“The Notion of Ọmọlúàbí as Epitomised by HRM (Dr.) Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì, CON, The Àyángbùnrẹ̀n of Ìkòròdú (of Blessed Memory)”
Delivered at Musical Village, Ọbáfẹ́mi Awólọ́wọ̀ Road, Òkè Ọta-Ọ̀nà, Ìkòròdú, Lagos State on Saturday 13th October, 2018
By
Ọládélé Caleb ORÍMÓÒGÙNJẸ́, PhD
Professor of African Studies
Dept. of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies,
University of Lagos
Protocols
His Imperial Majesty, The Ọọ̀ni of Ifẹ̀
His Imperial Majesty, Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́
His Royal Majesty, The Àkárìgbò of Rẹ́mọland
His Royal Majesty Ọba of Lagos
His Royal Majesty, The Àyángbùnrẹ̀n of Ìkòròdú
His Roya Majesty, The Aláké of Ẹ̀gbáland
His Royal Majesty, The Awùjalẹ̀ of Ìjẹ̀búland
The Olorì here present
His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State ( Aḳínwùmí Aḿbọ̀dé)
The Past Head of State and President of Nigeria, Chief Dr. Olúṣẹ́gun Àrẹ̀mú Ọbásanjọ́
The Past Head of State, Chief Earnest Shónẹ́kàn
The Current and Former Governors of various States in the Country
The Chairman of this Occasion Ọ̀túnba Ṣùbòmí Balógun
The Chief Launcher, Sir Olú Ọ̀kẹ́owó
The Pro-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof. Adébáyọ̀ Nínálowó
Chief Adébútú Kessington
The High Chiefs on ground
The Eminent Scholars
The Lords Temporal and Spiritual
Gentlemen of the Press
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen
It gives me a great pleasure to be here and deliver a lecture titled The Notion of Ọmọlúàbí as Epitomised by HRM (Dr) Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì, CON, the Àyángbùrẹ̀n of Ìkòròdú (of Blessed Memory). We are here today to remember our great and valiant father. We all know how important a flashback is. Charles Francis Richter once said Remembrance is the only paradise from which we cannot be driven away. This lecture has its discussion based on three different levels. Firstly, it depicts the Yorùbá world-view on the notion of ọmọlúàbí. From there, the lecture reiterates the qualities in the HRM (Dr) Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì, CON, the late Àyángbùrẹ̀n of Ìkòròdú as related to the concept of Ọmọlúàbí in the Yorùbá society. Lastly, the lesson drawn from the life of the late Ọba will be the concluding part of the lecture.
Among the Yorùbá, whoever that treads the path in consonance with the societal norms in a contextual and pragmatic manner can be regarded as ọmọlúàbí. Before anyone can be referred to as ọmọlúàbí, he or she must possess the following unique qualities or attributes:
Consciousness,
Forgiving spirit,
Humility,
Ability to contribute to the growth of the immediate community,
Respect for culture,
Keeping up the good name of the progenitors,
Being bold and valiant,
Kindness/generosity,
Leaving a good legacy behind,
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, our duty today is to allude to the life and involvement of Ọba Salaudeen Afolábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì in his immediate environment and abroad. Without mincing words, the Late Ọba made himself a cynosure of all eyes in this community. He tried as much as he could do to keep the good name of his progenitors wherever he found himself, hence, the Yorùbá adage, ọmọ inú ọgbà kì í ṣi iṣu yọ, that is, a well brought-up person does not deviate from the societal norms. He thereby left a good legacy for the generations behind.
It is stipulated in the concept of Ọmọlúàbí that honesty is the best policy in every human’s endeavour. The Yorùbá people believe that if deception reigns for donkey years, it’s a day job for the truth to catch up. The Late Ọba Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì was an embodiment of honesty. We stumbled on a citation that describes him as an Ọba that loved the truth, and, whenever he held on to the truth, he always stood by it, and, pursued it to the logical conclusion. Undoubtedly, this is one of the key qualities all and sundry should seek for. The idea of if you can’t beat them, join them was not customary to the late Ọba. He did not believe that one should not be truthful, despite the fact that honesty is not reckoned with while deception is greatly valued in this contemporary society. This belief of his, made him succeed in all his endeavours towards the growth of his immediate community.
The spirit of Ọmọlúàbí always preaches love for one’s culture and it also embraces other cultures in a reasonable manner. Whoever neglects his or her culture is far from being an ọmọlúàbí, if the Yorùbá aphorism Ilé la ti ń kó èṣọ́ ròde is taken into cognisance. The respect for one’s culture brings in a salubrious situation into the society. The Late Ọba Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì was not found wanting in this aspect. To buttress this point, I would like to quote him thus:
During my school days, I enjoyed carrying Òṣùgbó bag of my great uncle to Òṣùgbó cult. I loved going to Òṣùgbó because there was love, unity, discipline, respect for elders there and, above all, honesty among them. This exposed me to the activities at the cult. I asked series of questions from my late uncle and he always took a lot of patience to explain them to me.(Oyefusi, M. 2011: xxvii).
