In the spirit of unity

Eko Trust examines the Ooni of Ife’s recent visits to other traditional rulers in Yorubaland and asks; would the revered monarch’s initiative achieve its purpose? On Sunday, February 7, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi visited the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo at the latter’s Ake Palace in Abeokuta, Ogun State. It was […]

Eko Trust examines the Ooni of Ife’s recent visits to other traditional rulers in Yorubaland and asks; would the revered monarch’s initiative achieve its purpose?
On Sunday, February 7, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi visited the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo at the latter’s Ake Palace in Abeokuta, Ogun State. It was in continuation of the Ooni’s recent “unity tour” to Yoruba monarchs during which he reiterated his message that there could not be development without unity.
He therefore advised that if there would be any meaningful and sustainable development in Yorubaland, then, there must first be unity among the monarchs, then their subjects.
In his welcome speech, the Alake agreed there was an urgent need for Yoruba unity, blaming disunity among the rulers on ‘ego tripping’. “Actually there is nothing wrong with Obas visiting each other and supporting each other. We are usually worried about what people will think of us if we do that. That is what has been wrong with us all along. When we stop promoting self image, then there will be unity among us.”
The Ooni had told the gathering: “It is the joy of our forefathers for us to be in unity and they did their part in ensuring peace and unity in Yorubaland; we must also strive to achieve this. God Himself is involved in our matter therefore we must always, at all times, be concerned about the peace and unity of Yorubaland. We say we want development, but no meaningful and sustainable development will come without peace and unity.”
Before the visit to the Alake, the Ooni had paid an unscheduled visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi at his palace in Oyo, Oyo State. He joined Oba Adeyemi in the celebration of his 45th anniversary on the throne and attended the thanksgiving service held at the Methodist Church, Apaara, Oyo to commemorate the Alaafin’s coronation anniversary.
Oba Ogunwusi was the first Ooni that visited Oyo town since 1937. He was accompanied to Oyo by scores of monarchs across Yorubaland. He said he was determined to ensure the unity of all Yoruba sons and daughters all over the world.
  “I am here today, though not invited. As the Arole Oduduwa, the onus is on me to felicitate with all sons and daughters of Oduduwa wherever they are and to show my solidarity for them. I am ready to damn any consequences or insinuations from anywhere; my mission here is to preach peace among nations of Yoruba both home and abroad and I am ready to work with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi to project the unity and love which existed in the days of our forefathers,” he said.
The Alaafin, while expressing joy with the presence of the Ooni and other Yoruba Obas at the coronation anniversary, noted that if all the monarchs in Yorubaland unite, there would be tremendous progress in Nigeria.
He said: “This special visit was done last in March 1937. That was the first time the kings in Yorubaland met in Oyo town and today, history was made with the visit of The Arole Oodua, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II and I feel delighted to host you and to reassure you that I am
ready to work with you.”
 Among the royal fathers that accompanied the Ooni to Oyo were the Orangun of Ila, the Ajero of Ijero, the Timi of Ede, the Olu of Ilaro, the Alara of Aramoko Ekiti, the Oore of Otun Ekiti, the Owa Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, the Alayemore of Efon Alaye, the Akinrun of Ikirun, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji and the Elerin of Erin Osun.
The Ooni had also visited the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona at his palace in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State as part of the advocacy for the unity of the Yoruba race.
 During the visit to the Awujale, Oba Ogunwusi said there was need for all members of the Yoruba nation to come together and speak in one voice. “My visit to the Awujale is mainly to
acknowledge Oba Adetona as one of the paramount kings in Yorubaland whose wisdom and experience is most needed in unifying all sons and daughters of Yorubaland and I will be closer to him to achieve the unity of the Yoruba race,” he said.
The Ooni emphasised that it was high time the royal fathers in Yorubaland united, saying the unity of the South West region would bring about rapid development.
 “If we do not unite, we won’t go far. If we unite, we will go far. Fingers are not equal, but if a finger is lost there is a challenge with that hand. Unity is important,” he added.
 In his response, Oba Adetona lauded the resolve of the Ooni of Ife to unite the Yoruba race and prayed for his successful reign on the throne.
 The Awujale said he was impressed with the Ooni’s coronation speech last December where he emphasised unity among the monarchs in Yorubaland, adding that he reasoned along the same line of thinking.
“I agree with you on the need for unity among the Yoruba monarchs. If we come together, we can achieve a lot for our people. If we all come together in a meeting and agreed on a certain issue, it must remain so,” he said.
He noted that the visit of the Ooni was historic, while recalling that the last time an Ooni visited an Awujale was in 1941 during the reign of Ooni Adesoji Aderemi.
Ooni Ogunwusi had also been lauded by many for the matured manner he handled the recent leadership tussle between him and the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, in respect of the chairmanship of the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers.
He was commended for paying an unscheduled visit to the Owa Obokun at his palace in Ilesha, immediately after the imbroglio that resulted in the abortion of the meeting of the council in the state capital, Osogbo, last week.
