By Remi Oyeyemi
The recent disrespect of Oonirisa, Oluaye, the Ooni of Ife, Kabiyesi
Eniitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, by the Eleko of Eko, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has
once again reopened the challenges the Yoruba Nation faces as it saunters
around in search of a compass to get out of its present political, social
and economic quagmire.
The resulting controversy brought about wide condemnation of Oba Akiolu
for disrespecting the ÀRÓLÉ OÒDUÀ, the accepted representative and royal
progenitor of the Yoruba race. The wide condemnation of Oba Akiolu is a
sign that the majority of Yoruba still care about their heritage and their
culture. In my view, for any race not to be History, it must care about
its History.
There have been reports that the disrespect of Oonirisa by Eleko was
informed b previous relationship between him (Eleko) and the then Prince
Eniitan Ogunwusi. Regardless, that is no justification for what happened
and widely and rightly too, condemned by all and sundry. Whatever might
have transpired between them before the ascension of Kabiyesi Ojaja II, is
irrelevant. What matters is that the old Eniitan Ogunwusi, is a different
person now. He represents the Yoruba race now. He is the official ÀRÓLÉ
OÒDUÀ now and sits on that stool of Oòduà. As our forefathers often said,
“Ení bá fi ojú àná w’òkú, ebora á bo l’àso.” Oba Akiolu ought to have
known this.
However, the resulting controversy has dredged up the importance or
otherwise of the need to pay serious attention to traditional institutions
in Yoruba land and orderliness that has been the hallmark of their inter
and intra relationship across the Yoruba Nation.
To a school of thought, the continued discussion and the attention that
this controversy has generated is an unnecessary distraction from the
daily economic realities facing not just the Yoruba Nation, but the
contraption called Nigeria as well.
To this school of thought, it is important to cease dwelling on the
controversy and begin to seek ways out of the socio – economic challenges
facing the people. This school of thought insists that the religio –
political cum socio – economic challenges”are more important things” than
the concerns being shown about extant traditional institutions.
To another school of thought, we should actually de-emphasize order but
focus on giving recognition to what individuals on the throne can bring to
bear on their domains. This school of thought seems to forget that the
essence of careful selection process of prospective rulers is to ensure
and sustain normalcy in terms of social peace, economic progress,
political harmony and religious freedom insofar as the Yoruba Nation is
concerned.
I have no disagreement with this except that following laid down rules
with tinkering here and there is of great importance. I do not subscribe
to installing popular or famous princes as rulers only for such to turn
out to exude aridity of character on the throne. Following the age long
traditional ways of selection could still be beneficial, though politics
have been intervening in recent times.
I am in serious disagreement with the first school of thought described
above that views any discussion of our traditional institutions, as to
whether they are doing well or not as a “distraction”. I view such
position as a dangerous one that could exacerbate the moral morass in
which we, as Yoruba, have found ourselves.
It is my considered view that what this particular school of thought
considers to be “more important things” than the discussion of the
progress or otherwise of our traditional institutions are functionally
related to the ability to sustain or otherwise, our tradition.
Let me break it down for easier comprehension. Tradition is the
progenitor of Culture. Culture is the incubator of values. Values are the
determinants of the righteousness or unrighteousness of a society. The
degree of righteousness of a society determines its prosperity, peace and
progress.
The breakdown of our traditional values is functionally related to several
obnoxious behaviors that are being exuded in the public offices. The
endemic corruption that we are witnessing in public offices are by
products of a people who have lost sense of their values. People are so
confused about what is right and wrong that it is now a common place for
kleptomaniacs to walk freely on our streets and even hailed by the victims
of their crimes.
When you see elders of the society, preaching for accommodation of certain
people who stole from public purse and come around to dole such out in
acts of philanthropy, generosity and so called kindness, then one should
realise that things are out of joint.
Thus, the controversy kick – started by the disrespect of Oonirisa by
Eleko is more than a “distraction”. It is indeed a serious matter that has
to be exhaustively discussed to ensure that such egregious anomaly never
repeats itself. There’s need for us as a people to look inward and reach
for the beauties embedded in our Culture.
The beauty of showing respect without losing your voice. The beauty of
orderliness in our ways of life. The beauty of religious freedom among our
people that the politicians are trying to poison for selfish ends. The
beauty of communal support and loyalty. The beauty of honesty in dealing
with others. The beauty of ordinary words being the bound of those who
uttered them. The beauty of hard work and the dignity of labour.
Yes, the beauty of self pride and self confidence. The beauty of knowing
the meaning of shame. The beauty of appreciating value of a good name. The
beauty of the place of integrity in public affairs. The beauty of
ostracising emergency millionaires or billionaires whose sources of wealth
could not be explained, et cetera, et cetera.
The diminishing beauties highlighted above are results of not taking our
traditions seriously. They are results of dismissive attitude to our
Yoruba ways of life. The impact of this dismissive attitude has seen our
people refusing to allow their children speak Yoruba in their homes. They
want to ape the white man in all manners of ways. At the end of the day,
they would never become white after ceasing to be Yoruba.
Our heritage is very important. It describes who we are. It underscores
our uniqueness, why we are different and special. Our heritage as
bequeathed is our gift to the world. It is to be guarded and protected
jealously. We can’t afford to treat our heritage with levity. As posited
by Olaitan Okedeji, “Empires rise and fall….kingdoms come and go….
emperors debut and exit…… charismatic rulers emerge and disappear
….. but heritage remains.”
An insult on our heritage is an insult to us all as a people. A disrespect
of our heritage, is a disrespect to us all as a people. “Sugbon bi onígbá
ba se pe igbá e, laa se ba pee.” This, literally, would mean “It is the
way you treat what belongs to you that would determine the way others
would treat it.” We can not allow our culture or any discussion of it be
a “distraction”. Otherwise, we are unwittingly inviting disrespect from
others.
It is the same unconscious attitude that is being brought to bear on the
unacceptable behavior of Eleko towards ÀRÓLÉ OÒDUÀ. The Yoruba Nation is
bigger than anybody. OÒNIRÌSÀ is the physical representation of the Yoruba
spirit and Yoruba Nation. He could not be toyed with. He should not be
toyed with. And he must not be toyed with.
This is why I disagree with the school of thought that considers the
discussion, focus and attention given the Eleko issue a “distraction.” It
is not a distraction but a very serious matter that must be paid attention
to along with other traditional institutions of Yoruba land. If we fail to
stem the gradual disconnection from our uniqueness as a people, by
reconnecting with our culture and traditional values and wed such to
modernity, peril is the only thing that can result.
Take away from a people, their culture, they lose their heritage,
uniqueness and spiritual being. Our disconnection with our tradition is
costing us enormously as is evident in our milieu. There’s need for a
change of attitude to our tradition and culture as a means to and for
moral renaissance which in turn would be a stepping stone to building a
fair, just and egalitarian society that we so much crave.
With a revert to our tradition, moral renaissance would serve as it’s
concomitant. By implication, the meaning of shame would be redoubtable.
There would be less crime and increase in righteous acts and behaviours.
This in turn would bring about sincere public servants who would engender
social harmony, economic progress, political tranquility, religious
freedom.
It is only the righteousness of the citizenry that could and would turn
around a country. This is what is meant when it is said that righteousness
exalts a Nation. By going back to our roots, we can rediscover our values
and rebuild our Yoruba Nation, nay Nigeria.
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