and political culture. Indeed, the country can be compared (to a large extent), to an animal kingdom. Travelling on our roads is now a nightmare scenario. This reflects cumulative governmental failure. As a matter of fact, our dilapidated/demonic roads are consuming tires like pounded yam as if nobody is in control.

    The kingmakers need to start selecting new obas on the basis of merit including fairness. Corruption de-humanises in the long run. Indeed, corruption is a world away from wisdom. It is at variance with happiness and progress on a sustainable scale. Once again, Nigerians should not join the former colonial overlords and their sympathisers in ridiculing critical facets of the country’s time-tested cultures and traditions. Suffice it to say, that Brazil, Spain, Portugal, France, Britain, and Italy among others, do not bastardise their kingship systems under the guise of modernity.

    • Prof. Ogundele is of Dept. of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Ibadan.

  • Obaship in an era of palliatives

    Obaship in an era of palliatives

    In an interview with journalists recently, the Elegboro of Ijebu-Jesa in the Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Moses Oluwafemi Agunsoye stated that “no one can sit on the throne as a monarch nowadays without having good money”. According to the first class monarch, “gone are those days when people brought things to the palace, where the Kabiyesi would sit down and expect manna from heaven. Now, it is the palace that is giving out … So, an Oba must be up and doing, must have a job, or source of handsome income and he cannot rely on the people.”

    On consultations with the deities before choosing a king, Oba Agunsoye said: “at times, traditionalists lie when choosing a king because money has exchanged hands. A rich man can be made a king once he pays the Ifa and the Ifa would speak in his favour, unlike those years when the truth is sacred and must be told at all times.”

    To start with, when Oba Agunsoye said no one becomes an Oba without being wealthy, Kabiyesi was only joining the likes of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona and Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi in appropriately situating the fate that has tragically befallen the traditional institution in Nigeria. Talking philosophically, Elegboro was also inquiring about what might have been delaying the emergence of a new Soun of Ogbomoso and Alaafin of Oyo, close to two years after the demise of the occupants of the exalted thrones.

    ‘Different strokes for different folks’, goes the 20th century proverbial saying. Since society is not static, the relevance or otherwise of the traditional ruler has changed so much that many things now look bizarre. Well, the major crack is the unnoticeable changing nature of institutions in Nigeria. Often, all our approaches to modernity are seen as an attempt to repudiate the traditional core values of the society. Since it is not sharp, it moves piecemeal. As such, it is not all that noticeable. Yet, it is there! The first thing is that institutional changes come without much hubbub. In an ideal world, the Oba of a town is a man in three solid offices in which none is insignificant. He is by all accounts the political head, the traditional ruler and the spiritual leader of his people.

    In a non-homogeneous society like ours, it is a traumatic responsibility. An Oba is the head of the Sango traditional worshippers. When the Christian community calls, the Oba shouldn’t be wanting. And whenever it’s the turn of the Muslims, the sacred king must also look for a kurfi and join the Ummah in making supplications to Allah. In a word, an Oba must just be who his subjects want him to be.

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    Hire and fire! Depose and jail! Needless to repeat that the traditional and the spiritual attributes of Obaship in Nigeria have become moribund and rubbished! Regrettably so, modernism has long rendered its political attribute impotent. Given the circumstances in Nigeria, the traditional institution could not have done better. In reality therefore, the traditional institution will have to reinvent itself; otherwise, troubled times loom. An example is the futile effort to reintegrate the traditional institution into politics; and it’s distancing its members from their ancestral core values.

    When Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi was to be crowned, all kinds of questionable and unimaginable insinuations occurred; but they were all dismissed, either for exigency or for political reasons. For example, Iyiola Omisore warned that the people should not allow Bola Tinubu to come from Lagos and impose Ooni Adimula on Ile-Ife. But that’s where the warning ended. Not even the traditional chiefs and/or handlers of the ancient throne of Ife listened to him. In the end, the Apesin Oodua of Ife lost the battle and Ojaja II emerged. The rest is history!

    As things stand, one is at a loss of a blueprint of the roles and responsibilities of the traditional rulers and the definition of their powers in the Southwest. Of course, things have changed dramatically from what they were in not-so-distant past in Nigeria’s rich history, when the likes of Oba Adesoji Aderemi, Oba Olateru Olagbegi and Omo n’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Erediauwa were here! Now, every Ife-born child, whether traditionally right or otherwise, wants to be a Sooko, a position hitherto reserved for apparent heirs to the throne; a position that’s supposed to be a product of initiation.

    Let’s go to Ibadan and see what the traditional institution has become. Arguably, this is the first time the ancient city will be having a comprehensively educated and robustly enlightened monarch.  Oba Moshood Olalekan Balogun participated in the politics of the 1970s as a young Ph.D. holder. Essentially Ibadan bred and born, Okumade II knows his onions. As a matter of fact, no one engages him in a debate and loses; one is bound to gain something from him. Again, this is where the media seems to have missed a vital opportunity: that Lekan Balogun became the Olubadan of Ibadanland and the Fourth Estate has done next-to-nothing in terms of tapping from the wealth of experience of this man of solid ideas who will always reveal stuff that will shake the entire country!

    Time it was when Nigeria’s physical scenarios did not favour Olubadan Balogun, not because he was not qualified. The future 42nd Olubadan was only a target of the attitude of the elite and the judgment of fate! His Imperial Majesty was a victim of a society that was not ready for a man of his stature and status. Thank God for sparing his life. Now that he is the Olubadan, it’s time Kabiyesi revisited some of those brilliant ideas he used to discuss in the ‘70s. As a man with a deep sense of history, it behooves Oba Balogun to do his best to right some of the wrongs of the past.

    So far, the most reassuring and settled order in the Southwest is the kingship order in Ijesaland; and that’s the truth! Take, for example, for a prince to emerge as ‘Owa Obokun of Ijesaland’, he has to perform certain traditional rites. It’s not just money! No! It’s not that an Omisore will have to turn into a protest merchant; or that a Tinubu will allegedly wake up on the other side of the bed and insist on a particular candidate as the next Owa Obokun of Ijesaland. No! It can’t happen in Ijesaland! Should anybody dare, then the Ijesas will stand against him; all hell will let loose because Ogendengbe Agbogungboro will wake up from his grave, fight the cause of his forebears and restore order; and society will calm down! Take it or leave it, society is not a detached object; it has an anchor to hold by and to hold to! Incontestably, these are the strictures that hold any rational society; and Ijesaland can’t afford to be different!

    In fairness to posterity, the Obaship institution in Nigeria, especially, in the Southwest is shifting and drifting. When society begins to drift, it continues in that trend, until there is a jerk to change the direction. But that doesn’t just happen! As if the gods are angry, the traditional institution is no longer as potent as it used to be. So, the central advice really is for all traditional rulers to rule according to the dictates of the native intelligence within their domains. In the considered opinion of yours sincerely, this is the best option!

    May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!