ALÁÀFIN STOOL: WHY Ọ̀YỌ́ MONARCHY MUST NOT GET IT WRONG By Wálé Balógun
By Wálé Balógun
#Iroyinominira
28th April, 2023
The advancement of the Yorùbá political culture and traditions is on the threat again. I had written in response to Oluwo last year, detailing why the essence of our being as a people is not to be cowed by foreign ideas that are inferior to our original ways of doing things. One of the most respected monarchy in Africa is the Ọ̀yọ́ empire. Recents events on the election of a new Ikúbàbáyèyé a year after the Aláàfin Adeyemi danced to meet the ancestors, is the "rumour" of some power mongers declaring one Prince Gbadegesin on social media. And this is not just the first, it is the ekeji. And once it's done again, it becomes what the Yorùbá cosmology calls "ẹ̀kẹta àbẹ́tán"- once an act is done two and three times, it is actually an intent!
Both Baron De Montesquieu in The Spirit of The Law (1748), and A.V. Dicey in his book, “Introduction to the Law of Constitution (1885)," were actually globally documenting a very clear practice in the Ọ̀yọ́ empire, even when there is no record that Ọ̀yọ́ learnt such democratic practices on the influence of any global powers. Probably one of the most democratic monarchical systems, Ọ̀yọ́ clearly has the Aláàfin as head of the Executives; Baṣọ̀run as Head of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì (legislature) and the Ògbóni as the Judiciary.
So, Africans have been superb in terms of politics and self-governance for centuries before the Colonial intrusions. Since the Aláàfin has transcended, the onus of leadership automatically is vested on the Baṣọ̀run as Head of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì. The bastion of democracy is the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì handling actual legislative matters. So, it is expected that the Baṣọ̀run would handle the election of the Aláàfin with utmost respect for traditions and ethics. The Ifá is supposed to be consulted, and make recommendations to the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì, who would then vote on same (in case Ifa clears more than one Prince.)
But Baṣọ̀run Yusuf Ayoola; the current Head of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì , by all evidences and investigation, is tampering with the reverred Ọ̀yọ́ customs. In a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́ Bode Durojaiye, in September 2022 on the orders of the Baṣọ̀run said 10 persons were shortlisted for the stool of Aláàfin without any convening of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì traditional meeting. Baṣọ̀run then said that "the state government is not only aware but carried along in all our proceedings before, during, and after the interview period. The state government was ably represented by the chairperson of the Àtìbà Local Government Area and some officials of the council." Both the Ọ̀yọ́ State government and the Àtìbà Council has since denied being carried along by the Head of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì. Out of six members of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì, only Baṣọ̀run and High Chief Wakeel Akindele, the Lagunna of Ọ̀yọ́ are said to be usurping the powers and traditional processes of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì
While speaking to a correspondent of PUNCH, the Iba Samu of Ọ̀yọ́, High Chief Lamidi Olayanju, a member of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì denied any knowledge of Basorun's actions. Olayunju noted that he "called Baṣọ̀run and he told (him) that he was the one behind the news that 10 persons had been shortlisted. Four of us know nothing about it. When we completed the interview on Thursday, we all agreed that we would meet next Tuesday to do that but hearing that 10 persons had been shortlisted on the radio is news to me. I called Basorun and he told me he authored the news...I heard it on the radio that we had shortlisted 10 but I am telling you I am not part of that and I called four of us and they said they did not know anything about it. Àgbàakin (High Chief Asinmiyu) told me he was not part of the decision to pick 10 contestants; Akinnikú (High Chief Amusa Yusuf) also told me that he was not part of it; Alápini ( High Chief Rasheed Sheu)
is indisposed.”
not part of?”
So, is Ọ̀yọ́ not going to get it wrong? Will the bastion of Yorùbá democratic tenets not fall into the trajectory of another Baṣọ̀run Gáà? How could anyone want to impose a candidate that is highly detested by the chosen ruling family.
The results of the only meeting this far of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì showed that; "The Baṣọ̀run of Ọ̀yọ́, The Lagunna of Ọ̀yọ́, The Arinago Baṣọ̀run and Baálè Òkè - Apo were against IFÁ consultation to choose the next Aláàfin.They preferred voting.Whereas the trio of Àgbàakin of Ọ̀yọ́,Sàmù of Oyo and Akinnikú of Ọ̀yọ́ insisted on IFÁ consultation to choose the next Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́.The meeting ended without agreement by the Chiefs in attendance"
However, when the Baṣọ̀run imposed voting instead of the consultation with IFÁ as other Chiefs of the Ọ̀yọ̀mèsì insisted, Baṣọ̀run Ayoola illegally appointed Chief Gbadebo Mufutau, the Baálè of Òkè -Apo as a warrant Chief in order to get him to be a member of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì without prior approval of the Ministry of Local Government and chieftaincy to replace Late Chief Rasheed Sheu Ademola the Alápinni without the consent and approval of The Executive Chairman of Ọ̀yọ́ East local Government Area in whose jurisdiction the office of Alápinni of Ọ̀yọ́ is located.
So, which agenda is the Baṣọ̀run Ayoola pushing? The future of the Yorùbá cannot be dragged into the muds. There are rumours that it is Prince Lukman Gbadegesin that is behind all the illegalities since September last year. He denied them, and is denying the one this week. The lesson is that this must not happen the third time. Lukman seems to have terrible and reactionary orientation of the current rotten Nigerian political class that just showed one wicked example in Adamawa state with the INEC REC announcing elections winner even when the votes are collated.
Already, it is open that Lukman is a PDP chieftain and a close ally of Atiku and Obasanjo. He has cases with the EFCC, and one or two persons have come up openly to tag him a criminal. While it is not culturally correct to premeditate the final decisions of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì, it is trite that Baṣọ̀run Ayoola do it the way the ancestors do by conducting a true consultation with the IFÁ oracle, and also subjecting the election of the new Aláàfin to majority of the six true members of the Ọ̀yọ́mèsì When the deed is done the way the good old days, the birds would sing sonorous, rodents would cringe around , and humanity would keep speaking with the voice of unity and progress!
Comrade Wálé Balógun, a Yorùbá dialectician and National Coordinator of Yorùbá Revolutionary Movement (YOREM), writes from Lagos.
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- 28 Apr, 2023
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