Oba Kamarudeen Adeyemi Bello, the Olorooruwo of Orooruwo, Osun State, in this interview by TUNDE BUSARI, speaks on his childhood and experience as a traditional ruler.
How would you describe your childhood years?
I was born into Muslim family, a strict Islamic home, my father was an Imam. You would now understand what I mean by strict Islamic home. I was raised to know the virtue of my religion right from childhood in a way that made it difficult for me to behave outside what the Quran and Hadith recommend. It was an interesting period of my life; interesting in the sense that after my primary school I was taken to Ilorin where I was tutored by Arabian scholars.
Is it then safe to call you an alfa?
It depends on your choice of word. What is most important is that I passed through Islamic school in a place where you have the assemblage of scholars. And this education really helped me in my future career as I would later gain admission into the University of Ilorin to study Islamic Religious Studies.
What do Christianity and Christians mean to you given your depth in Islamic knowledge?
God bless you for this very important question.
Let us talk about your journey to the palace. How did it go?
I came here after the demise of my predecessor, Oba Afolayan Abioye
Did you see yourself succeeding him during his lifetime?
How would I have seen myself as his successor? Is that the way it happens? I never saw myself as his successor.
What did your relationship with your predecessor look like?
It was father-and-son relationship because I am a royal blood. I can recall that I did not miss calling him at the beginning of every month. It had become my routine that I did not forget. I also greeted him every November that marked his anniversary. And whenever I came home, I must find time to see him.
What did you discuss whenever you came to the palace?
He would ask about Abuja. He would ask about my job. He would want to know how my family was faring. He never asked me about anything special that suggested he saw the interest to succeed him in me. I was okay with my job at SUBEB, Abuja as a Grade Level 10 officer.
How then did you emerge the Olorooruwo?
Let me just say that it was the will of God because as I have said it was not in my plan. There was a contest for the throne as usual and contestants showed interest. I was not one of them. I was in Abuja. At a particular family meeting, I was told that one of my brothers nominated me. When he called and told me I blamed him for doing that without my consent. There were 17 contestants. I was just a Level 10 civil servant. I was not having the needed money to process the exercise. Above all, I was young. At the end of the day, the family prevailed on me to accept the nomination. I travelled down to attend meeting.
How many ruling houses do you have here?
We have Alawode and Sangoyoyin according to the 1957 Declaration. The throne is rotated between the two ruling houses. My predecessor was from Sangoyoyin, which made it the turn of Alawode after him. These two families also have branches. I am from Adeyanju branch of Alawode ruling house. Two of us contested from Adeyanju. He is my cousin.
What do you think favoured you among other contestants?
I have said it that it was God’s intervention. There was nothing else apart from this. This showed when I entered the town after the announcement. I was shocked seeing that large number of people already awaiting me at Iragbiji. They had brought a car and asked me to stand in it to acknowledge the crowd that filled everywhere. It was as if I was in a dream. By the time we entered the town, the crowd was double. People from our neighbouring towns like Iragbiji, Aagba, Ada, had joined.
When precisely?
That was November 2, 2016. After the installation I was led to Ipebi where I spent three days. It is three days we spend in Ipebi here. I was led to the palace after some necessary rites had been performed to usher in a new era.
What is your vision for the town?
I am happy to tell you that under one year I came to the throne, we have witnessed transformations. One of my sons is the executive secretary of the newly created LCDA. Also, another son of the town is building a medical facility. It is a big one. The town is expanding with people buying lands and developing them. I think these are manifestations of God’s hand in my journey to the palace. They are also signs of other greater things that would come to the town during my reign. I am happy that the elders of the town are helping me in the administration of the town. There is already in place The Elders Council headed by Chief Ayo Dada. There is also The Orooruwo Forum headed by Asiwaju Ayo Adeniyi. I cannot do it alone. It is their experience I am relying on to do it and I believe we are going to achieve greater things together for the town. I want Orooruwo to become small London and I believe nothing will stop that dream to come to a reality. God has blessed us with patriotic people who raised money among themselves and bought Science equipment for Amota Community High School in May.
Iragbiji is your neighbor. How is your relationship?
We have a good relationship with Iragbiji. The Aragbiji, Oba AbdulRasheed Olabomi is a traditional ruler I cannot but respect because of whom he is. He is a born-administrator. His wealth of experience before he came to the throne is working for him to do a lot of things. Apart from that, he is a God-fearing traditional ruler. He always has the right advice at the right time. I am close with him because he makes himself available to me and I appreciate him. I pray to God to grant him many years on the throne. His type is an asset not only to the town but to the state as a whole.
Are you not missing classroom?
The assignment in the palace is more than classroom work. It is demanding and tasking because you have to be at your best at all times to handle issues. I am not missing the classroom. Here is a higher place of responsibilities. In fact, when I was teaching, I would always come back home during festivals. I did not believe in staying permanently in Abuja. I call the place village while I call Orooruwo my home. Whatever I make outside must be brought down home here.
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