Oba-elect Oluokun: 41 years in America is no impediment to performing royal duties as Asalu of Egbeland

68 years old Chief Olayemi Sunday Steve Oluokun is the Ighare-Elect of Ijalu, who doubles as Asalu of Egbeland, Kogi State. He has lived in the United States for 41 years. Recently coronated the Asalu of Egbeland, Kogi State, Oluokun who also is National President, Titcombe College Egbe Old Students Association (TCEOSA) shared his journey through life and why influences of American culture is not an impediment to performing his duties as a traditional head in Nigeria. He spoke to RALPH OMOLOLU AGBANA.

Tell me about your career and journey through time?

I’m an engineer who majored in chemical and natural gas engineering. Born in Ibadan in 1956, I started my educational career in Ebenezer Primary School, Ekotedo in Ibadan, it was during the era of Operation Wetie. I was later brought to Egbe to continue my primary education at second ECWA Primary School from 1968 to 1970. From there I went to Titcombe College, Egbe for my secondary school education. The primary reason that brought me to Egbe is that my mother wanted me to attend Titcombe College. I was admitted to Ibadan Boys High School right after my primary five (5). But my mother said no, that I must attend Titcombe College. So I went to Titcombe College, I had fun there but very troublesome. After my secondary school education, I went to Teacher’s College in Anyigba. I taught for one year at Iyara in today’s Ijumu Local Government. I proceeded to Warri where I earned my NND (Nigeria National Diploma) in Petroleum Production. I worked for three to four years in Port Harcourt and proceeded to United States, precisely Texas A&M University for my degree in Chemical Engineering and Natural Gas Engineering.

In what ways do you think your exposure can impact the traditional council and development of Egbe Community?

That’s a very good question. The tradition of Egbe, especially when it comes to chieftaincy, is not totally new to me, though until now I have not actively participated in it. I remember in 1982 when my father was invited to become the Odunro of Egbe and he said he’s not interested. To cut the long story short, my father was the one that nominated the late Chief Fasoro Adeyemi (Fas Ade) as the Odunro then. Before then people suggested that he should nominate me but he insisted that ‘Sunday is still very young for that position’. So, that’s to say I know a little about Egbe traditional leadership or chieftaincy. Yes, I went to America for further studies and I have been there for 41 years, I have never been too distant from home. And when this opportunity came again, it took me time and prayer to say okay, I will accept my people’s request to become the Asalu of Egbeland. You talked about my exposure and impact on traditional activities and development. Again, I think i am fortunate that I might be away or gone for 41 years but I have never totally stayed away from my town’s activities. I have been part and parcel of Egbe Community developmental activities. I don’t want to start making lists of what I have done, because I am more interested in what I am going to do, starting from now on. I am a man of the future, not a man of the past. The past is there to guide us but the future is where the vision is and where the mission is. To further answer your question, I am fortunate for being trained not just as an engineer, I am trained as a leader in US. I had four-month training, I went to classes almost everyday for four months. What I learned in that classroom, will it be 100 percent applicable in Egbe? I don’t think so, because it is of a different culture, but it is my responsibility to filter out what aspects to be used with the hope that my people will find them acceptable because I am not an imposer; I don’t impose my ideas on others. I want us to work together for the benefit of the society.

Given your busy schedule, how do you intend to coordinate your traditional activities from abroad?
“I have to be honest with you; I am very busy. I remember when I was invited to be the president of Titcombe College, the excuse I gave them was that I am very busy. But it was a call to serve and I love to serve when called upon to serve. And I was lucky to work with a good team in TCEOSA (Titcombe College Egbe Old Students Association), that makes my work easier and I pray that I will have a good team in the Egbe traditional council to work with. And like anything else, there’s a learning curve in whatever we are doing. I hope from the next few years I will be going through that learning curve that will not be stressful. But let’s assume there is no learning curve for me and stress sets in, thank God for technology that has made communication easier, and has turned the globe into a village. From my experience, I have handled projects in US where people I was talking to and coordinating were in UK, Canada and Japan, China and I carried out the projects effectively. So, if we want to get anything done, we can get it done, it all depends on the willingness and cooperation of the people, distance is not an impediment. At the same time, mind you, at my age, at almost 70, I should be retired in the United States. What keeps me there now is poverty, because I need enough of money to feed myself post-retirement. The work I am doing right now is to prepare me for my retirement, then come back home, by then all the complaints about distance will minimise.

How has Titcombe College impacted you?

