I crave your indulgence to take liberty of the peace of mind I enjoy in America to serve my people back home in Nigeria. I live in a country where nothing stays the same. I live in a country where old assumptions are questioned from time to time. Same sex marriage was a taboo in America the first time I visited America, a black man dating a white girl was considered a heresy. Today everything has changed. You now see two boys and two girls holding hands and kissing at bus stops and street corners of America. I don’t feel good about it but hey, I am in America. I live in a country where freedom of expression is the rule and not the exception. If you break the law and you are caught you pay the price even you are Governor Christie or President Obama.
I crave your indulgence to take liberty of the peace of mind I enjoy in America to serve my people back home in Nigeria. I live in a country where nothing stays the same. I live in a country where old assumptions are questioned from time to time. Same sex marriage was a taboo in America the first time I visited America, a black man dating a white girl was considered a heresy. Today everything has changed. You now see two boys and two girls holding hands and kissing at bus stops and street corners of America. I don’t feel good about it but hey, I am in America. I live in a country where freedom of expression is the rule and not the exception. If you break the law and you are caught you pay the price even you are Governor Christie or President Obama.
America will forever lead the world regardless of her craziness in certain respect. What happens to great Empires before her is never going to be allowed to happen to America because America is always on the move making progress on almost every frontier of knowledge to move their country forward. Communist Russia was ahead of America by a few years in Space Exploration to cite one example. When Yuri Gagarin became the first man to go into space and come back, the young American President named John Fitzgerald Kennedy saw the Russian advance as a big challenge to America.
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Without pulling punches with his Russian counterpart, he summoned his country to action when at his inauguration, he asked Americans “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
It is in that spirit that I am writing many of the articles I write today because it is one of the things I could do for my country and my people. Documenting history is a big part of that. I think we need to move away from our stone age predilections. I enjoy writing. That is what I do to keep myself going following my retirement from the New York State Public Service. This is something I do with effortless ease. The more I do it, the more proficient I become. Why not use that talent to the advantage of my beloved city, Akure, if not the whole of Nigeria and the global village the whole world has become with the computer technology which America pioneered and which she has already started to use to forever dominate the world.
My gratitude to all of the outlets disseminating all of my articles. One of them is the Nigeriaworld web site floated by a Nigerian journalist named Chuck Odili. The web site has grown by leaps and bounds and it has become the doyen of all Nigerian web sites for its tenacity and staying power. Chuck Odili, a Nigerian of Igbo origin is busy using that platform to open up Nigeria to the world in a way that most of our News Media and politicians at home cannot match. If you go into the Nigeriaworld’s archives, you will find hundreds of my articles on Nigeria. I cannot thank Chuck enough for giving me that platform to document my views on Nigeria.
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I take off my hat for Google and his American CEO and Managing Director. I have never in my life sent any of my articles direct to Google, but if you google my name today, you will find close to 1000 of my articles there. I cannot tell you how they got there but I appreciate the fact that Google is helping to document those articles for the world at large.
I volunteer to work for the Sahara Media Company of New York led by its CEO and Managing Director, Omoyele Sowore and his team of first class reporters who are using that platform to change Nigeria in a way the traditional Media at home could not match. I give kudos to another Nigerian of Yoruba origin, the one and only Martin Akindana from Idanre the Publisher of Chat Afrik and other Internet web sites for regularly posting all of my articles and creating a chance for many Nigerian writers to express themselves.
That said, the subject I want to address in this article is the role of Regents in African traditional societies with special emphasis on Akure the place of my birth. For your information, Akure has just installed its 5th Regent Princess Adetutu Adesida-Ojei who was installed end of last December to act or hold the fort for her beloved father who reigned for roughly 3 years. The affable monarch died in circumstances that would have called for an autopsy in a more civilized society. Akure’s excuse for not doing an autopsy was because some people said it was not part of Akure tradition to find out what has killed the leader of close to half a million people, a first class Oba and the Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Obas. Give me a break. It was absurd that anyone could have said that.
If I were the Olisa of Akure or if I were Governor Mimiko, I am not going to let go like that without speaking up. The late Deji was a very prominent Oba and close associate of the Governor in his life time. As a matter of fact I have heard many of his subjects criticize him for being too close to the Governor. I know that Governor Mimiko is a politician who cares more for the living than the dead who can no longer be of any use to him. Let it not be said of him that he has already forgotten Deji Adebiyi Adesida and would do nothing to honor and treasure his memory. Don’t get me wrong. I like Governor Mimiko, but if he is going to listen and hobnob with individuals in Akure who are very happy to see the late Deji go just like that, I would just conclude the man is just another politician with no abiding faith in anyone but his own selfish interest.
