Culture meets history as Irawo gets new traditional ruler

  The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, hit the nail on the head at the coronation and presentation of the staff of office to the Ajoriwin of Irawo, Oba Musiliudeen Olalere, declaring the homogeneity of the Oke- Ogun sleepy town. TUNDE BUSARI reports the relevance of the gathering.

Until his arrival at the venue of the coronation ceremony last Saturday, the mood betrayed the occasion that had drawn such a large crowd of indigenes and non-indigenes of Irawo in Atisbo Local Government.

When, however, the Toyota jeep of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Olayiwola Adeyemi was piloted to the field of Comprehensive High School, the atmosphere became charged with the old and young jumping for joy; jumping that their fear had been chased away.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the non-arrival of Oba Adeyemi had caused panic not only to the people of Irawo but also the new traditional ruler, Oba Musiliudeen Olalere, who was expected to be crowned by the Alaafin at the ceremony.

He was said to have dispatched a team of some traditional rulers including Shabugana of Iganna, to about 10 kilometres away from the town to receive the Alaafin. But when minutes grew to one hour, to two and three, Oba Olalere, it was learnt, despite being surrounded by other dignitaries among whom were government officials, was apprehensive but struggled to shield the heat from his numerous guests. His worry was said to have been ignited by some undercurrents that characterized the process resulting into the coronation.

“Today is my happiest day as a son of Irawo who had long looked for today. At last we got our crown, and it was presented by baba Alaafin himself. This has entered history book. Our Kabiyesi was not comfortable when it seemed as if Baba Alaafin would not make it here to do the presentation.

“Our Kabiyesi was only trying to bear the situation but we knew he was not pleased because of the implication of the Alaafin not being here today. This town shall continue to thank the Ikubabayeye for doing us this honour today,” an indigene who dropped his name as Adewale Ayinde, 54, told our correspondent after the arrival of Oba Adeyemi.

After Sesan Onibode and Nike Ajobata, the two cultural troupes engaged for the ceremony had entertained the Alaafin with their respective above-average performances; the stage was set for Oba Adeyemi to address the audience. And when he rose from his seat, the deafening chorus of k-a-b-i-y-e-s-i-ooo enveloped the air space and accompanied him to the few meters where he delivered what was termed explosive speech.

Although the amplifier was disappointing for its appalling sound quality, the pervasive silence on the field ferried the message of the monarch to all parts of the venue.

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In his regular forceful manner backed by factual details, Oba Adeyemi went down memory lane, digging out the hidden information about chieftaincy matter in Irawo dated to the 1957 Chieftaincy Declaration.

Alaafin referenced the role his father, the late Oba Adeniran Adeyemi played in arranging the obaship matter, the arrangement which the defunct Western Region Government relied upon in the 1957 declaration.

The traditional ruler, reputed for an eye for details, revealed, in unambiguous terms, that the method of appointing the Ajoriwin of Irawo chieftaincy stool is enshrined in declaration made under section 4 (2) of the Chiefs Law, 1957, of the Customary Law regulating the selection to the Ajoriwin of Irawo chieftaincy.

He identified Ogbo and Edu as two ruling houses and pointed out that the problem reared its head in Irawo after the transition of Oba Aderinola Akano (Edu ruling house) in 1951 and appointment of Yesufu Adeola Adediran from Ogbo ruling house in 1952.

The son of the immediate past Ajoriwin known as Adeola Aroyewun was said to have left the town and installed himself the Ajoriwin of Irawo Owode, the act that saw him and Oba Adediran reporting at the palace of the Alaafin who banned Aroyewun from parading himself as a king.

It was learnt that Aroyewun discountenanced the Alaafin’s directive and Oba Adediran headed for the High Court in Oyo where Aroyewun’s status was declared null and void, after which he sought redress at the Court of Appeal where he lost again.

“He also went to the Supreme Court during which he was still parading himself as an Oba in defiance of the court injunction. The kind of mayhem that followed this cannot be revisited again. The then Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja could not contain his emotion at the sight of dead bodies.

“What I am saying, therefore, is that Irawo is one indivisible town. But government officials would always find their ways of manipulating issues without briefing governor properly on sensitive issues. They should always be honest and discharge their duties with belief that there is always life after civil service. My coming here today is to shed light on this matter and set the record straight as my status required,” he said.

After his speech, the Alaafin performed the crowning of the new traditional ruler at a secluded spot, some metres away from the field. The emergence of Oba Olalere in his cone-shaped beaded crown was heralded by booming of guns and heavy chorus by overjoyed indigenes. It was a rowdy moment as everyone was keen to catch a glimpse of the traditional ruler in a new outlook.

Presenting the staff of office to the new monarch, the representative of Governor Ajimobi, who is Director in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Teniola wished Oba Olalere a peaceful reign.