Lessons from Ooni’s historic visit to Alaafin

Apart from deepening the unity of the Yoruba, the historic visit by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, is considered to be a repository of many leadership lessons those running the affairs of Nigeria can learn from

The President, Beyond Better Development, Barbara White, who specialises in motivation and training in interpersonal skills for positive impact, might have had the recent action demonstrated by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, at heart when she listed exemplary character, commitment to excellence and ability to think analytically among the seven qualities of a good leader.

Less than two months after Oba Ogunwusi stood before dignitaries, including sons and daughters of Ile-Ife who attended his coronation at the popular Enuwa Square in the ancient town and vowed to build a new Yoruba nation where all traditional rulers would unite and promote unity among the ethnic group, the Ooni used his last Sunday’s historic visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, during the latter’s 45th coronation anniversary to prove that he is an embodiment of those attributes. The Ooni’s action, it is believed, has laid the foundation for the fulfillment of that pledge.

The action of the 51st Ooni was said to be an exemplary and unprecedented one as it added a new chapter to the political history of the Yoruba nation because it eliminated the old rivalry that had existed between Oba Ogunwusi’s predecessor, the late Oba Okunade Sijuwade and Oba Adeyemi.

Before the demise of Oba Sijuwade, he and the current Alaafin never agreed on some historical issues, especially those that have to do with the Yoruba nation. It is on record that they used every available public forum to taunt each other. Their animosity bordered on supremacy battle. Traditionally, it is believed that Alaafin is the political head of the Yoruba nation, while Ooni is the spiritual head. In spite of that demarcation of roles, both traditional rulers engaged in a seemingly unending verbal war for many years.

Even the excision of Osun State from the old Oyo State by the regime of a former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd), with the hope of putting an end to the cold war between the late Oba Sijuwade and Oba Adeyemi, did not achieve the desired result. Till Oba Sijuwade breathed his last, it was not recorded anywhere that the two prominent traditional rulers ever sat down together in a place and discussed the future of the Yoruba nation. It was like they built a permanent wall of enmity between themselves with its attendant lack of unity of purpose among traditional rulers in Yoruba land.

But last Sunday’s visit by the current Ooni was believed to have been unique and broken the wall of enmity because the Ife monarch, though uninvited by the celebrant, broke all artificial barriers to attend the Alaafin’s 45 anniversary coronation. This happened 79 years after a late Ife monarch visited Alaafin’s palace as pointed out by Oba Adeyemi, whose excitement over Oba Ogunwusi’s action knew no bound.

While acknowledging that he did not enjoy cordial relationship with Oba Ogunwusi’s predecessor, the Alaafin commended the new Ife monarch’s move to reconcile all Yoruba obas under a strong umbrella. In the presence of dignitaries at the thanksgiving service, Oba Adeyemi prayed for the peaceful reign of the new Ooni.

The Ooni, on his part, said he recognised the place of Oyo monarch in Yoruba history and that his reign would signal a new dawn for the Yoruba nation.

He had said, “It is a new dawn for all Yoruba sons and daughters around the globe… I am here today though not invited but as the Arole Oduduwa, the onus is on me to felicitate with all sons and daughters wherever they are and to show my solidarity for any of them.

“I am ready to damn any consequences or insinuations from anywhere; my mission here is to preach peace among nations of Yoruba both home and abroad and I am ready to work with Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Olayiwola Adeyemi, to project the unity and love which existed in the days of our forefathers.”

The Ooni’s action was, however, said to be full of lessons for Nigeria’s leaders. A political scientist and historian, Mr. Jimoh Balogun, described the action as an unprecedented one. According to him, it shows that the first duty of leaders, including political and heads of religious organisations is to lead by example.

Balogun expressed the hope that, the two traditional rulers would strengthen the unity of purpose that both of them have now found.

While asking those in positions of authority to learn from Oba Ogunwusi’s action, Balogun said, “It is unprecedented that the head of the cradle of Yoruba civilisation stretched his arms of harmony, peace and oneness to the political head of Yoruba nation.

