Not many people know that professional hunters in Nigeria are well organised. We can tell you that authoritatively. They are. They have an umbrella group called Professional Hunters Association In Nigeria and they have been meeting regularly with members drawn from across the 36 states of the federation.
Chief Yomi Charles is the President and Chief Isaiah Oluwole Oguntayo Ogunyinka is the Chairman of the South-West section of the Association, which is duly registered with government. They support the Police in its work. It has members drawn from all the South-West states.
Last week, Chief Ogunyinka was our guest at our regular roundtable session with important personalities. He revealed how he was born into the family of professional hunters and how he and his members could curb the rising spate of Insecurity across Nigeria if given a chance.
How did he start his career as a Hunter we asked him?? “I was born into it”, he told City People Matter-of-faulty. “I was born in Abeokuta. My dad was a hunter. From my father’s side they are hunters, from my mother’s side they are hunters too. I was taught how to handle a gun and shoot well since I was small. As a little boy. They trained us with guns. They will throw an orange far and you will be asked to aim at it. That was how I became a good hunter, then gradually we began to team up into groups.”
“My dad used to take me along with him whenever they went out. Because of the little education I had, they always like to take me with them. During the Agbekoya crisis, I witnessed it closely at a point, I took time off to go and learn a trade, as a welder (in Abeokuta). Then, I came back to hunting.”
“Then, I went to work in a place where they produce ships. I was a welder with them. I use to go out on the sea with them and I would come back later, I was the General Foreman of the company. I was put in a ship to maintain it. I came back after 3 years and I returned to hunting.”
“I was asked to become Olori Egbe (The Head) when the man holding the post died. I didn’t want to at first because I felt I have been away.”
“They said Ifa chose me. By force, I had to take up that title of Olu Ode. They took me to our Local Government, Ilugun to present me. From Local Government, they took me to Abeokuta to become Balogun Ode.”
“But I refused. How can I become Balogun Ode (Head of Hunters) when the one occupying the post is still there. He is not dead. And there are so many intrigues involved. It is a hereditary title. There was so much fight over the title. When they wanted to instal Olu Ode at Igbein, they quarelled. It became a big fight. They went to Alake to resolve it. It became a big fight. They fought that fight for 33 years. I was now invited to come and become Chairman of the whole Ogun State. It was zoned.”
“There are 6 zones in Ogun. They zoned Chairman/PRO to Egba. Many of our people told me to help settle the rift. They wanted me to use my little education to settle the rift. We had a meeting at City Hall at Ake.”
“The Alake was in attendance. We made a big photo frame for him and I presented it to him. He called me out. He said Dogunro, I said Sir. Are the Egbas here, at this meeting? I said Yes. I am Egba. I told him not to worry that we would resolve the fight. I told him we were well represented.”
“From there, we began to look for a way out. Everybody wanted me to step in and resolve the age-long rift.”
“I decided to go and meet Baba Araba Ode Egba. Everybody was avoiding him. They said because he was so powerful. They were afraid of him. I called him and they introduced me to him that I would like to meet him, in my capacity as the Chairman of Hunters in the state.”
“They told him the State Chairman wanted to see him. He was shocked. He said, I hope no problem. I told him I wanted to see him for discussions about our group. He said I should come. So, I went to see Baba Araba.”
“When he saw me, he was shocked because of the situation on ground. He was shocked that I could come to his house to see him, despite all the negative things people had said about him. Truly. Some of our people had said they didn’t want to have anything to do with him because of the bitter fight. The fight was so much. They had dragged themselves to court. It was a big case. I also went to State House of Assembly to meet Hon. Jolaoso. He asked for details, I told him. He asked for our certificate, I showed it to him. I took it to him. He invited us collectively to a meeting”.
Upon all, nothing came out of it. That was why I now went to meet this man who many said was difficult. He asked me what I wanted to eat, I told him to give me all he had at home. He called his wife. She prepared Eba for me with good soup. I ate everything. Baba joined me, eating from the same plate. I was now wondering why they said Baba was not good to be close to. He now told me that he was as plain as I see him. That was how I started my relationship with him. So, I intensified my work at reconciling everybody, as Chairman of the South-West group of the Association.”
“How I became the South-West Chairman too is a long story. There was so much drama that day in Ibadan, in a hall at Oja Igbo. The hall is owned by Senator Folarin. They asked 10 persons to come from each state. 4 of us went from Ogun State.
It was made up of Awori (2), Ijebu and I. We were not qualified to contest elections with them. So, we sat separately. There was one old man there. He was a 99 year old man then. He is still alive. He is still in Ogbomosho. Baba said we were not voting ooo. Where is that Chairman who came from Ogun State?”
“He called me inside and told me before everybody that you were the one who would be our Chairman in our negotiations with government.”
“We are not voting here today. I said Baba, why me? I am not qualified to contest here today. You asked 10 persons to come, only 4 of us came from Ogun.”
“All the other states came prepared to contest to be Chairman of South-West. Some states were represented by 20 persons.”
“He warned me to calm down, that they, (the Elders) had decided. I was shocked. So he told me to go and sit down on the high table on the stage. I sat there and I went into deep thinking of the implications of what was playing out there. I was worried stiff. With chin in hand, I began to ponder what would happen next. Some made fun of me that I had slept off.”
“Baba said no, he was thinking, he was strategising on what to do next. I now played a fast one, I called on Baba to come and sit with me on my right hand. I called on a member of the Board of Trustee, Alhaji Ologundudu Olowee, from Yewa. I called on him also, making 3 of us. The hall was full that day, both inside and outside. I now told Baba to let me invite the Chairmen of all the states to come on stage. I called all the State Chairmen and Olu Ode to join me on the high-table. That was how we resolved it and I reconciled everybody. I thank God that since then, we have all been united, since 2017. It’s now 3 years now.”
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