The passing of Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade 1 three months before his 102nd birthday calls for the mourning of a revered monarch who would be missed by his Nigerian compatriots, family and friends, a father figure whose wise presence as well as grace has been denied Ibadan, Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole. But then, the late monarch’s passing calls for the celebration of a long, happy and fulfilled life whose impact still reverberates across the nation. Oba Odunala’s death is indeed an occasion for reflection on the purpose of life and why service unto humanity should be its essence, for he truly served his people very well.

In contemporary times, the death of a natural ruler resuscitates age-long discussions about the continued relevance of traditional institutions. Since Oba Odulana joined his ancestors on January 19, 2016, however, the outpouring of grief has not only shown the importance of traditional rulers and their relevance in Nigeria, the words spoken and the faces shown are symptomatic of the reverence in which the seat and person of a monarch is still held.

A traditional ruler is the embodiment of the cultures and traditions of a people. The 1982 World Conference on Cultural Policies, held in Mexico City defined culture as “the whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterize a society or social group. It includes not only the arts and letters, but also modes of life, the fundamental rights of the human being, value system, traditions and beliefs.” All over the world, these “ways” are based on a people’s present knowledge (or ignorance) on basic issues of life and existence: how they receive their newly-born, how they conduct marriages, how they raise their children, how they worship and how they bury the remains of their departed. Therefore, culture inherently connotes the progressive refining of a people based on their ever expanding enlightenment of life.

Oba Odulana was an uncommon monarch. He ascended the throne with patience and loyalty as a virtue, having risen through the ranks, in the hierarchical method of selecting the Olubadan from the two classes of High Chiefs representing, respectively, the Civilian Line and the War Chiefs (The Balogun line).

It is a system devoid of partisan politics or the usual fierce competition by members of the Ruling Houses in other communities where the usual rotational ruling houses system obtains.
Oba Odulana brought to his duty the wealth of experience of serving in the Colonial military system, participating in community work and political activism. He served in the Federal Legislature and was once a Minister of Labour. Education and that broad exposure placed him in the class of many modern-day monarchs, who benefitted from so-called modern education and religious traditions, granting them a cosmopolitan disposition.

As custodian of the culture and traditions of his people, a monarch, of course, has the challenge of today’s world, with many communities, town or cities no longer monolithic in culture. Ibadan is even more, unique as a melting pot, the confluence of various peoples and ways of life. It has been noted that the city epitomizes the hospitable nature of the indigenous people of the Southwest of Nigeria, an open-mindedness which comes from limitless exposure or education, an inner security or self-assuredness, such as is summated in the words of Mahatma Ghandi thus: “I want cultures of all lands to blow in my house as freely as possible, but I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”

Oba Odulana epitomised all these and more. He demonstrated strong character, leadership and candour. People could always go to him. He was a link between cultures, between ages or generation and between political orientations, be such autocratic military or libertarian civilian democracy. He was also a good link between religious traditions. Indeed, he was the epitome of good breeding and character, a truly cultured person. He recognized the need to insulate the traditional institution from the vagaries and venom of partisan politics. Once, he was reported to have demanded that none of his High Chiefs participate in partisan politics lest they destroy the institution. He was indeed a father to all.

With his passing, Nigeria has not only lost a father-figure but also a symbol of its rich history and character. And his successor already has his job well cut out: a noble tradition to sustain and nurture. People are enhanced by imbibing what is true and edifying in the multiple influences they experience. Hence, culture must be dynamic. The monarch of today must therefore, have sufficient exposure and the courage to assimilate newly recognized truths for application in sustaining what is noble and for dropping aspects of culture that were based on the limited understanding of the past.

As Nigerians and their compatriots join in celebrating the illustrious life of Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade, it is hoped that his successor would take Ibadan, the great city of many hills by the savannah, to even greater heights.