Criticisms have continued to trail the decision of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, over the installation of the popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, as the Mayegun of Yorubaland, allegedly with an instruction that he should not prostrate for some categories of traditional rulers.
The musician was, on Monday, installed in the palace of the traditional ruler, even as prominent obas from the South-West zone conspicuously stayed away from the event.
Reacting to the installation, a traditional title holder, Erelu Mabel Tinuade Onaneye, said it was wrong for the Alaafin to have made Ayinde the Mayegun of Yoruba+land, noting that the traditional ruler’s suzerainty does not extend beyond his Oyo domain.
Onaneye, who is the Erelu Oodua of Aye Kingdom, Ondo State and Irawo Oni Oodua of Yoruba, said it was wrong for the Alaafin to super-impose an Oyo chief on the Yoruba nation.
She said Oba Adeyemi got it wrong if he actually made the statement credited to him, adding: “One day, he will appoint a Hausa or Igbo to be the leader of Yoruba. He thought he wants to spite or bring the authority of the Ooni of Ife down but baba his making a great mistake.”
The Texas, United State of America (USA)-based businesswoman further said it was a misnomer to ask a Mayegun with no historical, traditional or cultural relevance to equal himself to, or compare himself with any beaded crown oba, no matter how small his domain.
“In my entire life, I have never heard about any king as Alaafin of Yorubaland. Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, when did you become Alaafin of Yorubaland? What is uniting and dividing us in Yorubaland? I have answers to this: supremacy, hate, jealousy to mention a few.
“Yoruba land belongs to all Omo Kaaro Oojire. The obas are just caretakers. If you do it well, the history shall not perish. But if you do it in another way round, your name shall remain in the history book.
Enough of lies and deceits from our traditional rulers.
“Yoruba has only one sacred royal crown. We all know our source from the history of the past and present, Ile Ife. Thereafter, there were extensions to various Yoruba kingdoms, including the Benin Kingdom and the Itsekiri Kingdom.
“An Oba is an Oba. The Oyo Kingdom is under the Alaafin. The Egba Kingdom is under the Alake of Egba land. Ile-Ife is under the Ooni, the Benin Kingdom is under Ereduawa under the reign of Benin kingdom and the Ondo Kingdom is under the Osemawe.
Who made the Alaafin an Oba to reign over the Yoruba nation and to the extent of imposing his subject over the entire Yoruba land?
“With due respect and all reverence to Oba Adeyemi, it is a misnomer to ask a Mayegun with no historical, traditional or cultural
relevance to equal himself to, or compare himself with any beaded crown oba, no matter how small his domain.
“It is wrong to super-impose an Oyo chief and untitled chieftaincy on the Yoruba nation and its people. Did you seek the permission of the above-mentioned obas, especially Awujale, who is the Oba of Ijebu land where Ayinde is a native? If yes, show proof to the Yoruba.
“Alaafin, do not cross the line by being disrespectful to other obas in Yoruba land. All your subjects must remain in your kingdom and not be claiming Yoruba land. Oyo is Oyo; Oyo is not Yoruba land. My generation will not allow you to enslave other parts of the South-West.
“This is an insult on the whole Yoruba race and we need to stand with one voice and defend our cultural heritage. Let us stand up and fight for our tradition not to be bastardised. The Yoruba race is already in disarray. We should get it right now and stop the recklessness and excesses of some of our traditional rulers,” she said.
In a related development, Erelu Onaneye, also chided the Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona, over a statement credited to him that there should be a stop to secret burial for obas.
Describing the statement as an abomination and unbelievable, she said asked, “So Obas should be buried in the cemetery or beside their house?
”Awujale, are you afraid or scared of death? Is this statement in accordance with Yoruba culture?”
”Honestly kabiyesi, anyone who does not want to be buried in accordance with the Isese rites should never be crowned as an oba in Yoruba land because obaship is purely Isese tradition.”
“Kabiyesi, how did you get to the throne? Is it by Muslim rite or Christian rite? Oba Awujale, you must definitely go back to our ancestors through that isese spiritual rites. You cannot change or rewrite our tradition or you rather leave the throne to your Wadai country as you once claimed.
“Finding ways to escape payment for all you had swallowed, drank and ate with the ebora occultism and tradition, is an abomination. Oba’s body is not for his family members.
“They joined the ancestors. Oba kin ku.
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