As monarch, it has been eight years of toil, challenges and grace —Oba Thompson

Arguably the first Yoruba traditional ruler to be installed in a church, the Oloni of Eti-Oni, Osun State, Oba Taiwo Oladokun Thompson, in this interview, speaks with Kehinde Oyetimi on his installation, Eti-Oni’s potential as the home of cocoa cultivation in the past 120 years, his eight-year experience as Oba, among other issues. Excerpts:

 

What was growing up like?

I think I could say I have the best parents anyone could wish for. My father, though late, was a civil servant and I could say probably one of the most upright people I have ever known. He worked at the civil service – he worked at the post office, moving from Potiskum to Ogbomoso, and other places across the country before finally coming to Lagos and working in several ministries. He used to pride himself on not taking a penny illegally from government coffers. That was the sort of discipline and integrity I was brought up with. My mother used to work with UAC and she learnt a few things and later became an interior decorator. So, I understood the strength of having mother-father unity to support a child’s dream. My father didn’t participate in politics. When I expressed interest in participating in politics, one of my uncles said politics was about thuggery and besides, I was too young. However, my father said that was the right time because the country needed upright people to move the country forward. He also helped me understand moral values. One of the things I cherish most was when he told me the time had come for traditional rulers to be installed in the church according to the scriptures. It was like an instruction. So, when I was to be installed as Oloni of Eti-Oni, I made sure it was done in the church.

 

In the South-West, strictly Christian coronations are uncommon. People believe there are rites, certain sacrifices to perform, among others. How did your people react when you asked to be installed in a church?

People were initially confused but now they are beginning to see the benefits and have started understanding it. However, before I go into that coronation aspect, I believe we’ve been sold a lie for hundreds of thousands of years – a lie we don’t even know the meaning. I believe idol worship is a phenomenon many people do not understand. I believe Christianity began in Africa. The oldest cathedral in the world today is in Ethiopia. The Christian style of worship we have today originated from Africa. When you look at sun worship and other forms of idolatry, you would see that such practices actually started in Greece. They are the ones who came and called us idol worshippers. They gave us the fake and took the original for themselves and we are now holding to the fake as if it is the original. That is my belief. People say missionaries brought Christianity. When they came, we were told that the main crux of Christianity, in terms of Abrahamic faith, is the circumcision of the male child. How come they who claim to have brought Christianity be uncircumcised and the people they met were circumcised?

Another issue is that in the Bible, David, for instance, is said to have killed a lion in the wilderness; Samson was also said to have killed a lion. Even Christ is described as the Lion of Judah. Interestingly, the only place you can find lions in the world is Africa. That’s why I love saying my throne is of the order of King David. Every other one is based on confusion and lack of substance.

 

How was the transition from engineering, business, politics to becoming an Oba like?

In Yoruba, we say ijoba and awuj’oba and we refer to government, people and politicians. And the ‘Oba’ is a traditional title. So, it’s an assembly of traditional rulers. So, Obaship, politics, governance, business are all interwoven. What we call politics can be referred to as diplomacy in terms of relating with people. Even boardroom politics is still some form of politics.

 

What do you miss about your life before now that you are an Oba?

I miss nothing. I’ve actually gained more. As you grow in life, you prepare yourself for more responsibility and I love the responsibility of wanting to put smiles on people’s faces, and doing good to the glory of God. It’s not about creating headlines or sensation but about creating lasting legacies that add value to people’s lives.

 

Eti-Oni has retained its status as the birthplace of cocoa for the South-West for the past 120 years. When you consider the South-West’s development during this time as it relates to the importance cocoa cultivation plays, would you say cocoa is still the South-West’s ‘gold’ crop?

In truth, we are fortunate to have cocoa, as other places have their precious stones. However, what we call it is what it is. There are places in Africa where we have large deposit of precious stones, yet it means nothing to them. That is the problem we have in Nigeria. We have not been able to define our cash crops, raw materials and agricultural products to generate wealth for us. Until we do that, we are wasting our time in terms of agriculture.

 

Recently, Eti-Oni celebrated the cocoa festival, that is, 120 years of cocoa cultivation. What strategies do you have in place to develop Eti-Oni?

Based on your experience, you stated that travelling down to Eti-Oni felt like you were travelling to the end of the world. I would want to agree with you that it may seem like the end of the world but it is where the world will begin. We have many plans which revolve around building a sustainable community. We are working on building a model smart town that will be the pride of Africa and a jewel to the world. We are looking at making Eti-Oni a model for the world to copy to tackle poverty, provide quality education and healthcare, resolve conflict and improve the environment, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030.

 

Now that you’re opening Eti-Oni to the world as the home of cocoa, do you think Eti-Oni has the potential to meet the high demand for cocoa worldwide?

Well, a potential is a good thing because when you have the potential, it is left for you to use your initiative to meet the demands of that potential and that is what we want to do. The Osun State government, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), among others, are partnering with us. It is not just about Eti-Oni but about cocoa, that is, how to add value, how to increase our production capacity and at the same time, turn this primary product into intermediary products, so we can create better lives for the people. If West Africa generates 75 per cent of the world’s cocoa production which amounts to only about $7.5billion, and the rest of the world generates $200billion from the finished product, and we’re not participating that $200billion, then it is not a joke. And that is what we are trying to reverse. So, the cocoa festival is to create a renaissance and an understanding that, apart from cocoa, there is also a by-product of agriculture, in terms of tourism, brand recognition, logistics and so many other things that can be generated from agriculture.

 

What is your message to sons and daughters of Eti-Oni who reside in the Diaspora?

Some of them do not know Eti-Oni, some others even refer to it as Ilesa. However, today, Eti-Oni is no more the end of the world. It is where the world will begin from. So, they can come back and join hands to develop the town. Even those who think they don’t have anything to give, their presence is enough for us to help us explain to the world what we’re doing in Eti-Oni. Everybody has a role to play and that role is key to pushing Eti-Oni towards sustainable development.

 

Last week, it became eight years since you were installed as the Oloni of Eti-Oni. What has the experience been like?

It has been eight years of toiling. It has been challenging and it has been graceful. What I’ve understood is that one must always hold on to God because there is no other way. As the scripture says, God makes a way when there is no way and that has been our testimony at Eti-Oni. Two hours before the grand finale of the cocoa festival started, you would not have believed Eti-Oni was the same Eti-Oni.