Day Osun monarchs converged on Oyo for Alaafin’s 49th anniversary

It was the Oloyan of Oyan, Oba Kelani Adekeye who first breasted the tape at the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi last Tuesday, when Oba Adeyemi clocked 49 years on the throne and played host to a select group of guests.

At the inter-denominational service held inside the palace, the Oloyan painted the picture of a patient royal father who betrayed no emotions when his fellow traditional rulers expected at the occasion were some kilometres to Oyo.

When other monarchs arrived, it was like the event was being held in a town in Osun State as the majority of the traditional rulers were drawn from Osun state.

The list of the royal fathers from Osun State included the Olokuku of Okuku, Oba Samuel Oyebode, the Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba Rauf Olawale, and was closely followed by the Aragbiji of Iragbji, Oba AbdulRasheedOlabomi, the Olororuwo of Ororuwo, Oba Qamarudeen Adeyemi, the Onibode of Bode-Osi, Oba NurainOyewole, the Ajagunlase of Jagunlase, Oba Ismaila Gbadamosi, the Ataoja of Osogbo was represented by Babakekere, Chief Sulaiman Olanipekun. All the traditional rulers were all resplendent in royal apparels.

The Aragbiji said the visit served a dual purpose; recalling the recent fire outbreak which gutted the Akesan Market in Oyo and which had since attracted trains of sympathisers to the palace of the Alaafin. He affirmed the status of Oba Adeyemi among Yoruba traditional rulers as a cultural icon, justifying the visit as that of a child to father.

“Have you taken note of the number of traditional rulers who have come here to commiserate with Baba? That should tell you what he symbolises in Yorubaland. And coming today, being his 49th anniversary, on the throne, makes the visit more symbolical, and we are all happy that we are part of the anniversary. Baba has always been an example of royalty with what he has committed into the promotion of Yoruba culture. We are here to wish him more years on the throne,” Aragbiji said.

To the Olororuwo, every meeting with the Alaafin is a tutorial class where a listening traditional ruler would be educated on ethical composition of royalty, adding that he would always look forward to listening to Oba Adeyemi. While congratulating the Alaafin, the Olororuwo also wished him more successful years of peaceful reign and development.

“I know you were watching me when I was looking at Baba dancing to the drum. He dances as if he composed the tune of the drum. I think that is an important aspect of my visit today. Baba is an entertainer aside that he is a teacher who tells you lots of things you probably have not heard before,” he said.

The anniversary witnessed prayer sessions conducted by traditional worshippers, Muslim community and Christian group in that order. They all eulogised Oba Adeyemi and prayed for his longevity on the throne. The retired Arch Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu was the compere of the event, while the famous chanter, Ajobiewe intermittently spiced the proceedings with panegyrics asserting the attributes as well as the authority of the Alaafin.

Ajobiewe said repeatedly that no traditional ruler could be compared to the Alaafin, in terms of depth and comportment. In one of the moment, Arch Bishop Ladigbolu made an announcement of a letter he received from Dangote Group approving the siting of a rice farm and mill in Oyo.

“I am happy to tell you that just yesterday after I returned from my trip to Lagos, I received the news that Dangote Group, which had earlier came to inspect our land, had approved a rice mill in Oyo. This is attesting to the golden era of the Alaafin, whose 49 years on the throne have changed the face and status of our town,” he said.

Oba Adeyemi would later complement Oladigbolu’s remark with deliberate highlight of specific accomplishments which characterised his 49 years in the palace, expressing gratitude to God for the journey so far

“At the federal level, we have such institutions like the Federal College of Education (Special), the only one of its kind not only in Nigeria but in the West African sub-region, the Federal School of Surveying, the only one of its kind in Nigeria.

“At the state level,  the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, while at the private level, we have the Ajayi Crowther University (by the Anglican Mission), and the recently approved Atiba University. On the whole, Oyo has four tertiary institutions, including two private universities. All these are possible because of the peace and the socialisation techniques which we have adopted in Oyo,” he stated.

Oba Adeyemi described traditional rulers as formidable barricades which reinforce peace and security of the nation, noting with concern the insecurity in the country which he blamed on the lack of confidence and synergy between security agencies and other stakeholders in the society, in areas of information gathering and management.

Therefore, he called for seamless synergy between traditional rulers, security agencies and government at all levels, to fashion a framework for collaboration on security, grassroots mobilisation, advocacy and development, with the objective of ensuring stability at all times.

“As custodians of traditions and values, we are the ones who keep peace in our rural areas and our domains.

“As Nigerians, we must respect our various religious and ethnic backgrounds, because it is God that brought us together under one country. Thus, when we understand one another, the security challenges bedeviling the country will be a thing of the past,” he stated.

To political office holders, the Alaafin used the occasion to urge them to redouble efforts, with the fear of God, towards discharging their responsibilities to the people.  He decried “intolerance, distrust, deteriorating state of trust among the political elite and parties.”

Oba Adeyemi disclosed that when he ascended the throne, it was rubble devoid of needed structures, adding that with divine direction, relentlessness and deep commitment, he was able to turn around the palace from what it was in the past, rubble, to “the Vatican and Mecca of Yoruba land.”

“If gratitude is the greatest opener of the heart, then my heart should be busted wide open to the sweetness of this moment. The first twenty five years on my throne had been turbulent, but today. I feel totally fulfilled and give gratitude to God for His grace. My thanks and appreciation also goes to the people of Oyo across board. Be that as it may, continued peace among Oyo people, irrespective of partisan political differences is vital to any development, be it social, political and economic. This is what political scientists called socialisation,” he noted.

The entire Oyo people, he reiterated, see the Palace as a symbol of their oneness, adding that in terms of infrastructural developments from both the Federal, State and Local Government levels, there had been tremendous achievements in Oyo Federal Constituency (Afijio, Atiba, Oyo-East and Oyo-West Local Governments) respectively.

Members of the Oyo traditional council (Oyo-Mesi)  member, representing Oyo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Prince Akeem Adeyemi (Skimeh) eldest son of the Alaafin, Barrister Tunde Adeyemi, Alaafin’s wives and  some traditional rulers from Osun State were at the event.

The wife of Oba Adeyemi’s heir apparent, Justice Omolara Adeyemi performed the cutting of the anniversary cake amidst applause, after which photo sessions with the Alaafin followed and rounded off the well-organised occasion.

Oba Adeyemi was accompanied out of the venue by the traditional rulers, including the Asolo of Isolo, Lagos State, Oba Kabir Agbabiaka during which the Alaafin demonstrated his dance skill while the palace drummers called him to action with their different tunes.