Understanding and embracing his indigenous culture and foreign ones really brought oneness and tranquillity to this community during his reign as the Àyángbùrẹ̀n of Ìkòròdú. This type of attitude is worthy of emulation.
The Yorùbá cherish whoever always shows appreciation on whatever good thing done for him/her. In line with the Yorùbá worldview, failure to appreciate one’s benefactor is tantamount to robbery. Therefore, they frown at whoever does not fall in line with this philosophy. Hence they have different abusive and derogatory names for such a person- a-mumi-tayín, alájẹsẹ́, a-lájẹ-fẹnu-lọlẹ̀-bí-adìyẹ, a-baraá-móore-jẹ, to mention
but few. An ọmọlúàbí should show a profound gratitude always, as it was exhibited in the life and reign of late Ọba Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì. Throughout his life, the late Ọba, always remembered his benefactors among his siblings and friends for good. During an interview with him, the Ọba made mention of various families such as Ògúnsànyà, Chief Ọnà-án-fọwọ́kàn, Chief T.O.S. Benson, late Chief S.O. Gbàdàmọ́ṣí and late Chief Ṣóyébọ̀. He alluded to how each of them had positively contributed to his life.
Ọmọlúàbí is expected to be kind and generous to the cast-outs and the needy without believing in eye-service and reproach. In other words, he or she must be a free will giver and a silent philanthropist that comes to the aid of the individuals, and the society as a whole. Late Ọba Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì was well known in this aspect of life. During the tenure of Alhaj Lateef Jakande the then Lagos State Governor, he donated his salaries to Federal Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbóbì, Lagos. There were quite a number of philanthropic gestures accredited to the late Ọba worthy of mention, but for the sake of time and space.
In the Yorùbá traditional setting, it is the duty of ọmọlúàbí to abstain from the act of abuse of power. In line with their belief, any great position one attains in life, it should be seen as a privilege. Therefore, one should always remember that God is the great being that favours whoever he wants. Therefore one should be God-fearing always by not abusing his/her power. Throughout the life of late Ọba Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì, he did not abuse his position, being a religious man, who, in his nature, very ambivalent, was able to commune with God through the indigenous and foreign religions.
It has been mentioned earlier that forgiving spirit is one of the unique qualities of Ọmọlúàbí. The Yorùbá believe that different people have different characters/behaviours. Consequently, there is a natural tendency that people, will in one way or the other offend one another. The Yorùbá society has made it mandatory that one should learn to forgive. A lot of Yorùbá proverbs do depict the importance of having a large heart to enable one to relate with people of different background and behaviours. One of such adages goes thus-it is a bastard that does not get annoyed and it is also a bastard that does not forgive after apology. The life of our late Ọba Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì portrayed that of merciful and forgiving personality. In any situation where one offended him or the entire community, his usual utterance was Ẹ jẹ́ ká jèbùrẹ́ meaning let’s forgive. He believed that if one, especially a ruler, is too tough, it will be difficult for him to relate well and govern the people.
In this lecture, it will be unfair not to touch the romantic and caring nature of Ọba Salaudeen Afọlábi Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì towards his best-half and children. As an Ọmọlúàbí, he treated his immediate family in line with the Yorùbá adage that says bọ́dẹ̀dè kò dùn, bí ìgbẹ́ nìlúú rí, meaning if one fails to get comfort at home front, the entire society will be in agony . The love he had for his spouse is depicted in one of his poems that goes thus:
A gentle word like a spark of light
Illuminates my soul.
And as each sound goes deeper,
It’s YOU that makes me whole.
YOUR LOVE can fill.
And if the world starts causing waves,
It’s your devotion that makes them still.
And yes you always speak to me
In sweet honesty and truth.
Your caring heart keeps out the rain
Your love, the ultimate roof.
So thank you my love for being there,
For supporting me, my life
I’ll do the same for you, you know
My beautiful darling wife. (Oyefusi, M., 2011: xix-xxiii)
In order to do justice to this lecture, we should not forget to remember that behind every successful man, there is usually a woman. The Olorì here present was solidly behind Ọba Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì, the late Àyángbùrẹ̀n of Ìkòròdú. She is endowed with good manners that made the late Ọba to come out in a flying colours in all his endeavours in his life time.
Thus, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we should all know that , perfection is no human attribute. There is no man on earth that does not have his/her short-coming. Oyefusi (2011: xii), an autobiography written by the Olorì here present, corroborates this in the book. Being an understanding and caring wife, she does not go into details on this . Distinguished, ladies and gentlemen, let’s have it in mind that A good character is the best tombstone. Those who love you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-notshave withered, Carve your names on hearts, not on marble (Charles H. Spurgeon). Likewise, the lesson drawn from the life of the late Ọba Salaudeen Afọlábí Adékọ̀yà Oyèéfùsì is in line with the opinion of Maya Angelou who says that The best part of life is not just surviving, but thriving with passion and compassion and humour and style and generosity and kindness.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, thank you for listening.
