Princess Elizabeth Abitogun   was a Regent of Emure-Ile,  in Owo Local Government area of Ondo State.  She is  also  a retired civil servant  and former Confidential Secretary to  Ondo State Governor.  In this interview with Josephine Oguntoyinbo, she shared her experience while on the throne for almost ten years and as a career officer,  among other interesting issues. 

Excerpts.

Tell us  your background ?

My name is Princess Elizabeth Bunmi Abitogun from Akolejo Aladegbamigbe royal family of Emure-Ile in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. My father’s name is Prince Iyolasemi Aladegbamigbe while my mother’s name is Mrs Taye Saomi. I was born in 1958. I  started my primary education at St. Michael African Primary School, Idaniken Owo. I later  attended L.A Modern School, Owo,  Uso Grammar School and Ipele Grammar School, Ipele.I joined the Ondo State civil service in 1984 as a Clerical Assistant  at the High Court of Justice.  In 1986, I proceeded to the Federal Training Center, Kaduna to train as a Confidential Secretary. Unfortunately, I was seven years old when my father died but my mother stood by  me in my education pursuit.  Though it was not easy, my mother was a pillar for my career and success. I got married to late High Chief Oladipo Abitogun from Uso. In November 1991 after the passing away of the then Elemure of Emure-Ile,  Oba Japhet Adeyefa Ogundimibola, I was installed as the Regent of the town. I bowed out of active service in September, 2018 as the Confidential Secretary to the State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu .I served  as secretary to both civil servants and political office holders in the state before my retirement.

Tell us your experience on the throne as a Regent?

It was very difficult for me as a married woman to leave my husband’s house to my family house in Emure as a Regent, but my husband persuaded me. It was my brother who came to Akure to inform my husband that the town has consulted  the  Ifa oracle and my name was mentioned to be the Regent.  In fact, my husband was surprised, because he did not know I am from a royal family. My great grandfather was a former Elemure of Emure in Owo Local government. On the day I was to be installed, my husband did not tell me I was going for regency rites. I was at  the State  Teaching Service Commission then while my husband was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce. He just called me that my people wanted to see me in Emure, I said for what? Because since my father’s demise, nobody  remembered  whether I was alive or not. My husband said I should go, not knowing that they have planned everything.  On getting to my father’s house at the back of the palace, my brother said I should escort him to the palace, when we got there, they said I should enter one room, as I entered, I saw elders of my family and the kingmakers and they all rose to say” Kaabiyesi o” to me  (an homage to a king) I started crying and I said what was the meaning of this? I told them that I would  not accept it.

My husband knew their plans all along because the driver that took me to my town left without my instruction. I called my mother immediately, she said well there  was  nothing she could do because I am from a royal family, she told me to accept it. They performed all the necessary rites for me that very day, but I kept  on telling them that I am married and I cannot just stay  there, they said it was just for three months but after three months, nothing was done. Until 2001  when I was totally fed up, I told them that they have to choose their king or I leave the throne, they said okay but they needed  to consult the oracle first, on noticing that they were not ready to do anything soon, I just told them that I was  coming, I wanted  to  get to Akure and that was all, I did not go back there. They started looking for me. Meanwhile, I  have told my husband that I  was not going back. I  had intention to have more children. You won’t believe that six months after I left the throne, they installed a new king.

As a  Regent, how were you able to  give instructions  to the chiefs and the elderly?

By the grace of God,   I tried my best. When I was on the throne, I did not dictate. I normally called  to take decisions, after deliberations. I would  just finalise and make a pronouncement. They accepted such decisions because they were carried along.

Did you kneel down for your husband and performed  your roles as a wife after you left the throne?

No, it is forbidden, never again, I cannot kneel down for anybody forever. But in other aspect, I became my normal self, I was having intercourse without any hindrance. I later gave birth to a baby girl whom I named Omoboye.

How did you relate with your bosses and colleagues in the office as a civil servant and Regent?

I did  my normal duties, as a Confidential Secretary then, I took  dictations from my bosses and delivered same. In 1994 when they were doing the posting of Secretaries, I  was posted to the Ministry of Finance but the then  Director of Finance and Administration (DFA)  rejected me, he told me clearly that he could not work with a regent .He said how would  he dictate to me. Despite all mu assurances that I would work diligently,  he said no. I then went back to the Department of Establishment the Department  posted me to the Ministry of Agriculture, same thing happened, they said I am a powerful person. I then  went back to Establishment. It was in 1998 that they now posted me to the Ministry of Agriculture to be attached to the Director Rural Development, Mr Ogunsuyi. He too wanted to reject me but because of the relationship between him and my husband, he accepted. I was there and there was  no quarrel. I did my job and anytime there was emergency in my community, I would  take permission from my boss. He normally allowed me to go because the letter given to me stated that I would be on light  duty, meaning that if there was an emergency call from my community, I was  free to go. I normally dressed in my full regalia to the office as a Regent, I related well with my colleagues. I resumed early to my office and they  greeted me with respect and paid homage, as they would  always say  “Kaabiyesi o”. I would then reply with my horse tail and smiles. There was a time I went for promotion interview, immediately my name was called and I entered, all my bosses stood up to paid homage, I immediately told them that no sirs, you are my bosses but they said no, they have to give me the honour. I attended  training workshops that concerned my profession without minding the status because I knew one day I would leave the position and my career would remain.

Any regret as a Regent?

The only regret was  that during my regency period, because I was not staying in Akure with my husband, he married another lady, though there was nothing I could do, I accepted his decision.

What were your hindrances then as a Regent?

I was unable to relate with my children as I wanted. Many times, I would be in Emure while my children would be in Akure with my husband, even though one of my younger sisters was staying with them. I was unable to take care of them as I wished. Also, when I lost my immediate brother, I was unable to attend his burial because it  is  forbidden, it pained me so much.

 Would you encourage young women to  accept  Regency?

No, especially married women. Men of nowadays cannot be trusted. They can go and remarry .You know that they cannot relate with their husbands like before, it is forbidden for a Regent to have sexual intercourse with her husband while on the throne, unless certain rites are performed before she can do so. Likewise, I cannot encourage unmarried ladies  because after the regency period, men will be running away from them, they believe that it will affect them, you can see many of them in town without husbands.

Any lesson learnt on the throne?

I learnt that cordial relationship with your subjects are key to achieving  success, giving honour to whom honour is due is good ,because power is not forever , I did not allow power to intoxicate me, I learnt how to be humble and be decent .

We learnt that some Regents  refused  to leave the position. What is your take?

Because of power or what? It is not right. In the past, regency period was just three months, it is nowadays that some are spending five to ten years, even more. I spent almost ten years on the throne, even though they told me at the initial  stage that it was for three months, I stepped aside when they refused to let me go, they said my reign was peaceful. I told them that they either choose their king or I leave, which I did. Six months after I left, they chose their king. I refused to go when they were performing rites for him,  so that,  they would  not say their Regent has come back. I wonder why a woman will want to remain on the throne, you cannot see a new baby, even if your parents died, you must not see their corpses, no affairs with any man and so on, even all these are enough reasons  to back out. I urged them to vacate the throne when it is time to choose the king. There must be sanity in regency position, it is a highly revered position.