Another royal father has gone mad again

by Niyi Akinnaso (niyi@comcast.net)


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The devaluation of the Yoruba monarchy has reached unprecedented heights, and the earlier the problem was addressed, the better for the institution and for the Yoruba nation. Where else would the locus of tradition and custom be found if not in the palace? The devaluation of the Yoruba monarchy dates back to colonial times, when Obas were placed on salaries according to a hierarchy established by the colonial government. Worse still, no one became an Oba until the staff of office was presented by the government. What is unprecedented is the current manifestation of the devaluation by recalcitrant Obas, who violate both traditional norms and the rule of law.

The present trend first attracted public attention in 2010, when the first royal replay of Ola Rotimi's "Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again" was staged in public glare at Akure, the Ondo State capital. In Rotimi's hilarious comedy, a half-witted Lejoka-Brown, a former military Major, who could hardly maintain his household, took to politics, hoping to become a minister in the Nigerian government. On one occasion, when he and one of his wives were chasing each other around the compound, another wife took to her heels, shouting: "Our husband has gone mad again". As the play unravelled, it became evident that Lejoka-Brown's political plans had also fallen apart.

The deposed Deji of Akure, Oba Oluwadare Adesina, played Lejoka-Brown more than five times over during his tumultuous four-year reign. He could neither maintain his household nor his relationship with his chiefs and his subjects. He not only ran amuck with his first wife, he also held his community to ransom, by flouting traditional rites, by grabbing the people's land, and by repeatedly tramping on their civic rights. After chasing his eldest wife out of the palace in the company of a junior wife, and throwing hot acidic ashes on her in public glare, he was eventually banished from the throne by the Ondo State government, after a thorough investigation of his activities on the throne.

Another version of royal madness has been playing in Igburowo town in Odigbo Local Government of Ondo State, where the Akamuja, Oba Akinfesola Adewola, has been suspended from the throne for allegedly perpetrating various atrocities in the community, including fraud, forceful acquisition of land, frivolous litigation over his subject's property, assaulting his chiefs, and failing to perform traditional rites.

The suspension of the monarch by the state government followed mass protests by the people of the community, who had chased him and his family out of the palace, by forcing them to trek barefooted several kilometres away from the palace. It was a modern replay of an age-old abomination by which an Oba was forced to abdicate the throne.

What is worrisome about these cases is that they now appear to represent a trend - the "internal devaluation" of the throne; that is, the denigration of the throne by the incumbents themselves, as opposed to "external devaluation" by outside influences, particularly politicians. Yes, the colonial government initiated the subjugation of the throne under the new political order. But it reached alarming heights during the hey day of regional politics in the old Western Region, when the leaders of the Action Group and the Nigerian National Democratic Party took turns in deposing, banishing, removing, or reducing the salaries of, many an Oba in the region, usually for supporting the opposition political party.

True, the erosion of values has diffused from the political to the traditional institutions, but some Obas now appear to be in the forefront of the denigration of the royal institution. Just as politicians sidetrack the constitution, disregard the rule of law, and use thugs to maim opponents and rig elections, so do some Obas fail to perform appropriate rituals, disregard tradition, and use thugs to harass their subjects.

Understandably, today's Obas should not be expected to reproduce the crown exactly like their predecessors, not just because times have changed, but also because the royal candidates have also changed. Many an Oba today had reached the pinnacle of their professional careers and developed business and political networks from which they could not be expected to sever ties after ascending the throne. It is a different problem, however, when some Obas fail to reconcile their position with the rule of law.

That's what makes two recent alleged royal rape cases highly sensational. One involves the Olusupare of Supare-Akoko in Ondo State, Oba Kasali Adejoro, who was charged to court for allegedly attempting to rape a woman. The other involves the Alowa of Ilowa-Ijesa in Obokun Local Government of Osun State, Oba Adebukola Alli, who raped a 23-year-old member of the National Youth Service Corps, boasting "We both enjoyed it".

With these cases, we have come full circle with the denigration of the Yoruba throne. It would be unfortunate if other Obas in the region remained aloof. The truth is that these cases also rub off on them. An immediate rescue plan has become necessary to restore the sanctity of the throne. The historical role of the monarchy as the political and moral anchor of Yoruba tradition should not be sidelined like the Odu Ifa corpus, which provided a literary archive of Yoruba philosophical, etiological, ethical, and medicinal practices. True, the adoption of Christianity and Islam played a major role in the denigration of Ifa. However, the Yoruba monarchy is equally culpable for its neglect of traditional rituals, including Ifa divination. Yet, Ifa was among the cultural practices that enhanced the survival of the Yoruba nation during slavery, as evidenced today in Cuba and Brazil.

The critical question now is: What do you do? First, leading Obas in Yorubaland should bury their political and personal differences and come together to re-examine their institution in the light of the developments discussed above. The onus here falls especially on the shoulders of the Ooni of Ife, the Alaafin of Oyo, the Awujale of Ijebu-Ode, the Alake of Egba-land, the Deji of Akure, and the Osemawe of Ondo. These are highly travelled Obas, who expand royal splendour beyond our shores. Their job would be hypocritical if they continue to ignore the denigration of the monarchy at home.

Second, an independent body of Yoruba historians, culture experts, educators, and informed elders is needed to look critically into the institution of the monarchy and its role in a constitutional democracy. Such a body must pay attention to the processes by which new Obas emerge and to the proliferation of pseudo-monarchies by which Obas now exist in communities that never had one before.

Third, the Federal Government should collaborate with state Ministries of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to collate the findings and design an appropriate role for Obas that would block encroachment on their subjects' property and civil rights. If some Obas refuse to be civilised, it is high time civilisation was imposed on them.

http://odili.net/news/source/2013/feb/19/820.html

These Obas are some of the most corrupt and maddest black people in the world

2nd to comment.hehehe...now I can torment cos its my momment.why re yoruba royal fathers always tarnishing the image of the monarchs?you can hardly hear negative news about the Oba of Benin.hope he recover from his insanity.

You would get tired of this your new fake moniker...ask others before you in this community

Adejoro74: Another royal father has gone mad again

........ by which Obas now exist in communities that never had one before.

http://odili.net/news/source/2013/feb/19/820.html

Na wa o.
I want to use this medium to say kudos to His Royal Majesty.. Omo n'Oba n'Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Solomon Igbinoghodua Aisiokuoba Akenzua Erediauwa, the Oba of Benin, the Oba of Edo, and The Oba of all Obas. You no dey fall my hand like those little little chewing-gum obas in the land of amala and ewedu.

Fesisko: 2nd to comment.hehehe...now I can torment cos its my momment.why re yoruba royal fathers always tarnishing the image of the monarchs?you can hardly hear negative news about the Oba of Benin.hope he recover from his insanity.

Did u read the article at all? I guess not

I want to use this medium to say kudos to His Royal Majesty.. Omo n'Oba n'Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Solomon Igbinoghodua Aisiokuoba Akenzua Erediauwa, the Oba of Benin, the Oba of Edo, and The Oba of all Obas. You no dey fall my hand like those little little chewing-gum obas in the land of amala and ewedu.
(

na u dey fall our hand now. aint they all frm same guy called oduduwa?

Abeg make I hear word. There should be a section for village politics.

ode remo:
na u dey fall our hand now. aint they all frm same guy called oduduwa?

They are all from Oduduwa, so?