10 years after: Grand Oba Okunade Sijuwade, the late Ooni of Ife, still grander even in death!

At a high-profile memorial celebrating the life and legacy of the 50th Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade (Olubuse II), renowned Harvard scholar, Professor Jacob Kehinde Olupona, delivered a keynote lecture urging Nigeria to look inward, to its traditional institutions, for answers to its chronic insecurity and national disunity.

Speaking at the Harbour Point in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday in front of an audience that included royal dignitaries, governors, scholars, and cultural enthusiasts, Professor Olupona, a professor of African Religious Traditions at Harvard Divinity School and African and African American Studies at Harvard University, advocated a comprehensive cultural and constitutional renaissance rooted in the restoration of traditional authority.

The memorial celebration, organised by the Sijuwade family, drew attention not only to the towering legacy of Oba Sijuwade but also to the enduring relevance of traditional leadership in Nigeria’s sociopolitical framework. 

Among those in attendance were the incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, Former Governors of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Governors of Ekiti and Ondo State, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Olusegun Mimiko, former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, members of the royal Sijuwade lineage, and numerous traditional leaders from across the country.

Olupona offered heartfelt tributes to the late Ooni, recalling how he once brought the revered monarch to Harvard for an international conference on Ifa spirituality. 

The visit, Olupona said, left a lasting impression on the Ivy League institution, highlighting the global importance of Yoruba spiritual and cultural traditions.

Olupona’s address centred on a provocative yet deeply reflective theme: “Unifying and Securing Nigeria’s Future Through Traditional Institutions.”

He said, “In communities with kings and chiefs, ordinary people do not expect aberrations to occur. And yet, here we are, witnessing disorder, division, and insecurity, even where Obas, Emirs, and Obis reign.”

This paradox, he argued, must be urgently addressed, not through rhetoric alone, but by actively restoring the authority and relevance of traditional leadership in the governance of Nigeria.

Olupona traced the erosion of traditional power to Nigeria’s postcolonial shift toward a modern democratic state that failed to integrate local rulership into its constitutional framework.

“Traditional rulers were sidelined, relegated beneath local government chairpersons, and denied formal political voice. Yet for centuries, they governed justly, held moral sway, and kept peace among their people,” he explained.

The Professor emphasised that traditional institutions were not merely symbolic or ceremonial; they were historically the bedrock of order, justice, and spiritual guidance in Nigerian societies.

A major thrust of Olupona’s lecture was a demand for constitutional recognition of traditional institutions. 

He referenced a bill currently being debated in Nigeria’s National Assembly to establish a National Council of Traditional Rulers, which would serve as an advisory body to the government on matters of culture, public policy, and community development.

“This council must be more than decorative, It should be enshrined in the Constitution with clear roles and responsibilities, reflecting the soft cultural power that our kings, chiefs, and traditional leaders still wield,” Olupona urged

Such reforms, he argued, would not turn traditional rulers into “handmaidens of the state” but would empower them to act as true custodians of community values and national unity.

Beyond constitutional amendments, Olupona advocated for leveraging Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, its festivals, rituals, and oral traditions, as a form of soft power capable of bridging ethnic divides.

He cited successful examples like the Iriji (New Yam Festival), and other inter-ethnic celebrations that have fostered unity in a fractured nation.

“These festivals aren’t just cultural displays,” he said. “They are political tools, rallying points for identity, memory, and cohesion. 

“They must be protected, promoted, and elevated to national platforms.” the professor added.

He challenged leaders to consider how these cultural expressions could be made trans-regional, involving multiple ethnicities and promoting unity from the grassroots.

Perhaps the most intellectually intriguing portion of his lecture was the introduction of what he called “civil religion”—a collective national identity built not on politics or economics, but on shared narratives, rituals, and symbols.

“Civil religion is not about converting anyone. It’s about constructing a national mythology, a sense of belonging that transcends tribe, religion, and region. It’s what keeps nations like the U.S. or France together in times of crisis. Nigeria needs its own version,” he said.

Olupona did not shy away from critiquing traditional rulers themselves, some of whom, he noted, have “exchanged their thrones for stipends,” choosing silence over justice.

“Our thrones must once again become platforms of moral leadership. Not just arbiters of land disputes, but voices for justice, integrity, and national rebirth,” he posited.

The professor invoked the memory of young Nigerians who died during national service or while attempting to secure the democratic process, calling on the country to do more to commemorate such sacrifices.

Offering a compelling example, Olupona reminisced about his formative years at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where the names of residence halls honoured Nigeria’s founding fathers, Balewa, Akintola, and Akpabio, symbolising a vision of national unity that transcended ethnicity and history.

“This was Zik’s wisdom,” Olupona said, “to use even architecture and naming to build a collective memory. Today, we must find new ways to instil that same spirit in the hearts of our youth,” he added.

As he concluded, Olupona left the audience with a challenge: “Nigeria is not for the timid. It is not for those who admire from the shadows. It is for those ready to speak truth to power, to act as beacons of justice and hope. Our kings must reclaim that sacred role.”

