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Ruling my people for 25 years is by God’s grace, says Oba Akinloye

By Gbenga Akinfenwa and Precious Ihejirika
23 October 2018   |   3:58 am
His Royal Majesty Alaiyeluwa Oba Tijani Adetunji Akinloye, Sateru II, the Ojomu of Ajiranland, Eti-Osa, Lagos State, clocks 25 years on the throne today.

Oba Akintoye

His Royal Majesty Alaiyeluwa Oba Tijani Adetunji Akinloye, Sateru II, the Ojomu of Ajiranland, Eti-Osa, Lagos State, clocks 25 years on the throne today. He was installed as the 14th Ojomu of Ajiranland on October 23, 1993. Since his enthronement, Ajiranland has been transformed into a bustling, thriving commercial and residential area. The foremost traditional ruler of the Lekki Peninsula spoke with GBENGA AKINFENWA and PRECIOUS IHEJIRIKA, on the journey so far, secret of the community’s growth and how the landmark judgment over the state government transform the fortune of the community.

You were crowned 25 years ago, how have you managed to sustain the throne these past years?
It is by the grace of God that we have been able to accommodate ourselves in these past years. What matters most is understanding the custom and tradition of the people and that understanding has assisted us in moving together. By and large, we have been able to tolerate ourselves, where there are issues and arguments; we try to mellow it down and where there are issues that are worth celebrating, we do it together. One thing I know is that my people want to be carried along in everything.

Looking at your background as an educationist, some people of your calling may not accept to become traditional rulers, was there any time you regretted mounting the throne?
There were, definitely there were, but then what do I do? I have no other place to call my place, and I cannot run away. So many times when my people come to me for help, what was I to do? Though you are powerless, but then they expect you to perform, what do you do? You cannot go borrowing, particularly when they demand for financial assistance and that is where we disagree mostly because people feel that you have that money, but there is no money.
People turn the popular Yoruba adage k’osi gberu mi ninu ga, so mi kale lowa ninu ga, meaning you don’t take things away from the palace, but you should always bring whatever you have to the palace. But despite this, I have had to take it that way.

As the foremost traditional ruler of the Lekki Peninsula, what is your relationship with other traditional rulers under your jurisdiction and others across Lagos State?
As far as the relationship with other traditional rulers, particularly the Obas is concern, there is cordial relationship between us. The issue is that those of us in Eti-Osa are descendants of Awori. Outside Eti-Osa to the Lagos east are mostly Ijebus, but I am in between the Awori and the Ijebus because Ajiran, being what it is, is actually the intermediary between the two. So we mix with the Ijebus and the Aworis, we are together. Some of them who are in the category of first class monarchs, we are together in the council of Obas and Chiefs in Alausa, that’s another forum for us to exchange views and mix together. Those of us in Eti-Osa, we are together and we hold meetings together. Apart from the Awori Obas, we are all used to ourselves, so there is no problem.

I will make reference to the late Elegushi of Ikate, people used to call us twin brothers in those days, as we were always together. By and large, we are always together.

Is there any link between this Awori and the Awori in Ogun State, in Ado-Odo/Ota area?
Well, they are all descendants of Olofin and that Olofin syndrome binds us together, though those in Ota are in the hinterlands, but those of us in the South here are in the wetland area. It was the issue of state boundary that separated us, but those in Alimosho are closer to those in Ota. For those of us here, they call us Eko-Awori, but we all together.

What would you point to as your greatest achievement, since you became a monarch?
That may be dicey for me to say because things happen day in, day out. As far as I am concerned I try to forget things and put them aside, so that I do not carry things to bed. But what I think is our significant achievement was the judgment we had against Lagos State government, in respect to the Land Use acquisition. That has been a landmark judgment, which has been beneficial to everybody in Eti-Osa, even up to Ibeju-Lekki because by the land use acquisition by the state in 1981, which we challenged later in 1989. Nobody knew we could have the judgment in our favour, but thank God it was to our favour. That landmark has given us the confidence to have control over traditional cities.

How can the traditional institution sustain respectability in society?
Some monarchs feel they can occupy the position through acquisition, and in that case they do not understand the tenents of that position.

In those days why people see them as sacred it was because they were truthful, their words were their bonds, but these days you find out that it’s not the same again.

Love of money is the root of evil and you find out that money has really changed the way people see life. The truthfulness they had in those days has been eroded, because that was what made them to comport themselves. Today, you’ll find an Oba attending night parties and getting exposed to people who are not really worthwhile; they say birds of the same feather flock together that is the problem.

People don’t really put themselves in respectable position; people will only respect you, if you respect yourself. I cannot imagine an Oba drinking beer and dancing in night clubs, it is the way people have exposed themselves that is bringing down the glory and respect for the Obas.

The level of insecurity in communities appear to be on the rise, as the monarch and security officer of your community, what efforts do you make to secure your community?
As far as security is concerned, we keep all eyes open. When I say that I mean that we use people who are known in the community, people who are exposed in the community, as security agents.

For example, here we have about four sets of security personnel-the vigilante group, neighborhood watch, we have about 20 or more youths who are made up of the Task Force team to watch over the community, because there had been cases of stealing. Even, people go out to steal and claim they are from Ajiran. For example, we have made it a rule or law that the task force boys should always keep people outside the gate after 12 midnight. The task force comprise of sons of Ajiran, so they know who is a stranger and who is not a stranger. We also have the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps and the police. These task force work together with the neighbourhood watch officials and the police. So we have a tight security network within the community.

Would you support the agitation for state police?
As far as we are concerned, that is what we are doing. We are in support of state police; it’s only when they add political colouration to it that we‘ll feel that there is no need for state police.

There is need for state police; for example, the task force boys I am using are our community police. What we are doing is that we don’t allow them to take laws into their hands. If they see any serious issue, they’ll either report to the police, to me or any of the chiefs who would take action. So, state police is welcome. We are doing it internally.

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