Our culture suffers because of foreign influence —Oba Agbaje

Having distributed newspapers for different media organisations with a success story before you expanded your entrepreneurial interest to other areas, how do you describe the media?

I hope you won’t accuse me of bias because your question is taking me back to the beginning of my business career after I had stopped teaching. I had a good relationship with the media, apart from the fact that the media provided my source of livelihood. The media back then and now had a good number of my friends who still keep in touch till date. I can say that the media is key in nation-building and general development of every society.

BEDC reconnects 42 communities in Edo, Delta, Ondo, Ekiti

How do we get informed of the goings on around us and in other parts of the world without the media? I can say with confidence that the media is part of the development we have attained in this country. With this explanation, you would understand that I appreciate the role they play in the society. But I must add that some people are all out to tarnish the image of the media. These are those who claim to be reporters but who are not who they claim. Regulating bodies of the media need to work on this before these people do damage to the good and hardworking reporters.

 

You seemed to have kept a low profile in the recent past. What informed this?

I want to ask you of when I kept high profile. May be, I don’t get what you mean by low profile. I have always maintained my natural profile since I came to the throne. I don’t make noise or make myself visible everywhere and every time. That is the way I lived my life long before I became the traditional ruler. I love modest life. Even among other traditional rulers, you would hardly notice me except for the crown and other paraphernalia of royalty you see in me. I love a free life where I can do my things in my own way without attracting public attention. But this is not saying that I am absolutely anonymous. No! With my height and dress code, it will be difficult to ignore me among other traditional rulers. Even if I don’t wear crown, you would just notice my presence. To God be the glory.

 

But there was news that you were ill. How true was the news?

I should not ask of your source because I know that law of your profession does not permit you to disclose your source. But I am happy that you asked the question. Being ill is a natural thing. That I am a traditional ruler does not mean I am no longer human being. Inasmuch as human being can fall it, there is no exception. To God be the glory. It was an experience that further attested to the supremacy of God over human beings.

 

How do you mean by this submission, kabiyesi?

What I mean is that I further understood and indeed appreciated the power of God over His creature. I am one of his creatures and I saw His power over me. A lot of misinformation spread in the town during that time. But God eventually proved that He is God, the maker of life. He is the one who gives life and takes life as it pleases Him. I am thanking Him for what He did over my condition because it was a different experience. It was an experience one should not have always. At the end of the experience, God showed that whoever is not yet due to go will not leave this world. Again, I am showing my appreciation for supporting me throughout the time. There is nothing compared with good health. It is true that when health is lost everything is lost. I am using this opportunity to advise our people in position of authorities, especially traditional rulers, to take good care of their health. If you consider our workload attending different meetings from morning till evening, you would realise that we need regular medical check-up. I am saying this because I appreciate what good health is better after my brief experience.

 

The name of your town was in the news last year during the governorship elections. One of your sons contested and put up a good performance that surprised those who did not know him as a politician. How would you react to the effect of this on your town?

The wish and prayer of every traditional ruler is to have children they would be proud of. Dr Ogunbiyi has made me proud, and I must say it to the world. His entry into politics was truly a surprise to many but I knew he would make impact despite that. Thank God the whole world saw how the process went, the whole world saw that he was not and still is not a pushover, regardless of the situation. He proved that good name and hard work can open such a door. It is true that an Oba should not be seen to be partisan. I agree with that principle because we are fathers to all politicians. But to say the truth is tell you that no traditional ruler would not be happy with his son who is doing well and being supported by the masses of the people. His politics is not a do-or-die thing as you can see how the whole thing went. He is an example of the kind of politics we should encourage our politicians to play for peaceful coexistence.

 

As a traditional ruler, is unity of Yoruba realistic?

I don’t believe there anything that is not possible. What is important is determination to do things. As regard Yoruba unity, which is somehow elusive, I don’t want to say it is not possible. The only thing I understand about us which makes us looks complex is our level of education. Western education has given us too much exposure to different influences which are counter-productive to us. For instance, some elements of our culture are suffering now because of these foreign influences. It is difficult for the kids to prostrate and kneel down before their parents. The irony of it is that some parents too don’t even encourage their children to do it. This is quite unfortunate in the true sense of it. The Indians, the Chinese, the Japanese and Germans are developing today because they adhere strictly with their culture and tradition. This sad aspect is very important if we are serious to achieve growth for our ethnic group.

 

How united are the traditional rulers going by your observation?

I think I should not dwell into that seriously because it is a sensitive issue. What I think we should do at this point in time is to work towards more cohesion among us. There is nothing at stake for us to struggle for. God has favoured us with the position we hold in our respective domain. What elese do we want? We should all know that there is a supreme being who oversees all of us. This has always been my guide at all time because it is the reality of life. Where are our ancestors today? They have all long gone. But what they did during their lifetime is what we make reference to today. We are also going to be referred to in past tense one day. We should all embrace one another and enjoy our lives within our means.