The Aare Ona Kakanfo of
Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, Monday night lambasted the Olugbo of Ugbo kingdom,
Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, for installing Yoruba Obas who live outside
the country.
In a statement he personally
signed, Adams called the development “desecration of Yoruba culture and
tradition”.
He urged South-West governors,
especially Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, and Yoruba monarchs to call
the monarch to order before it is too late.
The statement reads: “This impudence is fraudulent, a clear and present danger
that can destroy our tradition if something urgent is not done immediately.
“In November last year, I was a
keynote speaker at an event in Ile Ife, where the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial
Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi met over 300 monarchs, while the Alaafin
of Oyo, His imperial majesty, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, sent a powerful delegation,
to a three-day- meeting, organized under the auspices of Heritage Forum to
discuss all the pertinent issues in Yorubaland.
“After the meeting, which was
held at Ife Grand Resorts, all the royal fathers present at the gathering
issued a communique, where they unanimously agreed that nobody should parade
himself as Yoruba Oba in the Diaspora. They condemned the act, adding that
nobody has the right to install an Oba outside the shores of Nigeria.
“What Olugbo did, he did it
single handedly, against the wishes of all the Yoruba Obas in Nigeria as a
whole.
“A good example of this
historical hiatus happened not long ago, when some surrogates came from France,
asking the Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi to install them as a
Yoruba Oba in France. But rather than toeing the path to perdition as Olugbo
just did, the Iwo monarch resisted, saying he will never go against the wishes
of the Yoruba Obas. Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi knew what was right from what was
wrong. As a royal father, he does not want to go to golgotha.
“I am delighted to say it
anywhere that Yoruba history is rich in all ramifications. Nobody has the
audacity to distort our history.
“For instance, one can only
become an Oba either by hereditary or by conquering territories. None of the
newly installed Obas in Olugbo’s Palace has a history of being related to
royalty, either by blood (hereditary) or by conquering a territory.
“In Yoruba history, Ile Ife
remains the cradle of our existence, with over 99 percent of the race migrating
from Ile Ife. Apart from Ile Ife, Oyo has always been a foremost institution in
Yorubaland, with Oranmiyan being the great progenitor. The two ancient towns
occupy the most prominent position in Yoruba history. So, who among the great
Yoruba indigines and Progenitors migrated from Ugbo land? It is a story for
another day.
“If Akinruntan is a student of
history, he will know that those who tried to betray the Yoruba race never
ended well.Against all known laws and customs of our land, Akinruntan ‘crowned’
three characters living abroad who are not even known by Yoruba living at home
and abroad, as traditional Rulers.The three ‘chiefs’ have no royalty in their
blood.
“The three characters are,
according to Akinruntan, the Oriade of Georgia, Oba Bernard Shola Akinrimisi;
the traditional ruler of Yoruba in Liberia, Oba Omobolaji Ogunkoya,Oodua
Gbadewolu I and the traditional ruler of Yoruba in the Republic of Ireland, Oba
Saheed Ibrahim Adufe.
“As the Aare Ona Kakanfo of
Yorubaland, I want to tell Akinruntan that he only crowned these characters as
chiefs in his domain, not as Yoruba Obas in the Diaspora, because he doesn’t
have the power. It is fraudulent, it is an affront on our history and we will
not allow anybody to distort our history.
“In the same vein, I think all
the socio cultural groups in Yoruba land, including Afenifere, Yoruba Council
of Elders, Yoruba Unity Forum and other notable groups in the southwest should
raise their voices against such fraud. It is our responsibilities to protect
our history, and put our records straight.
“More importantly, I will like to
tell some of the professors Olugbo is using to desecrate the traditional institutions
to desist from such acts as that can later hunt them in the future.
“For instance, last Wednesday,
Oba Bamidele Akinwe, Akogbe of Ajueland in Ondo State, was presented with a
staff of office. Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, gave Oba Akinwe
the staff of office on behalf of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
“When you install an Oba,
government presence must be felt or else, everything is null and void. Who did
Akeredolu send to represent him when Akinruntan engaged in that
anti-traditional institution action in his palace?
