BY DR. WUMI AKINTIDE
My worst nightmare as a historian and as a
member of the royal family in Akure is to wake up
one day to hear that a descendant of a Hausa,
Ebira, Idoma, or Igbo man has been crowned a
Deji in Akure. It is going to happen. It is only a
question of time. Don’t be surprised if you hear
about Kabiyesi Mallam “Gajere Ba Yaro Ba” or
Chukwu Emeka Ogbonna, the Deji of Akure Land.
That is where we are headed in Nigeria, because
we have lost our moral compass and much of our
sacred traditions and values in our quest for
western civilization.
Unlike what happens in Edo Kingdom, or Kano
and Sokoto Caliphate, the rules for the selection
of most of our royal fathers in many towns in
Nigeria have been relaxed and compromised. It is
easier for the head of a camel to pass through
the hole of a needle than for any individual,
however rich and influential, to be crowned the
Oba of Benin or even a traditional chief in Benin.
“Oba gha tokpere, Itse:” “Long live the Oba” is not
just a slogan in Benin.It is a constant reminder
that the Edo people do not take their tradition and
ways of life lightly.
With rigidity, the purity of the royal blood is Benin
is maintained from one Oba to another. It is even
more rigid than what happens in the United
Kingdom where the House of Windsor has ruled
for centuries. You can take it from me that
whoever becomes the Oba of Benin is a blue
blood and a direct son of the outgoing monarch.
It used to be that way in Akure and many towns
in Yorubaland but, sad to say, not anymore. If
you don’t believe me, I will furnish a long list of
many Obas in the old Western Region and other
states who have been dethroned and defrocked
after their coronation because the Law has found
them to be illegitimate or wrongly picked, or both.
Many of those individuals cannot convincingly tell
you or articulate their royal connection or their
passport or pathway to the throne because they
have none. They are in it because they see an
opportunity. They decided to tell some cock and
bull story in order to justify their quest for the
throne and because they have plenty of cash to
silence the king makers who will crown a palace
servant or slave if you give them enough money. I
don’t care that every store front in Nigeria is a
Church or a Mosque. Many Nigerians don’t go
there to worship Go, but “Ekurube” or “Kudi” or
“Ego.”We live in a society with little or no
documented history. In a country as corrupt as
Nigeria where anything can happen and so many
illegalities have been condoned. If you don’t
believe me I urge you to pay attention to what is
currently going on at the Nigerian Senate and the
House of Representatives in Abuja.
If rigging is confined to politics alone, I would not
complain as loudly as I am doing. Rigging and
corruption have permeated the very fabric of our
nature everywhere you look. We have it in the
Church. We have it in the public and private
sectors of our country, and even in our traditional
institutions across the board.
“Prince” Adelabu otherwise known as “Ileri Oluwa”
a pastor of a Church in Akure and a filthy-rich
businessman was one of the 13 candidates that
contested with Patrick Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade
Aladelusi who has just been appointed the Deji of
Akure. In 2005, Prince Adelabu had performed all
the rites mandated for anyone who would be
crowned a Deji in Akure. He had spent a few days
at the Ashamo’s Court in Akure which houses the
central shrine of “Obanifon,” the supreme deity of
Akure.
Prince Adelabu was on his way to be crowned the
Deji at Chief Ooye’s traditional palace in Akure
before going to climb the “Okiti Omolore” in front
of the Palace, when his ruling family came out to
denounce him as an impostor.
The family actually admitted that he was not a
member of their family even though they took his
money when they needed him to bail them out.
They dumped him after that, and the man with
his tail between his legs did nothing to fight the
blackmailers or the Government or the kingmakers
who presented him and to put it on record that
he fought back. He simply went home and that
was the end of it.
Based on that revelation, the Agagu Government
annulled his selection and went for candidate
Adepoju Adesina who came from London claiming
that his biological father was a grandson of Deji
Osupa who reigned in Akure from 1834 to 1846.