He urged traditional leaders to embrace a higher moral ground, not merely as historical figures, but as contemporary agents of national transformation.

In celebrating the legacy of Oba Sijuwade, who throughout his reign was seen as a bridge-builder between tradition and modernity, Nigeria and the world, Olupona stated that, “Nigeria’s future lies not in abandoning its past, but in rediscovering it.

“If we can empower our traditional rulers once more, we can begin to see a Nigeria that is not only united and secure, but deeply at peace with its own soul,” Olupona concluded.

Guardians of Heritage: Traditional Rulers Defend the Soul of Nigeria at Tribute to Late Ooni of Ife

A constellation of Nigeria’s most revered traditional rulers, scholars, statesmen, and cultural custodians converged to honour the late 50th Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, in a stirring tribute that doubled as a reflection on the role of traditional institutions in modern nation-building.

The Dein of Agbor, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Benjamin Ikenchuku (Keagborekuzi I), offered a deeply personal testimony. “I grew up in the school of Sijuwade. He carried me in a way that taught me so much about Nigeria,” he declared. 

The young monarch, famously crowned at just two and a half years old, praised the trio of influential kings; the late Ooni, the Emir of Kano, and the Oba of Benin, for shaping his worldview. 

“These were men who moved this country forward in ways many don’t know,” he said, urging continued respect for traditional rulers. 

“This is Africa, not America or Europe. Our solutions are uniquely ours,” the monarch insisted.

His sentiments were echoed by the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, who reflected on his ideological transformation. 

“Before I became a monarch, I detested the institution. But now I see it is a gift from God to serve in rural communities and shape humanity with our values,” he admitted. 

The monarch said, “Power is transient. We must remember that leadership belongs to the people, and leaders who fail to consult them are doomed,” the Orangun said.

The Emir of Misau, Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman, lent a northern perspective, describing traditional rulers as “the cement in the pavement of a fractured society.” 

He emphasised that while the political class often operates at the surface, it is the traditional institution that quietly stabilises the grassroots. 

“When things fall apart, it’s to the palaces they run. The traditional rulers are the true mobilisers of the people,” he noted.

Veteran security chief, Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, recalled the late Ooni’s behind-the-scenes diplomacy in preventing national crises, particularly during the political impasse between President Obasanjo and the National Assembly in 2002. 

“He was never partisan. His wisdom and counsel helped avert chaos more than once,” Are recalled. 

Publisher and cultural advocate Dele Momodu shared his admiration for the late monarch’s tolerance and humility. 

“He had an aura that commanded respect. We need more of such leaders today, tolerant, visionary, and unifying,” Momodu said. 

He recounted how Ooni Sijuwade once bridged a long-standing rift between two Yoruba royal figures at his birthday celebration, calling it “a moment of profound grace.”

Representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Special Assistant (Technical), Professor Babatunde Bolaji Bernard delivered a goodwill message extolling the late Ooni’s legacy of peace and unity. He lauded the current Ooni, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, for expanding on his predecessor’s vision, especially in youth empowerment and cultural preservation.

Royal Legacy, National Unity: Leaders Hail Late Ooni Sijuwade’s Role in Nation Building at 10th Memorial

In his message of appreciation, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu praised the late Ooni as a monarch who promoted unity across Nigeria and its diaspora. 

“His reign symbolised peace, cultural preservation, and a bridge between governance and tradition,” he said. 

He also affirmed Lagos State’s commitment to supporting traditional institutions as partners in grassroots governance and national unity.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, represented by ex-Osun State Governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, described Oba Sijuwade as “a king of style, a king of substance, and above all, a king of structure.” 

He noted the Ooni’s significant diplomatic influence in national politics and regional peace-building. 

“He was not merely a custodian of tradition, but a bridge between the sacred and the secular, between palace halls and policy tables,” Obasanjo noted,

Obasanjo praised the late monarch’s ability to engage heads of state and market women with equal ease. 

“He wore the Yoruba crown like a global citizen. That was his gift, the ability to speak with all and for all,” he added.

Dr Kayode Fayemi, former Governor of Ekiti State, echoed these sentiments while also addressing the complexities of integrating traditional leadership with Nigeria’s political structure. 

“Cultural legitimacy remains critical in governance,” Fayemi said, highlighting the need to respect and involve traditional rulers in grassroots decision-making. 

He acknowledged that while statutory processes have sidelined monarchs in the selection of successors, they still hold vital, informal influence in their communities.

The incumbent Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, thanked the gathering for honouring his predecessor. 

“He came, he saw, he conquered. We are all products of his impact,” the monarch said, encouraging everyone to rise in tribute to the late Ooni. 

He described the memorial as a moment of gratitude and a call for collective commitment to preserving the legacy of royal leadership.

Ooni Ogunwusi also recounted how close his relationship was with his predecessor and the influence he still feels today. 

“This event would have been held in Ife,” he noted, “but the family decided on Lagos for ease and inclusivity,” the Ooni added.

He lauded family unity and the dedication of Oba Sijuwade’s children and friends in preserving his vision.

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