Yoruba monarchs keep mum over Awujale’s, Alake’s rift
Awujale of Ijebuland
Prominent Yoruba monarchs refused to comment over the superiority clash between the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona and the Alake of Egba land, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo at the weekend.
Most of the traditional rulers, who The Guardian correspondent spoke to called for restraints and urged sober reflections and prayers, rather than conflicts.
The Olugbo of Ugboland, who is the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee of the Yoruba Traditional Rulers, Oba Frederick Akinrutan, declined to comment on the supremacy battle, but would rather seek ways of ending the feud.
One of his aides, who spoke to The Guardian said, “Kabiyesi will not want to comment on the issue right now. As the reconciliation committee chairman, he would not like to be dragged into a problem he is likely going to resolve.”
The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, who allegedly ranked the Yoruba monarchs, refused to make further statement on the matter when this correspondent contacted his palace.
According to palace sources, he will issue a statement in due course on the matter.
“The Alake, at this point in time, will rather refrain from making any statement on the matter. But people can be rest assured that he will issue a statement on the matter in due course. The statement would address all your questions, I assure you,” said the palace source.
From the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi’s court, there were also indications that “he would react on the controversy soon. The source said he is actually taking his time to do so at the moment.”
He was alleged to have visited the Federal Government Archives in Ibadan a few days ago “in his usual meticulous method, to be able to articulate his position very well on the issue.
The foremost Yoruba traditional ruler was also said to have met with obas from the Oyo province area, with the supremacy battle, said to be one of the subject of discussion at the meeting.
His media aide, Bode Durojaiye told The Guardian that the Alaafin would not speak on the matter at this moment, but would do so at the appropriate time.
“Alaafin does not want to join issues with anybody for now. Others have been speaking, but ‘Iku baba Yeye’ (supreme being), will address the issue in due course. For now, he doesn’t want to say anything.”
Another top Yoruba traditional ruler, who also refused to comment on the issue was the paramount ruler of Ijeshaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran.
He however, appealed to all that this period calls for sober reflections and prayers, rather than conflicts that would do nobody any good.
In his words, Oba Aromolaran said, “I will like to remain silent for now, because silence at this moment is golden. I will pass my comment at a later date. What I know is that this is not the right time to be encouraging feud among traditional institutions. A smart person doesn’t fight openly.
“The country presently requires prayers of the traditional institutions, things are rough and tough for the people,” he said.
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6 Comments
They better do something about that. When you keep babying a rift, it obviously grows into a ravine. Peace in any Nigerian locality is a step towards overall peace in the Nation. Agitation sometimes nurtures anarchism.
This is what we normally say about the Yoruba people with their hypocrisy Call them now before it is too late as every King has control over his subject alone within their jurisdiction .It is absolutely impossible for any first class King to come to Ibadan and order me to do certain things EXCEPT the Olubadan of Ibadan ,so what is the essence of irrelevant classification They are out of order in their out bust and they must be examples to every Yoruba Sons and Daughters.
There is no cause for alarm. All that has been witnessed can be summarised as “Alake raised an unnecessary huge dust, and the Awujale went into the air with an helicopter equipped with water sprinkler and doused it” And so there is quiet and it will remain so for long. NO CATEGORISATION OF OBAS IN YORUBALAND. Let them co-habit with their subjects in an atmosphere of mutual respect, spirit of oneness and common goals la i f’ota pe.
The Alake’s statement on the 5 principal obas in Yorubaland to Ooni Ogunwusi was not meant to create animosity but rather to put records straight as to the pre-eminence of the Ooni’s throne over all other Yoruba crowns derived from Oduduwa as THE SOURCE. He spoke glowingly of the crowns of the Ooni, Alaafin, Oba of Benin and Awujale, as any Omoluabi should do, and never belittled any of these crowns.
The Alake, however, warned of the ego of some Yoruba Obas, something he had seen first hand, and something he knew would be a threat to the new Ooni’s reign and the new dawn breaking over a now united Yoruba nation.
I have it on good authority that a few years ago, the current Alake was asked to mediate between the late Ooni Sijuwade and the Awujale over their long running feud by some senior Yoruba elders, led by respected Yoruba statesman, Olaniwun Ajayi.
The Alake succeeded in bringing the two monarchs together for a closed door meeting where a lot of home truths were told to the Awujale that he didn’t like to hear. When prodded to disclose his main grouse against the late Ooni Sijuwade, the Awujale said, “..the Ooni always travelled abroad with an entourage of 20-30 people and he gave the western world the wrong impression that he was the only monarch in Nigeria… ! Oba Gbadebo was said to have told Oba Adetona point blank that if that was his major grouse with Ooni Sijuwade, then he (Adetona) should try and travel with a bigger entourage of 40-50 people if he felt the Ooni was outshining him, rather than insulting the elderly man and his reverred throne on the pages of newspapers and in his books.
The meeting concluded with late Ooni Sijuwade presenting Awujale Adetona with several letters written by past Awujales to past Oonis, ALL OF THEM showing the past Awujales of Ijebu addressing the past Oonis of Ife as ” My Dear Father” , ” Baba Mi”, and other reverent salutations.
It is is the pent up ill -feeling of the Awujale towards the Alake for putting him in that meeting where Oba Adetona was forced to acknowledge the bitter truth that we saw let out by the Awujale last week, when he chose to use 9 paragraphs of his 20 paragraph speech at his chair endowment to insult the Alake’s person, crown and history, nothing else.
Everyone knows that Awujale Adetona has always been on cordial terms with the Alake, who since his coronation has shown nothing but love to the Awujale and all other Obas within and outside Ogun State.They have direct access to each other, attend each others’ functions and have never quarrelled before now. It is obvious that the Awujale was speaking form a deep-seated animosity and hatred for the Alake by his choice of words in his response. Everyone also knows that the Awujale is very vindictive NEVER forgives any slight, no matter how small.
I urge all Yorubas to read between the lines and see clearly that it is better the Alake fights this battle now and put the Awujale in his rightful place, because sooner or later, Oba Adetona’s unbridled ego would as usual, get the better of him and he would have gone ahead and disrespected the new Ooni, just as he publicly ridiculed both the crown and person of the late Ooni Sijuwade, and just as he fought Awolowo and his political leadership of the Yorubas and worked with the enemies of the Yoruba to ensure Awolowo never became president of this country.
Yoruba ronu!
Well, the Ooni whose visit started the story has gone to the origin of the argument, Benin to pick his jewel! The rest can continue the argument!
“Iku baba yeye” does not translate to the “supreme being” please. We should not start another controversy please. His title, “Alase ikeji Orisa” signifies that the “Iku baba yeye” is subordinate to the one and only Supreme Being.
We will review and take appropriate action.