Tunde Sanni
26 October 2008
Ibadan — Oyo State Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala yesterday, deplored in-fighting among traditional rulers in the state, urging them to close ranks for the development of the state and their subjects.
Akala, at the concluding activities on the 70th birthday anniversary of Alaafin of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi submitted that the in-fighting among the rulers who should be fathers to all the people of the state was a dent on traditional institution.
The governor spoke even as two notable monarchs in the state ,who had been contesting the coveted seat of the permanent chairman of the state traditional council with Alaafin; the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana and the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewunmi were conspicuously absent at the birthday ceremonies.
The Ogbomoso monarch however, stated on telephone that he did not receive any invitation to the Oyo traditional ruler birthday ceremonies.
The Olubadan could not hoewever Leading traditional rulers from some states in the South West including the Osile Oke Ona Egba {Ogun state}, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, the Ataoja of Osogbo {Osun state}, Oba Oyewale Matanmi and some traditional rulers from the Benin Republic as well as some notable politicians from the Northern part of the country graced the ceremony.
Akala however described the celebrant as the legendary custodian of traditional custom and culture, just as he noted that the monarch has withered all the storms to remain a leading monarch in Yorubaland.
The Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Arisekola expressed regret that most palaces have lost their customs and traditions to western culture and urged the government to assist traditional rulers to sustain the culture for preservation for younger generations.
He lamented that royal fathers rather than being kings of their people now shuttle between Europe and their palaces thus abdicating their responsibilities to the subjects on whom they were selected to guide.
However, former civilian governor of the old Oyo state, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo apparently stirred the hornet's nest on the raging controversy on the headship of the Yoruba race as he recommended the former military governor of the defunct Western Region, General Adeyinka Adebayo for the coveted title of the leader of Yorubaland.
Olunloyo who was the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs at the ascension of the throne of the Alaafin 38 years ago said, "today in 2008, my tuition tells me that Robert Adeyinka Adebayo is by far and large the most qualified person to assume the honorific title of leader of the Yoruba. I see or know no one near him."
The former governor also recommended former governor of Lagos State , Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to serve as deputy to Adebayo to enable him understudy the former military governor headship of the Yoruba race.
Olunloyo charged the Oyo monarch to work even harder to preserve and sustain the great Oyo heritage and recalled that former Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Tadeniawo Aderemi recommended Alaafin for the throne in 1971 after consulting with the oracle.
Mrs. Remi Tinubu, the wife of the former governor of Lagos state who graced the occasion on behalf of her husband described the monarch as enigma and embodiment of tradition who stood out among the kings in Yorubaland.
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