The Yoruba king and the Governing elite

By Theo Adebowale
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A lot of us lament about injustice at various levels of the society. There are cases of nepotism, mediocrity, oppression and corruption. The Yoruba are very critical of these vices, maybe that is why the law profession is subscribed to by them and they employ their profession to pursue justice for the privileged and underprivileged. But injustice is common among the people across the tribes with the rich oppressing the poor, and the poor also lording it over the poor.

We find the underprivileged constituting a team to extort a member of their class that is struggling to break even. When a poor man has struggled to acquire a landed property a group of youths swear to an oath to obstruct his efforts. They call themselves omo onile. They approach him with a bill. He must pay them or they would forcefully halt his project. The police cannot help and are often said to have a memorandum of understanding with the urchins.

The palace may not be of any assistance, even some of the touts are known as palace boys. This is in spite of the fact that only a few traditional rulers are uneducated in this part. Traditional rulers themselves complain of marginalization and ask that the Constitution should assign responsibilities to them. Efforts to convince them to restrict themselves to traditional functions fall on deaf ears the reason many become appendages to politicians of different shades and character, the reason they would not want traditional methods to be adopted to solve traditional problems.

In the face of terrorism, insurgency, epidemic and pandemic diseases threatening the modern society, we are compelled to examine the traditional society and identify its strengths and weaknesses so it may effectively play those indispensable roles that would evidently reinforce political sovereignty and make society safe and continually sensitive to expectations of its members. History, culture, tradition, religion would surely enhance corporate health and well being of the people if only the custodians would be alive to their responsibility.

It baffles me how the Yoruba have sustained through oral tradition, a history, culture, system of government and religious beliefs. Never mind the powerful ground-shaking testimonies of Christian politicians in churches. There is a highly placed Christian politician who may be the only exemption, others are knowledgeable in traditional religious beliefs which advantage they take so well. Because they do not acknowledge the spiritual input of the gods, their priests themselves give testimonies of help rendered to politicians, businessmen, technocrats and bureaucrats to overcome obstacles on their path to the top. From generation to generation, through oral tradition, the Yoruba, anywhere they are, know Oduduwa was their father, Ile-Ife is ancestral home, and Ooni is Arole Oduduwa.

There is no disputing that ajise bi Oyo laari, Oyo ko se bi enikan which means Oyo is standard and model. One needs to study Oyo politics, economy and social system before European intrusion to appreciate the parliamentary system that predated colonialism. From Borgu to Dahomey, was Oyo Empire over which Alaafin was Emperor. His dominion was the envy of various lesser states and stateless societies. Palace historians kept records in their memory since there was no writing, no documents. Ifa priests with divine direction also helps to store some documents. It is baffling how the basic information is sustained from ancient days until now. In our primary school days, J. F. Odunjo introduced us to Ile-Ife and Oduduwa in Yoruba language class. He and other authors gradually socialized us to the hallowed office of the monarch. With time, we get to know that even among royalties, there is a hierarchy. When the Action Group installed Oba Adesoji Aderemi, Governor of Western Region, it was to draw that point home. Politicians draw traditional rulers to partisan politics to boost legitimacy and expect them to follow wherever they go. Those that differ from men of the moment have paid heavily for it principally because traditional rulers themselves have violated the sanctity of their institution. They prefer artificial autonomy that disconnects from hierarchy making them vulnerable to assaults from modern politics. Many of them use financial resources, political connection and influence of foreign religions to sidetrack the traditional process of producing a new king. In some instances, palace historians have been compromised to ensure emergence of an otherwise unqualified persons. A prince once confessed that it was not his turn but it was the grace of Jehovah that made a way for him to the throne.

Whereas, the Yoruba community in Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil or Benin would come to Ife, Oyo or Osogbo to sort out their issues, Yoruba Obas in Nigeria would prefer to go to court where they can employ the services of those schooled in British legal system to jeopardize their culture. It is even their joy to keep stools vacant to achieve their selfish ends. They employ the services of miscreants to visit arson on the people who are not willing to yield to their desire. Whereas it is possible to apply tactics and strategy in Kano to position themselves for advantage in national politics there is no royal understanding that can make the sons of Oduduwa to identify a common platform to project for advantage at the national level.

Any wonder that a state governor with the benefit of proper upbringing and sound education traveled across the states to throw light on some issues and take counsel from royalty, a traditional ruler from Ekiti State was writing a letter to Oyo State Governor to call Alaafin to order and probably sanction him. Would it be out of place for Alaafin or the Ooni to summon Yoruba kings to Ile-Ife and settle their disagreement? Of the governor that traveled to see Alaafin, and the traditional ruler that wants a governor to call another king to order, who is undermining the position of traditional rulers in Yorubaland?

That takes us to Korokoro. According to the electrical engineer, there is only one oba in Edo State, all others are king. Can you beat that? The sanctity of Yoruba monarchs starts to make sense, among other things, when they begin to openly acknowledge hierarchy and stop seeking to derive relevance from attachment to politicians. It is expected that anyone contesting for the stool would know the demand of the office as well as expectations of the gods, ancestors and the people. Carrying out such functions should take preference over state functions or aspiring to be born again talkless of an abominable thought of converting obaship to emirship. The problem of dwindling relevance can be addressed when Yoruba obas begin to pay necessary attention to issues of tradition and culture in general. If Yoruba religions are gaining recognition in Europe and America, definitely, they cannot be discounted in Yorubaland. Only those who have competence in and are committed to promoting our culture would be admitted into or retained in our palaces. Those who are thoroughly born again should stay off our palaces. They may go into ministry and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those that are in the palace already can voluntarily relinquish their positions. If Harry could do it in London, they can do it in our land. Oba Adesoji Aderemi comported himself so royally, so prestigiously that nationalists convinced themselves that he would bestow much more honour on the nascent democracy. Sixty years since independence, it is a fact that some traditional rulers would make themselves available to sabotage or willingly undermine democracy for a fee. It is the responsibility of those who are steadfast to revive the culture since it is possible for governors in spite of their ideological and party differences to create a forum where they examine, review and consolidate their position, Yoruba traditional rulers should perish artificial insubordination to royal authority and recognise they have a duty to promote unity of purpose. In the face of unemployment, inflation, hunger, insecurity and social instability, there is so much to occupy them. They have a responsibility to engage themselves in critical thinking. They have to consider economic advantage of agriculture and other occupations so there can be effective, productive cooperation and collaboration within and without Yorubaland. Such relationships are better consummated in Oba’s forum which should transcend SouthWest Nigeria. The institution of traditional rulers would get recognition, even international, when our kings realize that a tree does not make a forest and as such Yoruba monarchy would receive honor when each of them operates within the corporate authority of the household of Oduduwa.

At that point, not only governors would defer to them, even heads of nations would do.