I personally will condemn any Akure leader regardless of who they are who give the impression they are happy to see the late Deji go and who may be encouraging the Governor to reinstate the deposed Deji because of any animosity or grudge they may have been holding against the Adesida Dynasty in Akure. I don’t care what they say, the Adesida tenure on Akure throne has been very good for Akure, all things considered, if they would go back to memory lane and all of Akure documented history. If the Adesidas don’t blow their own trumpets, nobody is going to do it for them in a city where the tongues of our people are more lethal than the sword. “Omo amuda sile mogun erun pa ni.” They are well advised to take to heart the immortal admonition of the second Anglican Bishop of Akure Anglican Diocese, Rt Rev. Ipinmoye when he advised Akure to consider changing their cognomen to a more positive one to “Omo amuda sile mogun erun yin ni.”
As I was saying, before the short digression, Regent Adetutu Adesida-Ojei is the 5th Regent of Akure I have known. The first was Eye Tinuade Adesida-Famotua who became Regent for a few months in 1957 following the death of her father Deji Afunbiowo the First. The second was Adebusola Adesida daughter of our beloved Eyesorun of Akure who became Regent in 1973 for roughly 2 years or slightly less following the death of her father, Deji Agunsoye Ademuagun Adesida. The third was Madam Aina Adelegan Adesida who became Regent in 1991 for a few months following the death of her father, Deji Otutubiosun Adelegan Adesida. The 4th was pretty and mature Adeyinka Adebobajo Adesida who became Regent for 6 years following the death of her father Deji Ataiyese Adebobajo Adesida.
My next question is what exactly is the role of a Regent? My next question is to state whether or not the tradition is universal in Yoruba tradition.
The Regent in Akure tradition is first and foremost designed to honor the first daughter of every Deji who died on the throne. The honor is not extended to any Deji who was banished. Never. Since the title itself is only reserved for only male children although they have been two instances in Akure history when two Regents have refused to quit and they went ahead to be confirmed as the Deji for many years. You can call them “Seriki Tulasi” I would get into their history in some details in the other segments of this article.
The Regent is supposed to be an Acting Deji in Public Service parlance. She enjoys all the honor and privileges attached to the office of the Deji but she has to dress as a man for the period she is Regent. Because she has worn a crown, she is is never again required to expose her head or get careless with any strands of her hair if she ever goes to a Beauty Salon after leaving the throne. She must never again carry anything on her head for the rest of her life. She is forever exempted from being a victim of domestic violence in her marriage meaning that her husband must never lay hands on her regardless of any provocation on her part. I am sure Mr. Ojei is paying attention. If she is not married, she could go and marry just like Adebusola did get married after serving as a Regent.
I would expect that the present Regent should be entitled to the full salary of her father and not just a fraction of it. It is a big sacrifice the young lady is making for leaving her lucrative job as a Doctor of Pharmacy in America to go answer the call of tradition. Akure Local Government and Ondo State Government must always remember that. Since her father still had about a year or so to serve as Chairman of the State Council of Obas, one would have expected her to serve out the remaining term of her father as Chairman but I guess that is not going to happen because the other first class Obas might have some problem with that.
The Regent is to all intent and purposes the Deji-in-Council in Akure and she automatically takes precedence over the Olisa as the Head of the Iare group and the Akure Council of Chiefs. Even though the Olisa is regarded as the traditional Prime Minister of Akure, he is subservient to the Regent and must swear traditional allegiance and loyalty to the Regent as an Institution. The arrangement did not work out too well with Olisa Otutuleyowo the Second, retired Colonel Elijah Folorunsho David who never saw eye to eye with Regent Adeyinka Adebobajo Adesida even though they were first cousins because the mother of Deji Ataiyese Adebobajo Adesida was the first daughter of Olisa Otutuleyowo. The feud developed because Olisa Otutuleyowo wanted to assert his right as the traditional Prime Minister and Regent Adeyinka Adebobajo Adesida wanted to fully claim her right as the Deji-in-Council.
Since nothing was documented in Akure with regard to what should be the relationship between the Regent and her Olisa, their relationship went so terribly sour until a substantive Deji was installed in 2005. Regent Adeyinka Adesida, who became the longest reigning Regent in Akure History was the classmate of of Stella Obasanjo, the Nigerian First Lady at the time. She was well educated and she knew the buttons to press to put Olisa Folorunsho David in his place. Above all, the lady was as bold as a lion. I can tell you that because she is my niece and I love her to death for being a strong and fearless Regent.
