By Kemi Kasumu
On Wednesday the Oluwo of Iwo Land, in the State of Osun, South West Nigeria, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale, finally had his subjects come out in their thousands in support of his struggle for the emancipation of victims of land snatching against land grabbers in the kingdom which had earlier led to the imbroglio that had “maliciously” trended in the social media.
The pro-Oluwo protesters.
Among them who came out were those who were affected by the activities of a particular lesser king under the royal authority of the Oluwo and others who were miffed by the “audacity” of such lesser king to point a traditional staff at the Oluwo in the face.
Even though they believe that a king, in any culture, does not fight in the public, they were generally united on a common ground that it is much more heinous and a taboo to rebuke a senior king of imperial majesty status like Oluwo by any living being talk less of the untold story of a lesser king so disrespectfully pointing his traditional staff at the prominent royal father in the face.
Doing so, The DEFENDER gathered in the words of some of the subjects, “is to challenge the authority of the Oluwo to ask him to do his worst and his worst, which he must do at that point, can be anything.”
A visit to Owo by this newspaper did not find a troubke-laden Iwo but the usual serene ancient community where people go about their normal business without fear.
Although the Oluwo did not respond to our text message notifying him of our presence in town to find out from the horse’s mouth what the truth of the matter was, which necessitated our talking only to the people, as attempt to choose thenceafter to the lesser king was considered, by traditional advice, a disrespect to the Oluwo throne.
Massive protest in Iwo in support of Oluwo.
One important word extracted came from a retired civil servant who, speaking under struct condition of anonymity, said: “Destruction of traditional institution is already a failed mission for those who want to use this matter to deal with our king of Iwo.
“This is because, they see him as too outburst but are we complaining? They want his head because he claims the Emirship title and so what? Iwo, from ancient era, is land if the Islamic clerics. Forget about ethnicity, Emirship is Amirship and is not for Hausa/Fulani but Islam. When you have a community that is predominantly Muslims, do you have any say in how those Muslims choose to live their lives so long they do not breach any law?
“You journalists should be the ones that should do your job. Believe me, if journalists do their job with fear of God, that profession alone can ensure the peace, unity and peaceful co-existence that we desire in this country. I will not say more than this,” he said.
The debate moved beyong the Iwo or Osun streets to the social media community where a frontline player, Ayo Ojeniyi, convened a discourse on his Facebook wall and which generated a lot of reactions that eventually cleared the Oluwo of any wrong but indicted the lesser king and those who jumped into the issue mid-way calling for the dethronement if the Oluwo rather than rebuking the land-grabber of an Oba.
In a tacit post considered to be absurd to the office of the Oluwo, Ayo Ojeniyi said: “Oluwo appeared to have survived the impending dethronment as thousands of land victims came out to support him!!!!”
But there were many Nigerians across the ethnic groups who laid in wait to grab such opportunity for their outburst. Among them were Basiru Adebayo, Orjinta Kelechi Emmanuel, Bisi Badru and Dapo Adeniran.
First to react to Ojeniyi was Basiru Adebayo who said:
“Kings should not be tyrants, feeding fat on their oppressed subjects. Kings can sell their personal lands at will and not hijacking and grabbing their subject’s property with no respect to their dignity,” said Oluwo.
“Oluwo’s approach may be wrong, however, I am proud to identify with this particular struggle of his.
We are in 21st century for goodness sake, why should any king have the right to sell other people’s land at will? Is that just? Many farmers are made destitute by the actions of many Kings. What’s the use of our ‘enlightenment’?”
Coming next after Adebayo was Dapo Adeniran, who warned in support of Oluwo, saying:
“Sir, this is the first time I’m commenting on this issue. 1) In Yorubaland a King can do no wrong presumably. That’s why he’s Kabiyesi. 2) You don’t rebuke a King openly, even in the Bible. You talk in parable in addressing issue that has to do with a King. 3.) I know Iwo town so well and I have friends that are from the town; and one is from a prominent family and a well known politician in the State. 4) The fight between the two Kings reportedly happened in the presence of an AIG of police. Nevertheless, we must be careful commenting on issue we know little or nothing about. As parents we must be careful of what we introduce our kids to early in life. May God restore order to Iwo and all the towns under it authority. Land is a serious matter, and someone must stand up and fight for the ordinary people.”
Orjinta Kelechi Emmanuel, an Igbo Nigerian in his reaction, said:
“Dolapo Adeniran As an igbo man and Yoruba half as well, I don not really see anything wrong in what Oba Oluwo did. If you point a staff at your senior Oba, you call for provocation…and provocation could go either ways. He is Kabiyesi doesn’t mean he is rid off throwing punches that is peculiar with youths/youngmen. Another thing I observed is that most Obas aren’t please with the man’s vocal nature. He doesn’t do what they do, infact I have seen him in events openly condemning fetish sacrifices and all sorts some Oba do.”
Ayo Ojeniyi, who convened the Facebook discourse, gave general replies to Dapo and Orjinta, although he was summarily dismissed by a second one by Dapo.
Probably still nursing grudges over the claim of Emirship title in clear display of bias against the Oluwo, Ojeniyi had said: “Orisirisi, it is a taboo for an Oba to fight physically. I don’t even get your message Dapo Dolapo Adeniran. I can understand the Igbo guy. They don’t have Obaship system.”
Dapo Adeniran however maintained his ground on a more customarily authentic authority calling, “Ayo Ojeniyi Yes, it’s a taboo for a traditional ruler to fight in the public, likewise it’s not part of Yoruba culture to rebuke a King openly because KABIYESI means a king can’t be questioned. This is the negative effect of westernization of our rich cultural heritage.”
Orjinta also got a backing in support of Oluwo by Bisi Badru who said: “Orjinta Kelechi Emmanuel May God bless you plenty plentiful, I guess most people don’t know the meaning of a lesser Oba pointing a staff of office at his superior…now that his subjects support him, why are outsiders hell bent on dethroning him?”
Orjinta Kelechi Emmanuel educated those who are so enmeshed in ethnic bias not to accommodate other tribe’s suggestion to solving traditional matters when he replied Ayo Ojeniyi.
Still in support of Oluwo the Igbo Nigerian said: “Ayo Ojeniyi Oga which igbo guy, how much do you know of Yoruba culture besides, what makes you a Yoruba man? Is there any tribe that dont have kingship system? Be civil and stop being subjective, objective comment makes debate healthy.
“Royalty is royalty any where in the world and in Africa, I didnt see anyone here saying royalty should fight. In this instance, the fight is between two obas, as a matter of fact, an Oba and a chief. The chief according to what Oba Oluwo addressed him stood up, pointed his staff of office at the senior Oba, and he knows too well the Oba Oluwo is a young man who can be influenced by youthful exuberance.
“Violence begat violence. If you violently, arrogantly violate my ego and disrespect my position, the reaction could be less imagined. This was the case.
“Royalty quarrels in their meetings….disagreement happens. Oba Oluwo is a young man. Note this.”
With reference to Dapo Adeniran, Orjinta continued: “Dolapo Adeniran And same Ayo Ojeniyi who claimed he knows more of Yoruba Oba system is publicly judging an Oba. Pls, help me ask him if it is in the Yoruba obaship system for commoners as the case may be to question and judge Oba. He is publicly judging and questioning an Oba. Ka bi o osi… meaning You cant question Oba.”