“All these characters that
Akinruntan installed, how come nobody followed them from where they reside
abroad to the so-called installation? What type of business are they engaged
him in their places of abode? Are we not preparing the ground for a gigantic
embarrassment for Yorubaland? Are they recognised by governments in those
countries?
“Akinruntan crowned one as king
of Georgia, a state in the United States (U.S.) and the other two characters as
kings of countries – Liberia and Republic of Ireland.
“Do we have any king ruling Ondo
State, Oyo State, Ogun State? Do we have any king ruling Nigeria? What an
idiotic action from a so-called ‘number one king in Yorubaland?’
“This is what one of them, the
so-called Oba Yoruba in Liberia, Omobolaji Ogunkoya, said after his so-called
installation by Akinruntan:
“We appeal to the Federal
Government to include diaspora traditional rulers in the scheme of things, so
as to give them the financial wherewithal and moral rectitude to help the
people in the diaspora”.
“Can you imagine? Financial
backing to a so-called Yoruba Oba in the Diaspora? What exactly are they going
to do with this money? Which people are they going to help with this ‘financial
wherewithal’?
“There are many foreigners in
Nigeria. Have you heard of British Monarch, Netherlands Monarch, Belgian
Monarch or Ireland Monarch in Nigeria? What exactly is wrong with Akinruntan?
Since Akinruntan embarked on a
fruitless exercise of fighting the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, for no
just cause, he has been moving from one mistake to the other. I have this
feeling he will soon start fighting the Alaafin of Oyo for no other reason rather
than ego.
“What is Akinruntan’s position in
Yoruba history? Does he think by parading himself as a rich man, Yoruba will
respect him for trying to desecrate the land? Who does he think he is,
embarrassing the Yoruba nation at every opportunity?
“Which Northern Emir abuses the
Sultan of Sokoto, Emir of Kano, Shehu of Borno or Emir of Zazzau? Which
Northern Emir distorts history of the Emirate the way Akinruntanis trying to
distort Yoruba history? What exactly is the matter with this featherweight who
classifies himself as the best thing to have happened to Yorubaland?
Does he learn from history at
all? What exactly is responsible for this arrogance coming from an Oba who is,
traditionally, constitutionally and spiritually, mandated to protect Yorubaland?
Does he think this arrogance will take him anywhere?
At his age, what exactly does he
think he will gain by abusing fellow and superior Obas in Yorubaland? The late
Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi, was not only wealthy, he also played a
principal role in the defunct Western Region administration. He never used his
wealth to distort history.
“His successor, the late Oba
Okunade Sijuwade, was also wealthy and he never used that position to create
crisis in Yoruba traditional institution. So, where is Akinruntan coming from?
Who is using him to cause crisis in Yorubaland?
“He refers to himself as
Chairman, Yoruba Obas Conflicts Resolution Committee. Is it not funny that he
is the one creating tension in the land with his attention-grabbing publicity stunt?
“I want to tell Akinruntan that
nobody can buy the Yoruba, at home and abroad.You cannot gain respect by
attacking other Obas, especially those senior to you. One of those characters
he ‘installed’ as Yoruba Oba in Diaspora, Saheed, hails from Ila-Orangun.
“The Orangun is one of the sons
of Oduduwa. Why didn’t Saheed go to the Orangun to instal him as a Yoruba Oba
in Ireland. The Orangun will never do such a thing because he knows the
implication.
“From Ila-Orangun in Osun State,
he went to Ugboland in Ondo State to be ‘installed’ as Yoruba Oba in Diaspora.
To all sane Yoruba men, women and elders, that installation is inconsequential,
a futility and of little importance.
“We all know the history of
traitor-Obas in Yorubaland and how they ended ignominiously.
Akinruntan, you are climbing the
tree higher than the leaves. As we say in Yorubaland, a word is enough for the
wise.”
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