The Olorisa Parapo Agbaye in the Badagry Division of Lagos State has dismissed insinuations that the Labour Party (LP) Governorship Candidate in the 2023 election, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, should not have been honoured with the title of Obalefun recently conferred on him on the grounds that he is not of true Yoruba descent. The group firmly declared that the LP chieftain is not only a genuine son of the soil but also a thoroughbred indigene of Lagos.
It will be recalled that Rhodes-Vivour was recently crowned the Obalefun of Ijo Olorisa Parapo at a ceremony held in the Badagry area of the state.
The Head of Olobatala in Ogun State, Chief Abiodun Oloyede, made this clarification in response to the rumours, via a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday. He emphasised that had Rhodes-Vivour not been of true Yoruba descent, “the crown of Obalefun he wears would long have become a burden on him.”
“Those who are spreading this misinformation claim that a non-Yoruba cannot be conferred with the title. While that notion is, in principle, accurate, it is in this context an erroneous insinuation, and smacks of a deliberate attempt to malign the personality of the accomplished architect. If Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour were not of Yoruba blood, the crown of Obalefun he wears would long have become a burden on him,” Chief Oloyede stated.
“Gbadebo is a bona fide son of the soil—not only of Yoruba land generally but also a true indigene of Lagos State, hailing from one of the IBILE Divisions, specifically Lagos Island, in the Oke Popo area,” he added.
Explaining the rationale behind the conferment of the title of Obalefun and Peace Ambassador of the Isese establishment, Oloyede—also known as ‘Ifa White’—noted that the decision was based on the certainty of Rhodes-Vivour’s Yoruba heritage and his consistent support for Yoruba culture and traditional practices. He described him as “a brilliant and highly accomplished architectural professional.”
“The crown is not for just anyone. It is reserved for verifiable true sons of the Yoruba race—those who also dedicate their lives to the progress of the Yoruba people,” he said.
Further speaking, Chief Oloyede described Rhodes-Vivour as someone who is always available and willing to promote Yoruba culture, adding that there is no place he goes where he does not confidently express his cultural attachment to the Yoruba identity.
According to him, Rhodes-Vivour, a successful businessman with deep expertise in information and communication technology, makes significant efforts to elevate the culture and traditions of Yoruba land on the global stage. He stated that Rhodes-Vivour is far from someone who would deny or diminish the cultural heritage of his lineage.
In his remarks, Rhodes-Vivour asserted that there is nothing wrong with promoting Yoruba culture—such as the reverence for Ogun, Ifa Orunmila, Sango, Obatala, Oya, and others—“because they are part of what has always existed here.”
He recalled that Ifa was the origin of what is now known as the computer, which is used worldwide today, adding that it also contributed to the invention of the telephone—a fact many Nigerians are unaware of.
“It was when the white man came and learnt from what the Yoruba had that they went and began to invent all these things. But they kept the secret from us,” he said.
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