It was reported that when the traditional rulers converged for their monthly meeting in Osogbo, last Thursday, Oba Aromolaran became annoyed with the manner that some aides of the Ooni brought a special chair to the front of the platform at the venue for the Ooni to sit on.
 Oba Aromolaran had earlier claimed that he had become the chairman of the council after the death of the Ooni Okunade Sijuwade last year. Having been the deputy chairman of the council when the late Ooni was alive, Oba Aromolaran declared that he was nominated by the Ataoja of Osogbo to be the substantive chairman of the council.
Oba Aromolaran allegedly instructed Ooni’s aides to remove the special chair from the platform as the meeting was about to commence, in apparent display of his supremacy over the Ooni but Oba Ogunwusi’s aides refused to obey him and this resulted in a fracas in which the Owa allegedly tore the cloth of one of Ooni’s aides in the process of dragging the chair with him. The meeting was postponed immediately and Oba Ogunwusi proceeded to the Government House to brief Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the development.
The Ooni later proceeded to the Owa’s palace in Ilesa, met Oba Aromolaran and urged him to use his wealth of experience to assist him in his efforts to ensure the unity of the Yoruba race.
While receiving the Ooni at his palace, Oba Aromolaran promised to team up with Oba Ogunwusi to promote Yoruba unity. The two traditional rulers told journalists that the leadership tussle was over as the Owa seemed to have conceded to the Ooni and they both embraced each other.
 The Ooni’s ‘unity’ message has won the hearts of many sons and daughters of Yorubaland who see the initiative as an unprecedented move.
 Former President Olusegun Obasnjo said that all well-meaning Yoruba people should rally round the Oba Ogunwusi to ensure the success of the peace and unity moves. He stated that the purpose of the initiative is achievable, while adding that all that is needed is for all Yoruba people to close ranks and join hands with the Ooni to ensure the success. Obasanjo spoke when he paid a visit to the Ooni at his palace in Ile Ife at the weekend.
 The Director of Muslim Right Congress (MURIC), Prof. Ishaq Akintola, had also commended the Ooni for the step he took towards peace and reconciliation following his attendance at Akoraiye Day in Modakeke.
 “The Ooni’s deft move has achieved in one day what successive governments have failed to achieve in decades despite parading massive official paraphernalia. It is a diplomatic masterstroke,” Akintola said.
He added: “Gleaned from another angle, the Ooni’s attendance at Akoraiye Day in Modakeke reveals another quality in Oba Ogunwusi which is rare among traditional rulers. It is humility nulli secundus for a first class traditional ruler of the caliber of the Ooni of Ife, to ignore past hostilities and attend the ceremony of not just a perceived foe but that of a people with whom Ile-Ife had engaged in internecine war that claimed the lives of thousands.”
He implored the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Francis Adedoyin, to reciprocate the Ooni’s good gesture, adding that the geographical proximity of the two towns should be exploited for better advantage.
Akintola, who lauded the Ooni’s promise to promote peaceful coexistence and a return to Yoruba cultural values, implored all the sons and daughters of Ife to support the monarch so that the cradle of Yorubaland could fulfill its destiny.
Speaking on the visit of the Ooni to other traditional rulers, General Secretary of Ife Development Board (IDB), Mr Kola Adetunbi, said that unity among the royal fathers would end all the crises bedeviling the Yoruba nation.
According to him, the current crisis in Yorubaland has its roots in the disunity among the traditional rulers. He added that an end to all these crises would signal progress and rapid development in Yorubaland.
“If our traditional rulers could close ranks and fight for the unity of Yoruba race, it will be better for our generation and generations yet unborn,” he said.
 Also, a lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU), Mr.Suleiman Hassan, said the Ooni’s ongoing moves to unite all Yoruba monarchs in Nigeria was a right step in the right direction to retrace the identity of the Yoruba as well as put them in requisite prominence in the country.
He added that the gesture of the Ooni would not only create unity among the Yoruba, “but also lay a solid foundation for other ethnic groups in the country to mend their fences.”
Chairman of the House Committee on Information and National Orientation in the National Assembly, Mr Segun Odebunmi, also commended the Ooni on his peace agenda and bold moves toward enhancing the unity and advancement of the Yoruba race.
Odebunmi, who represents Surulere/Ogo Oluwa federal constituency in Oyo State at the National Assembly, said that such moves by the Ooni would further strengthen Yoruba as a race that would not only speak with one voice but set the pace for other tribes and stand as a determining factor for development in the country.
“Oba Ogunwusi’s visit to the prominent Yoruba traditional rulers in the region is highly commendable. It is a signal that Olodumare has answered our prayer and that is why he gave us a young, committed and energetic monarch as the Arole Oduduwa,” he said.
The lawmaker however appealed to Ooni Ogunwusi not to limit his efforts to the development of Yoruba race alone but also extend it to other regions of the country in a bid to enhance national unity and development.