The Emergence of a New Olowo

IT is a common refrain in Yoruba mythology that a person destined to wear the crown shall definitely do so even if he had worn the cap  for many years.

THIS is because the Yorubas believe there is a configuration between cosmic forces and the destiny of  human beings.

IT is therefore normal for people to conclude or counsel individuals jockeying for power or chieftaincy titles to remember that in our earthly journey we kneel   and chose our own destiny  “Akunle,  a  yan” and what ever you chose is your destiny.

SO  profound is the belief among our people  that they  assume that even the moon, stars and heavenly bodies have a lot of import on the socio-cultural activities of men and women.

THE new Olowo-elect, Gbadegesin  Ajibaderinwa  Ogunoye  presents   a classical theory  of a man who had a date with destiny.

ASIDE from his regal frame, handsome and clean looks, sooth sayers  had  constantly predicted that he would one day be a  crowned king.

NO wonder, the 53 years old bureaucrat seamlessly warmed himself to the hearts of the senior  Omolowos, a conclave of  Princes who lavishly gave him 14 out of  their 15 votes, just six days after he marked his birthday.

THE council of senior Omolowos and Owo community deserve accolade for making the selection  process as smooth as possible for a community notorious for chieftaincy crisis and volatility.  Their selection of a new Oba  without  a shout, malice and acrimony is a shrewd judgement  and  commendable act.

THE Hope congratulates the Olowo-elect for the honour, confidence and love shown to him by his people.

WE urge him to be magnanimous in victory by reaching out to all other contestants.

THE Olowo-elect has all it takes to manage his new status. He will be coming to the throne with solid education, BA, MA in Public Administration and an LLB degree. His bureaucratic training over the years, humility, panache and humaneness which his Ogunoye dynasty had carved for itself will help him make a good monarch.

FOR years now, Owo people had been on the cliff  of a precarious polarised community along political and chieftaincy crisis, fuelling mutual suspicion, vendetta, arson and bad blood .

EXPECTEDLY, the sour distrust  between brothers and sisters have put on hold the economic growth of the ancient town.

THE coming of the Olowo-elect will restore hope, unity and the much needed elixir for the economic growth of  the crisis ridden town and hopefully very soon.

HAPPILY the Oba-elect has promised a cultural renaissance for the ancient town. We hope this agenda will seek a revival of the near moribund Igogo festival for  economic and tourism benefits of the town.

AS the Owo  community eagerly awaits the formal coronation of the  32nd Olowo  of Owo at a date yet to be announced, we wish Oba Gbadegesin Ajibade Ogunoye a glorious reign and a most rewarding and fruitful tenure for Owo people.

WE say Kabiyesi, wa gbo, wa to. Long may you reign.