I don’t know how things are going to work out between the current Regent and Olisa James Olusoga who is a former civil servant and a former Commissioner for Works in Ondo State before taking the title in 2010 or 2011. Oteru Oba Ode, O mori jOloja mo d'ade is an easy going soft-spoken gentleman whose style is strikingly different from that of the retired Colonel who talks and acts like a good soldier..It is my prayers that the new Regent and the Olisa are not going to knock heads in the interest of Akure. Akure has nothing documented to manage their interaction and relationship and it is a sad commentary on the state of affairs in the most important city in Ondo State.
The Regency concept is not universal in all Yoruba towns. I never heard of a Regent taking over in Ijebu Land before the current Awujale, Ogbagba the second was coronated. I never heard of a similar arrangement in Lagos after Oba Adeniji Adele or Oba Oyekan joined their ancestors. I never heard of the same thing happening in Ile Ife after Ooni Risa Atobatele Sir Adesoji Aderemi left, and Kabiyesi Sijuwade took over. I never heard of a Regent in Oyo Alaafin where the Oyo Mesi reign supreme. I did not hear of a Regent for the Owa Obokun of Ijesha after the demise of Owa Obokun Agunlejika and before Oba Aromolaran took over. I did not hear of a Regent in Owo (Ogho Made) after Ekun wolu, Oluaiye Olateru Olagbegi answered the call. I did not hear of any Regent of Idanre following the transition of Kabiyesi Owa Arubiefin.
There are a few towns however in Ekiti area and other places where they had Regents in their traditional system. Certainly in Ado Ewi and Iropora and Oba Ile near Akure, the tradition is fully observed. I recall beautiful Adero Omotosho nee Omodara taking over briefly as the Regent of Oba Ile. I have no problem with having a Regent but let the arrangement be properly documented and spelt out so everybody knows what their roles are in Law and common sense.
In the particular case of Akure, we have had two Regents who have refused to quit after serving out their term as Regents. The were both powerful women of substance with a lot of medicinal power. One of them became the 13th Deji of Akure. Her name was “Eyearo” She reigned for 26 years from 1393 to 1419. The second one became the 25th Deji. Her name is “Eyemoin.” She reigned for 30 years from 1705 to 1735. We are able to talk about them today because their reigns were properly documented.
Akure has always had one ruling line in Asodeboyede. That was why it was possible for Deji Afunbiowo Adesida to contest 3 consecutive times before he finally got selected in 1897. That was why it was possible for Deji Arosoye to contest for the throne two consecutive times in 1882 and 1890. That was why it was possible for Pa Ifaturoti Adegoroye to contest for the throne 3 consecutive times in 1880, 1890 and 1897. If there was another ruling Line in Akure that would not have been possible.
The breaking up of the Asodeboyede Ruling Line into two was a travesty of justice I am going to challenge in the Court of law if the Adegoroyes, the Adesidas and the remaining descendants of Deji Arosoye and the other 46 Dejis in Akure are not going to do anything. The Adesida in particular must realize that the break-up was designed to punish us because our progenitor Deji Afunbiowo had dared to live longer than any other Deji before and after him thru the special grace of God. The family cannot be singled out for punishment because of that in the eye of the Law. If the family will not wake up from their slumber to take this matter to Court, I will, so help me God.
The break-up was a big blunder made by Governor Sunday Olukoya and the Morgan Commission that made the recommendation. It can be corrected if we take Ondo State Government to Court and that can easily be done in a country governed by the rule of Law. I stand ready to testify on behalf of the Family because I have the documents to back up my position.
The role of Regents ought to be defined by a purposeful Government since they are being paid by tax payers. A responsible Government ought to be able to do that. Awolowo Government to his everlasting credit initiated the 1958 Chieftaincy Declarations covering the whole Western Region to forestall anarchy and confusion and hooliganism associated with filling most of the vacancies for most of the important Obaship and Chieftaincy titles in the old West.
I do recognize that traditional rulers have become an albatross on the necks of Government and our politicians and leaders who are just too timid to admit that. The roles of traditional rulers have been completely taken over by chairmen of local Governments in Nigeria. It is double dipping on the part of Government to continue to carry the burden imposed on Government by traditional institutions across the country. Even Igbos who are republican in nature are now claiming they have traditional rulers apart from the few that can be identified in Igbo Land like the Obi of Onitsha and a few others in Igbo Land. Not too long ago, the Igbos in Lagos were making a serious move to crown the “Eze Igbo” or “Igwe” of Lagos and they had the effrontery to petition Governor Fashola to let them do it. That would have been the day in Yoruba Land if Governor Raji Fashola had granted their request.
I am a product of traditional institution in Akure, but that must not stop me from being truthful and objective in raising the point for future debate. We ought to preserve what is good in our tradition and let go what is not so good in the spirit of the “Freedom for all and Life more abundant “ we all canvass.
Need I say more?
I rest my case.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of SaharaReporters
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