Traditional institution attracting young, highly-educated people —Oba Balogun

Oba Lekan Blaogun is the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan. In this interview by TESSY UMUNAKWE, he speaks about his recent elevation, the traditional institution and other issues. 

Nigeria marked its 57th independence anniversary on October 1. What fond memories do you have about the change of guard from colonialism to self- government?

Yes, I do have fond memories about the nation’s independence. I was a young man then. We were so excited that the nation was becoming independent. Colonial rule was overbearing. We knew it, we felt it. And for us to be talking about independence out of that bondage, we were really excited. Unfortunately, the blacks have not been better except that the benefits of governance stay around us here. With White rulership, if you are to feel the benefits, you may have to go to England. And the White, because of their colour and style of living were all in a class of their own. The majority were disadvantaged. We knew we were living a horrible life. We hated dependence on the British colonial system. We knew it could be better so we were very happy that we no longer have White colonial rulers. We were glad that as an independent nation, we could rub shoulders with them at the international level and that we are equal to them at the international plane. But of course, when you consider the domestic situation, all is not too well.

Would you say Nigeria’s democracy is on course?

Oppression is oppression, it doesn’t matter the colour of the persons perpetrating it. All is not well. But independence made it easy for us to fight ourselves which was what led to the Civil war. Right now, some people are being oppressed in some sections of the country and we are telling them not to secede. Nigerians want to be equal in their country. If you want the people to be together, then it must be a just Nigeria.

The issue of restructuring has taken the centre stage in recent time, what is your stance on this?

Let’s have one country but a just country. If you have one country and you don’t have justice, it would not be well. There would be demand for justice, it may take different forms. If you give independence to Ibadan, Ijebu, Egba and so on, we are all Yorubas, yet we will still have our small differences. Let’s just define what it takes to be just and let’s be just to ourselves. Let’s be just to the Igbos, let them be just to us in return. Let’s be just to the Hausa\Fulani and let them be just to us in return.

In times past, the traditional institution was held in very high esteem, traditional rulers played key roles in the polity. The political leadership consulted them for advice and their words were like laws. Today, it appears the reverse is the case; to the extent that miscreants and hoodlums now insult the traditional institution at will and go as far as invading the palace to kidnap royal fathers, what actually went wrong?

That’s a local problem within the traditional institution itself. It would seem that some people stage-managed what we are talking about. Nobody had actually been injured. And these people were armed. If they were out to injure, they would have injured many people. Nevertheless, we are investigating it, we are looking into it. We are investigating it seriously and thoroughly. By the time we come up with the facts, you will be surprised to know that they were stage managed.

You believe the system has retained its prestige as in times past?

I think it has. A lot of young men are in the traditional system, highly educated people. When I joined one quarter of its membership were not educated but today virtually everybody is a graduate, so it is changing, it is growing too.

What about constitutional roles for traditional rulers?

The roles have been constitutional. The issue here is the need for transparency. The rules are clear in the guidelines; that is, the laws that guide the chieftaincy institution are constitutional.

Corruption has been identified as one of the major problems militating against the nation’s development and the nation’s leadership has vowed to fight the scourge but all to no avail. What is the way out?

We may not be serious enough in fighting. Corruption has been so entrenched in our behavioural patterns that it would take more than just talking about it to change things. We have to change because corruption is not good for us as a country or as individuals. Just choose your leaders and choose them rightly.

Isn’t it in the best interest of Ibadanland to have one traditional institution and architecture in the quest of the people to have Ibadan State?

That’s what we have at the moment. In other places where there are many traditional rulers, you will discover that they are localized and geographic but ours is not localized or geographic. After the reform, I still remain the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland. Balogun Ekerin remains Balogun Ekerin, Ekarun Olubadan remains Ekarun Olubadan; not of Beere, Beyerunka, Gbenla, Idi-Ape and so on. In Lagos, there’s Oba of Ikeja, Oba of Ketu and so on. It is the same  in Egbaland. It is the same in Ijebuland. But we don’t have that in Ibadan. Even with the reforms, we are still one people. Initially, people who didn’t understand the reform were calling me Alaliwo of Aliiwo. There is no such thing in the reform. It is not allowed. And if Ibadan is to get a state of its own, we will have just one oba in the whole of Ibadan State if we didn’t have the reform. So, there’s no geographic definition in the reform. We all remain where we were before the reform. We are still one people.

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