Unbecoming Conducts of Oluwo

ONE of the institutions the Yoruba race adores is the Obaship institution. The institution is  so much hallowed  that the Yoruba decided not to question its authority on any decision it  takes. And this had been auguring well for Yoruba Kingdom through thick and thin for ages, with some modifying checks  and balances put in place.

UNFORTUNATELY, the recent gross misbehavior of Oluwo of Iwo in Osun State, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanni,  when he physically attacked and wounded another traditional ruler, Oba Dikrulah Akinropo, the Agbowu of Ogbagbaa, at a peace meeting at  the local government secretariat was the peak of his reckless rulership and gross desecration of an institution which the Yorubas cherish so much.

MANY obas had in the past and in contemporary times been using their material, financial and intellectual resources to uplift the standard of living  of their people.

CONNECTIONS got before ascending thrones had been used by many Obas to bring developmental programmes and projects to add value to the lives of the people. At the same time, as there are always aberrations in nature, some had woefully failed after  few months in office and got booted out for their shameful and unbefitting attitude. Oba Abdulrasheed came in the category of the inglorious latter,  though yet to be given the sack letter by his people.

THE HOPE notes that right from  November 9,  2015 when he was coronated as the 16th Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed had been doing virtually everything contrary and in aberration to the sacredness of the traditional institution. Among these was his destruction of all  religious institutions he met in the palace and proclaiming Iwo, which is in the heartland of Yoruba land, an emirate. As if that was not enough, Oba Abdulrasheed went on to put one of his beaded crowns on his wife, claiming that the spirit of God directed him to perform such a sacrilege among the Yorubas.

HIS dictatorial attitudes could be seen in the way he removed one of Iwo`s High Chiefs and Chief Abiola Ogundokun, who advised against turning Iwo into a Fulani Emirate. Surely, those who made him king must be regretting doing so, at least, behind the curtain, as his strong-man posture won’t stomach an  open show of displeasure to his rule.

THE HOPE sees the shameful action of resorting to physical attack on a fellow traditional ruler and  the remorseless statements made thereafter by Oba Abdulrasheed, as a pointer to the need for a review of the process of choosing obas in Yoruba land. Stakeholders opined that if necessary checks were put in place before the emergence of the likes of Oba Abdulrasheed the tell-tale signs of what he does today would have been seen earlier and thus a better and well-behaved person would have been on the Iwo throne.

THUS, people are inferring of the possibility of money being the  root of the wrong choice. Many kingmakers, these days, see the election of a new Oba as an opportunity to make money. This may not be far from the truth.

ONE thing is certain, as the recent unbecoming behavior of Oba Abdulrasheed had shown, all stakeholders in Yoruba kingdom should do everything possible to prevent the emergence of such a misfit in Yoruba land as oba again. We cannot afford to passively watch while our much-cherished “Omoluwabi” concept is being eroded  away, because when the head is rotten, what will happen to the rest of the body is predictably going to be worse.

HERE, among the Yorubas, the obas are the head and expected to be of good and impeccable character to show light and direction to the people through good and exemplary behavior.

AN oba who cannot control his anger has no business in the palace, except probably as a short-time visitor. Those that God had assigned the responsibilities of choosing who to lead as obas should brush aside the lure of money and fear God in performing the sacred duty, bearing in mind that their names will be in history for their deeds or  misdeeds.

PEOPLE who are lucky to find themselves on the throne should always count themselves fortunate and see it as a challenge and God-ordained opportunity to be remembered by posterity by leading well.  Very good psychological and deep psychiatric examinations should be conducted before people are even considered for contesting as oba in Yoruba land henceforth.

DEEP investigations from various security organizations into the past of people eyeing the thrones should also be conducted, instead of the usual fire-brigade approach of allegations of heinous crimes that one hears after the emergence and coronations of some obas.

OBA Abdulrasheed`s disgraceful display of lack of self-control should not be treated with kid gloves but appropriate sanctions meted out on him, if only to serve as deterrent to others in future, and to placate the people of Ogbagbaa, whose Oba he physically assaulted, and also the entire Yoruba race, who he has put in negative limelight and public ridicule. “If the thief is not ashamed, his people are”, as the Yorubas say. Oba Abdulrasheed should not go scot-free under any guise.