There was no one ready and willing to challenge
his claim. He simply issued the kingmakers with a
post-dated check for 2 million Naira as their
“igbanujo” traditional kola. He convinced the
gullible kingmakers they could see the check for
payment after he receives his pensions from the
United Kingdom.
The king makers were not even sure if the man
was a taxi driver in Britain or some crazy
hoodlum. They just took him at his words. They
believed that any Nigerian receiving a pension in
British Sterling has to be a very rich man. They
were all proved wrong when the man told them
to their face to stop bugging him or else he
would deal with them and he did.
That was how the man became the Deji on a
platter of gold. Hell broke loose after the
kingmakers presented the check to the Bank and
it bounced. The man was already king and there
was very little the king makers could do than
curse him by putting “Okaraba Baba Edi” on him
and hoping that the man would self-destruct. He
surely did.
He came to the throne in 2005 pretty much the
same way Saraki, Ekweremadu, and David Mark
have now invalidated the mandate Nigerians gave
to the APC and Buhari in the last elections in
Nigeria. The tail is now wagging the dog in the
Nigerian Senate and the House of Representatives
. All the APC could do now is put some
“Tabatiada” or voodoo or “Okaraba Baba Edi” on
Saraki and his fellow conspirators like Atiku
Abubakar, Tambuwal and David Mark. The horse
has already bolted before the stable was locked in
Nigeria. Their own “Tabatiada” is already working
on Tinubu and Buhari who are now at daggers
drawn.
Buhari surprisingly told Nigerians in total
amazement that he did not belong to the people
that put him in power. He said he would work
with anybody put forward regardless of party
label or affiliation. It was the craziest statement
that could only come from somebody who has
been heavily drugged or is under the influence of
“Edi” or “Tabatiada”
Please forgive me my small digression. I only
digress because what you see unfold in Abuja is
also happening at your own backyard anywhere
you live in Nigeria. Prince Adepoju Adesina was
crowned The Deji in 2005. He was dethroned with
ignominy in 2010 for beating up his wife in the
public place and pouring acid on her in a very
embarrassing case of domestic violence that went
viral as the Women Organization in Nigeria took
the wife’s case to the floor of the Nigerian
Senate.
The poor woman never fully recovered from the
fallout and the acid poured on her body. She died
miserably less than 2 year later and his family in
Owo had to make peace with the deposed Deji.
They were ready to support his restoration back
to the throne so as to secure the future of the
two little boys his late “Olori” Bola had for him.
The family wanted the two boys to be able to run
for the Deji’s throne in the future and be crowned
a Deji in Akure. If their father did not die on the
throne, they would have forfeited that chance for
good.
You can see how terribly silly and illogical some
of our people could be. In more civilized societies
another Adesina coming to the throne should
have been the least of their worries because of
the way the man has disgraced the institution of
the Deji, but it is not so in Nigeria. Our value
system has been badly compromised. We are all
as crazy as a fox...
The same Adepoju is now asking the Government
to reinstate him. He compared himself to the late
Kabiyesi Olowo Olateru Olagbegi. He succeeded in
delaying the selection exercise because he filed
an injunction in the Court asking Ondo State
Government to delay action until the outcome of
his injunction is decided. He was going to disrupt
the Aladetoyinbo’s selection by filing another
injunction, but in an Akure animal farm type of
scenario, the kingmakers had to go into hiding so
they could not be served by the Court bailiff.
I see a compelling need to document all of this
information for posterity because information is
the tool for decision-making; however, many of
us are in denial about this.
To make sure that Aladetoyinbo’s selection is not
delayed or derailed by the antics of the deposed
Deji, the whole Ondo State Government under
Olusegun Mimiko had to summon the Ondo State
Executive Council to quickly ratify the selection
and to deliver the staff of office to Aladetoyinbo
at the Governor’s office on June 9 just like they
did when the 45th and the 46th Deji, Adepoju
Adesina and Adebiyi Adesida were selected.