I am grateful to my mom who insisted I attend Titcombe College (TC). TC molded me because of the discipline that was there and I value the quality of education that I acquired at Titcombe College more. When I was in Warri, I took additional mathematics. It was in Warri that I really knew what additional mathematics is because, prepared by my knowledge of mathematics at Titcombe College, I found it so easy to understand the subject. When I got to the Texas A&M University in United States, the chemical laboratory reminded me of Titcombe College laboratories. Because of the practical knowledge I had in Titcombe College, my first two years in the United States studying chemistry was a cinch, because it was very easy for me. Each time I walked into the lab, I always thought of Titcombe College. The way the lab is set, the zink, chemicals, etcetera is just like Titcombe College and that was a University in the United States. Our labs in Titcombe College are built like a university labs in America. It is my prayer and the prayer of every ex-student of Titcombe College to bring back the old glory of Titcombe College to as much as God has endowed us.

What are the new things you have learnt since after your coronation?

The coronation was done on August 3rd, 2024, and I thank God for the opportunity and the responsibilities that will be shouldered by me and I thank the people of Ijalu for nominating me for that responsibility. Some people call it position of leadership, I will not deny that. But I personally see it as a position of service. I am here to serve not just the people who nominated me and ensured that the title is given to me but to serve Egbe Community as a whole. And your question is what are the changes I have seen since my coronation. That’s a very good question but I think it might be too short for me to say I observed these changes. And I could be fortunate to see a change but I am focusing on what I am trying to do within the few days, which is basically unity. I am not expecting to achieve 100 percent unity because that’s a mirage, but if we can get 80 percent of our people working together, that will be great. Talking about new things I observed that are happening around me is that I now have more people coming to me, praying for me, asking God to give me the wisdom to serve them well. Yes, I have always been a people’s person but I have more people now; I receive more visitors and being a listener, the more people come to me, I want them to come with good ideas on how to improve on the past. It is important that i mention too that I have never seen Egbe rally like this behind a figure in recent times, the way they rallied behind me. Traditionally, I was supposed to be nominated by Ijalu, the clan where I came from (you can call it Ijalu village), and make sure that I’m coronated, but to my surprise, everybody came from all aspects of Egbe to support me being installed as the Asalu of Egbeland, that later tells me that I’m not just Asalu of one side but Asalu of all parts of the town. I knew this before but it has been reinforced by the way Egbe people as one unit mobilized and rallied around me.

What is the role of Asalu in Egbe traditional system?

In the good old days in Egbe, we had the Jagun, Olu Kekere, Olu Agba, Odunro, Asalu and Owa as the traditional heads. The six of them they had responsibilities. Owa has authority over Egbe and some other neighbouring villages. For Asalu, his main responsibility is only on Egbe, assisting the Owa.

Does that mean Asalu is second in command to Owa?

Asalu is second in command to Owa, coordinating all the Oloyes and reporting to Owa, because in the olden days Owa was always indoors, doesn’t go out, may be once in a while but Asalu is there for him. If Owa wants anything done in the town he sends the Asalu. Today, all these responsibilities are not as pronounced as they used to be. Like the Ajagun who used to lead during war times, because we don’t fight wars anymore. We now have the Elegbe of Egbe who is the paramount ruler and head of Egbe Traditional Council, while Owa is still performing his traditional role. Like I told you about a learning curve, we are going to sit down and redefine the responsibilities of these titles. I hope that will be the responsibility of the Asalu to asign responsibilities to each of these titles.

You are also referred to as Oba of Ijalu. Are you the Oba of Ijalu?

Asalu of Egbe is a 3rd Class graded Oba. The clan heads referred to as Obas is something new, not only to Egbe tradional system but all over the country now, if you go to Lagos you will see Oba of this, Oba of that, even here amongst our neighbours in Yagba West Area Council. The Obas are recognized by the government. The obaship takes another process. After the traditional corronation, the obaship process will follow, that’s when the government gets involved from Yagba West Local Government Traditional Council, to Okun Area Traditional Council and to Kogi State Council of Chiefs.

What is your plan to make peace with those who contested the Asalu stool with you in other to achieve unity?

I have been a little vocal but at the same time, in this town, I am the kind of a figure that unifies people. Nature habours vacuum, so even before my coronation I have been thinking of it that it is natural for others to want what you want, once it is declared vacant. The difference in this instance is that I did not say I wanted this position; I did not lobby for it, I did not struggle for it. I was the popular decision and invitation by the people of Ijalu who called upon me to come and serve the community in that capacity and ensured I was coronated. And immediately after my coronation I reached out to the other sides of the fence; some of them I visited them in their houses, some of them are ready to work with me, some of them are still grieving. It’s a question of time, I believe everybody will come together, but what I want to let everybody understand is that my purpose of accepting this title is for nothing, I repeat, nothing but for development of Egbe. If you have the same vision, the same goal with me, that is; if we both want development to come to Egbe, I don’t think there should be any long grievances amongst us but I have no control over your own mission. I just have to do what I believe in, you can do what you believe in, as long as it doesn’t harm the town.