The rich Yoruba language has expressions that support the stand that acquisition of true and genuine kingship or obaship position does not come by human might but by divine intervention which could also mean destiny. It is perhaps the acclamation of this belief that led to the emergence of the Yoruba expressions: “Ori ti o dade, koni salai dade” (the destined beaded-crown head will not miss the crown) and “Ati dade kinnihun, ko seyin eledumare” (the wearing of the crown by the lion was God-ordained). It is to the glory of God that the truism of these words of our elders, which are words of wisdom, divinely played themselves out squarely in the life of the reigning Ogiyan of Ejigboland, HRM, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin II who is 81 years old today, and 43 years old on the throne. By way of information, Ejigbo, an ancient town in Yoruba land, is the headquarters of Ejigbo Local Government in Osun State.
The story of ascension of Oba Oyeyode Oyesosin to the throne of his forefathers as the 29th Ogiyan on 25th January 1974 is a pleasant commentary of a celestial decision translated into a vision and delivered as an unsolicited prophecy by a prophet to Oyeyode’s mother, Ibikoyo Abeje. The woman, who was at the time of the prophecy, a mother of six children from a marriage to a man who was neither a king nor a prince, had thought that she was done with conception and the pains of childbirth.
As weird as the prophecy sounded, Madam Abeje responded to it with a faith similar to that of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, when she was told by the angel Gabriel that she would conceive and bear a child even without “knowing” a man. Records have shown that genuine prophecies have diverse ways of coming to fulfillment. In the case of Madam Ibikoyo Abeje, fate developed a relationship between her and a popular prince of Oyesosin family of Ondoye Ruling House of Ejigbo after the death of her husband. That relationship with Prince Salawu Oyeyode led to Madam Abeje becoming pregnant and eventually, the birth of a male child, which was her seventh child but the only one from her for Prince Salawu Oyeyode. That child was christened Omowonuola which is translated: the child has crept into wealth. It was a reflection of combined circumstances and events surrounding these incidents that set the tone for the fulfillment of the prophecy of many years earlier that Madam Ibikoyo Abeje would become a king’s mother.
Right from birth, Prince Omowonuola demonstrated princely features in character, actions, utterances and comportment. This aristocratic background glowed. It must be stated that the exact birthday of Prince Omowonuola could not be established. Despite the nobility of his parents, they were illiterates. However, some calculations dictated by certain events and circumstances, informed the choice of 25th January, 1936 as Prince Omowonuola’s official birthday.
At every occasion when the situation demanded, especially when the young Prince had any cause to argue or disagree with others on issues, his mother, ostensibly inspired by that prophecy, would remind him with a particular statement: “Eegun ni o. O o moyi ara re” meaning “you are a masquerade, you don’t know your worth.” As Prince Oyeyode advanced in age, especially in the 1960s, when he was becoming a full fledged young man, his mother changed the warning statement to “Oju Ejigbo ma nwo ooo” meaning “The people of Ejigbo are watching you”.
Prince Omowonuola Oyeyode’s journey to the throne of Ogiyan actually started with the death of Oba Oyetunde Mogbesola, the 28th Ogiyan of Ejigboland, on November 16th 1971. Expectedly the demise of the Kabiyesi threw open succession contest for the throne. By every calculation Prince Omowonuola Oyeyode was eminently qualified to contest alongside other Princes.
By this time, the popularity of Prince Oyeyode who was a graduate teacher at Fiditi Grammar School, Fiditi, was on the ascendancy in Ejigbo. He had earlier emerged a geography graduate from the University of Ibadan, a development which gave him an added advantage over other contestants who were of lesser academic standing. Another boost to Prince Oyeyode’s chances of success in the contest was the fact that he was the only candidate presented by his royal family.
Perhaps it should be mentioned here that the struggle for the Ogiyan stool during that particular period was fierce and dragged unnecessarily for more than usual. For instance, though the then Alake of Egba land, Oba Gbadebo the second and then Ogiyan of Ejigboland , Oba Oyetunde Mogbesola died almost at the same time, it took the Egbas few weeks to fill their vacant stool while the Ejigbos spent about three years to install a new monarch.
While the struggle lasted, Prince Omowonuola Oyeyode did not take things lying low. As a matter of fact, he went spiritual during the period of two and a half years. He fasted and prayed ceaselessly. His decision to fight the battle spiritually was reinforced by the vision he was told as far back as 1966 that he should not use any “black” means to achieve anything in life.
History was eventually made on the 25th January, 1974 when Prince Omowonuola Oyeyode was officially installed as the 29th Ogiyan of Ejigbo land, and became to be known as HRM, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin II. The day also coincided with his birthday. He was however presented with the staff and instrument of Office on 25th May, 1974 by the then military government of the old Oyo State, headed by Rtd. Col. Oluwole Rotimi.
Oba Oyeyode Oyesosin will not forget in a hurry the supportive roles played by certain individuals who were his friends since his days as a teacher at Fiditi Grammer School, Fiditi. Particular mention should be made of Chief Akanni Aluko who was the School’s bursar as well as two very successful business men, late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin and late Alhaji Arisekola Alao. The trio, who were men of good financial standing, placed their resources and influence at the disposal of Oba Oyeyode during the struggle for the throne.
At a youthful age of 38 years, Oba Oyeyode emerged as monarch. A first class socialite, he was able to worm himself into the hearts of even his adversaries. Within the first three months on the throne, Kabiyesi, through the cordial relationship he established with his co-contestants for the throne, succeeded in making them forget the pains occasioned by the loss of the “battle.”
At the age of 81 years and 43 years on the throne today, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin II has every cause to glorify God for a peaceful reign dotted with various developments in Ejigbo in areas of social amenities, education, health and industry. The history of Ejigbo under Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin will certainly not forget among his achievements, his doggedness in getting the seat of Ogiyan of Ejigbo upgraded in 1977 from rotational membership of the old Oyo State Council of Obas to a permanent one. The making of Ejigbo a university town courtesy of the Ejigbo Campus of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) is indeed another landmark achievement of the reign of Oba Oyeyode Oyesosin.
I find it instructive to conclude this narrative with some of the contributions of the immediate past governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola to a book on Oba Oyeyode Oyesosin, “A great orator, a powerful writer and a great philosopher. Kabiyesi combines these attributes with the fear of God and a pleasant personality. A peace-loving father, Kabiyesi Ogiyan is a humble royal father who easily identifies with commendable aspirations and initiatives of all, regardless of social, political, economic, religious or even ethnic differences.
“It is noteworthy that during the crucial stage in the struggle for the creation of Osun State, Oba Oyesosin joined forces with other traditional rulers to pursue the goal of mobilising his people for the process, particularly in te area of making the right contact and contributing resources needed for agitation.
“Today the fact that Ejigbo can stand among its peers in all facets of development is attributable to the efforts of its highly educated royal father, who has used all the endowments it has pleased God to give him for the progress of Ejigbo and its people.”
Congratulations, HRM Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin II, Ogiyan of Ejigboland on the occasions of your Highness’s 81st birthday and 43rd coronation anniversary. You are indeed the founder and father of modern Ejigbo.
Kayode Adedire, a former DG, Recility Radiovision Service (RRS) Iwo, wrote from Osogbo.
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