Cutting corners has now become the rule and not
the exception in Nigeria. Government tries to
circumvent the rule and due process because they
are bent on helping a particular candidate. The
Government will bend the rule if necessary to help
a candidate of their choice. The Government can
move the goal post any time as it suits their
whim and caprices because we operate in a
jungle.
Akure has every reason to celebrate the selection
of Aladetoyinbo because he is arguably the most
authentic candidate and has a verifiable and
provable connection or lineage to the Deji throne.
His mother belongs to the great Elemo Adedipe
family. The new Kabiyesi‘s mother comes from
the Okira Adedipe unit of that illustrious Adedipe
family in Akure. For anybody who will be a Deji in
Akure, it does not get any better than that.
The new Deji’s biological father, Pa Aladetoyinbo
Ogunlade, the late Bale of Alayere village near
Ogbese was installed the Bale by Deji Afunbiowo
Adesida the First, my own grandfather, the
greatest Deji of all times, who always stood for
the truth. We all knew for a fact that Pa
Aladetoyinbo was a genuine prince in Akure.
Prince Aladetoyinbo and Dr. Adebimpe Ige
Ogunleye Aladejana fought tooth and nail for the
carving out of the Osupa/Odundun ruling House
from the only Asodeboyede Ruling House in
Akure. The new Deji contested for the throne in
2005 but narrowly lost to Adepoju Adesina for the
reasons I have stated above. For these reasons,
Akure should be happy with his selection. The
Kabiyesi holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s
degree in Architecture from the United States and
I am proud to say that the new Deji is married to
one of the granddaughters of my own father,
Kabiyesi, the pioneer Olugunshin of Igunshin in
Akure North Local Government.
His Olori Bimbo Omosalewa Aya Aladetoyinbo nee
Akintide Gbangba, “Ogingin Uro o tu ponronyin
wese, ona ni moko Olokoju Ayeko. Omo Ole taun
topo topo, Aguntan meta orundunrun.” She is the
future Eyesorun or Eyelua of Akure without any
doubt. Gentle and beautiful Bimbo was trained
and educated in the United States. Bimbo is going
to be a pillar of support to her husband. Her
grandfather, the late Olugunshin, was conferred
the Olugunshin title by Kabiyesi Deji Agunsoye,
Ademuagun Adesida the Second, the first
educated Deji in all of the 900 years of Akure
history.
If myself or my junior brother, Olu Hero the father
of Bimbo becomes the Olugunshin tomorrow, we
can never disown the Deji or claim like Kabiyesi
the Alaiyede of Ogbese, Oba Peter Oluyede that
the Deji is not our boss and benefactor. Deji
Afunbiowo made Pa Oluyede the matriarch of the
Oluyede family, the pioneer Bale of Ogbese. It is
totally disingenuous of Professor Peter Oluyede,
the new Alaiyede, to want to rewrite history by
claiming Ogbese is no longer part of Akure
territory. Olori Bimbo’s mother is also a princess
and daughter of Kabiesi, the late Balogun of
Ugoba, Oba Agbogunleri... Bimbo is a double
princess married to Adumila Olori Alade Ajiwajiwa
Ileke. O to ri Ileke do luku Oyo, Iwerepe gba ra re
gba igi oko.
I am sure the whole of Ugoba and Ushinigbo
community would be more than happy with the
selection of Kabiyesi Odundun Asode dero who
will be inheriting some of the fine legacies of his
predecessor including his ultra-modern, Taj Mahal
of a new Palace.
The current Bale of Alayere, a brother of the new
Deji would be insane to now claim that Oba Peter
Oluyede is his prescribed authority because he
now belongs to the Akure North Local
Government. I am sure the new Deji of Akure, a
reincarnation of Odundun Asode dero will never
tolerate that nonsense. He is going to put the
records straight without being disrespectful to the
new Alaiyede of Ogbese, a grade ”D” Oba, a
learned professor, and a gentleman who must
now find some ways to fully reconcile with the
new Deji who owns Alayere village and Ogbese.