“Oba Ogunwusi started by dousing the feud between Modakeke and Ife. The monarch swallowed pride, position, influence and in spite of his young age and youthfulness, to attend the Alaafin’s anniversary and thereby put an end to the covert rivalry between the late Oba Sijuwade and Oba Adeyemi.

“His action portrays leadership by example and humility in office, which appear lacking among those in positions of responsibility in Nigeria. The action blazes the trail for other Yoruba traditional rulers and the nation’s leaders to follow and I believe it will be the beginning of promoting unity among them.”

He equally asked religious leaders to take a cue from the Ooni’s example. According to him, if the Ife monarch can lower his prestige to reach out to the lowly placed and those in the pinnacles of office, so should be the activities of religious leaders in the various denominations.

Balogun, however, claimed that the Ooni’s action showed ray of hope in Nigeria’s youths. He believes that youths will perform well, if entrusted with positions of responsibility.

The Owa of Idanre, Oba Fredrick Aroloye, said the Ife monarch’s action had broken the unhealthy rivalry which once existed between the late Ooni and the current Alaafin. According to him, the visit underscores the need for periodical meetings among Yoruba obas to discuss the progress of the ethnic group.

While praising the new Ooni for the courage, he promised to write the Ife monarch to express his appreciation for his efforts to unite the Yoruba obas.

Oba Aroloye said, “I welcome the Ooni’s visit to Oba Adeyemi to start with. Last time when I met with the Alaafin, he said we obas in Yoruba land should be meeting to unite as one entity. And the fact that the Ooni has paid Alaafin a visit shows that we are one.

“We the other obas say that we are one because it was in 1935 that my own father, the then Owa of Idanre, moved the idea that Yoruba obas should be meeting and he thereafter told the District Officer in Idanre and the District Officer told the Resident Officer and the Resident Officer told the Chief Commission who told the Governor about the obas’ plan to be meeting.

“The first meeting was scheduled to hold in Ile-Ife, the then Alaafin kicked against it and they came back to my father who told them that Oranmiyan was the first son of Oduduwa and that the meeting ought to have taken place at Alaafin’s palace and they all agreed, but instead of holding that meeting in 1935, they shifted it to 1937. I have the sitting arrangement and the minute of everything that transpired at the meeting.

“Now that the new Ooni has moved the idea again that Yoruba obas should be meeting under one umbrella, it is a welcome idea. I am going to write to thank the Ooni for his courageous move.”

The monarch also asked Nigeria’s political leaders to follow the Ooni’s example.

“The primary purpose of having a leader is to promote the interest of the people,” Oba Aroloye said.

Also, a social commentator, Mr. Ebun Adegboruwa, commended the Ooni’s “youthful maturity, royal sagacity and spiritual tenacity in the way he has brought an end to the seeming tension between the two thrones” with advice to President Muhammadu Buhari to take a cue from the bold initiative.

Asking political leaders in the country to always demonstrate courage to walk on the right path, Adegboruwa said the Ooni’s boldness had occupied a fresh chapter in the history of Yoruba nation.

He said, “The Ooni of Ife’s boldness to follow the right path should be a big lesson for Nigeria’s leaders. I believe that our leaders, particularly politicians, can learn a lesson from this. They should not be listening to bad advice from their followers.

“Once a leader has identified the right path to follow, he should be bold and courageous enough to follow that path. But the leaders we have in Nigeria now are more or less like the followers; they don’t have the mind of their own. Whether in the Presidency or in the senate, most of the leaders we parade these days have no mind of their own to take bold decisions to move Nigeria forward; they cannot step on toes. The bulk of the lessons from Oba Ogunwusi stopped at the table of the leaders.

“Oba Ogunwusi exercised influence on those who are following him, especially when taking the right decision and I will advise President Buhari to take a cue from this and call the Bayelsa State Governor-elect, Mr. Seriake Dickson, and congratulate him on his victory in the last governorship election in the state.

“Dickson has been declared winner of the governorship poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Certificate of Return has been given to him. Let Buhari stop the perceived hostility he has against Dickson and be a statesman.

“He should also use the same spirit to invite former President Goodluck Jonathan, if the need be, in relation to the current scandal, and ask questions. The 36 state governors should also learn from the Ooni’s bold initiative.”