Governor Mimiko will do well to listen to the voice
of reason and not remove Akure North Local
Government from the authority and supervision of
the Deji. Many Local Governments like Kano,
Sokoto, Lagos, Ibadan still owe allegiance and
pay emoluments to the Emir of Kano, the Sultan
of Sokoto, the Oba of Lagos, the Olubadan of
Ibadan, the Alaafin of Oyo, the Awujale of Ijebu
Ode, the Alake of Egba Land, the Ooni of Ife, and
of course the great Oba of Benin. What is good for
the goose should be good for the gander.
Akure has every reason to celebrate the coming of
Kabiyesi Odundun the Second. The first Odundun
was the 38th Deji of Akure who reigned from
1882 to 1890. Odundun was a great Deji. Even
though he reigned for only 8 years, he left his
footprints on the sand of history in a way that
Akure cannot and should never forget.
The first Odundun was called “Odundun a sode
dero” because he led Akure to break the mental
yoke of the Oba of Benin in Akure. That yoke was
implanted when “Osupatadolaa” became the 33rd
Deji of Akure from 1834 to 1846 with the royal
blessing of the Oba of Benin. That domination
continued in a subtle form during the reign of the
34th Deji Kabiyesi Agboyere who reigned from
1846 to 1849. It continued during the reign of the
35th Deji “Amororo bi Ojo” who reigned from 1850
to 1851 and the reign of the 36th Deji
Omoremiosun from 1851 to 1852 and the reign of
the 37th Deji, Ojijigogun, my great great
grandfather who reigned from 1852 to 1882 and
the 38th Deji “Odundun a sode dero” who reigned
from 1882 to 1890 as stated earlier.
Odundun was a great and powerful Deji who did
not take any nonsense from anybody. He was
therefore feared and respected at the same time.
He, like King Henry the VIII of England, got one of
his young wives beheaded for sharing a joke with
him in the bathroom because he had the power
and he was not afraid to use it.
Candidates like Olofinlade Adesida, my
grandfather, who contested with him in 1882 had
to leave town after the contest because Odundun
did not tolerate opposition and would not have
spared him. Adesida escaped to his father-in-
law’s farm at Ulado village where Chief Oluyemisi
Falae currently has his Midland Farms. His
particular hamlet in Ulado where he waited before
his coronation as the Deji in 1897 was later
renamed “Arodoye” during Oba Afunbiowo’s
longest reign from 1897 to 1957.
With some help from Egun Aladoko, Deji Odundun
was the first Deji to challenge the Oba of Benin’s
domination of Akure. He did it during the reign of
Oba Overamen who was exiled to Calabar
following his intransigence against the Philip
Expedition to Benin in 1897. From Osupatadolaa,
every Deji used to pay annual allegiance to the
Oba of Benin before Deji Odundun came on board.
Odundun took the bull by the horn. He refused to
kowtow to the Oba of Benin and he secured
Akure’s autonomy from Benin. Oba Overamen was
going to deal with him, but he could not do so
when he faced a greater crisis with the British
that sent him into exile in Calabar. He had
refused to let the British enter Benin during his
traditional “Igue” festival which is very similar in
some ways to the popular “Ilefunta” ceremony
when the Deji is not allowed to entertain visitors
or leave town by tradition.
Ogiso Overamen, a powerful Oba ordered the Edo
traditional armed forces to attack Captain Philip
and his troops. He paid dearly for that
intransigence. He was captured alive and exiled to
Calabar where he died. His “Edaiken”who took
over in Benin after his father’s death was the
great Oba Eweka, the father of Oba Akenzua. Oba
Akenzua was the father of Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku
Akpolokpolo, the current Oba Erediauwa of Benin.
Stayed tuned for the Part 2 in a few weeks.
I
