Kunle Adelabu
-Says traditional rulers own market
A highly revered community and traditional leader in lkorodudivision, High Chief Tajudeen Alade Duduyemi Onasanya, the Odofin of Igbogbo, has called on the Lagos State Government to desist from crowning and presenting Staff of Office to Obas in Alausa, stating that such act is eroding the culture and tradition of Yoruba.
Odofin Onasanya, who is one of the Kingmakers in Igbogbo Kingdom, said that there are traditional process that must be performed before a selected candidate is installed and crown as an Oba, and called for the correction of the anomalies.
He spoke at the Adeboruwa palace on Thursday, when he spoke on royalty at the Festival of Tradition and Culture, organized by the Education District II, Lagos State.
Chief Onasanya also called on the government to recognise the traditional rulers as the head of all markets, cede the power to select and install market leaders to them, as specified by tradition.
At the festival were: His Royal Majesties, Oba Semiudeen Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Oba Olakekan Ogunnaike, the Alagura of Agura, while the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Ranodu of Imota, Olubeshe of Ibeshe and Sekumade of ibeshe sent high powered delegations alongside their respective Staff of Office.
Mr Jamiu Alli – Balogun, Commissioner for Education, Lagos State, was represented by the Tutor – General/Permanent Secretary, Education District, Mrs Anike Adekanye, Mr Waheed Kasali, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Mr Ogunseye Ogunaike, Tutor – General/Permanent Secretary, Education District 4, also present alongside other dignitaries.
“We are using this platform to appeal to the government of Lagos State, through the Permanent Secretaries here, that it is not ideal to present staff of office and crown to a monarch at the Alausa Secretariat. That is not what we inherited in our custom and tradition”, High Chief Onasanya said.
“We have sacred place that we usually install an Oba after necessary process. It is not just a position that anyone can just be picked and crowned anyhow.
“There are rituals that must be performed before crowning any person as a king. Such person must be taking round and see some things; he must have conversation with those incharge of tradition and stakeholders, from which he cannot go back.
“Why is it that in the recent time, Oba – elect is being summoned to Alausa to collect staff of office and crown? We are not confronting the government, but we want adjustment in this area, because this is how we are bringing our custom and tradition into disrepute”, the traditional chief said.
While explaining to the students and other participants further about royalty, High Chief Onasanya stated that the white cap is known with the palace chiefs from Lagos Island, while stating that ‘Shaki’ (muffler) is what is being used to identify traditional chiefs from Ijebu origin.
Speaking on the controversial status of High Chief, the highly revered community chief stated that chieftaincy titles in palaces have hierarchy.
“Although, our Baba in Lagos (Oba of Lagos), the other time, said that there is no High Chief in the Lagos State Chieftaincy Laws, but we know among ourselves who are the High Chiefs”, he said.
“For instance, in Igbogbo, our ancestors have clearly enshrined that five topmost chiefs must be responsible for the selection and installation of an Oba, whenever the occasion arises. Three of these five High Chiefs are key players within the palace system.
“They have the major roles to play in the emergence of any Oba, and they manage the situation. At the Osugbo conclave, where an Oba must be installed, there are also some chieftains that control the place. What is the essence if the three High Chiefs in the palace decide on who to ascend the throne and they are prevented from entering the Osugbo where we must crown the King?”, he asked rhetorically.
“That is why our ancestors deemed it fit to include the two most senior chiefs in Osugbo – Oluwo and Apena, in the Kingmakers Council. This is to have a seamless process and create cooperation between the palace chiefs who are the Kingmakers and chieftains of Osugbo.
“The Kingmakers in Igbogbo are Olisa, Aro, Odofin and the other two are Oluwo and Apena. Once the three High Chiefs at the palace perfect any process with the two Osugbo chieftains, there will be no reason for any discord at the Osugbo conclave.
”In running the affairs of the community, we cannot do it without the involvement of the female folks, though, woman cannot be involved in the process of Obaship because of certain rituals, but their involvement in the general management of the community is necessary.
“In this case, the hierarchy recognizes Olisa, Aro, Odofin, Oluwo, Apena and Iyalode who represents the female folks, and it is a very important position as far as the traditional administration of the community is concerned”, he said.
High Onasanya also appealed to the government that the power of the monarch to control markets in his domains must not be eroded because traditional rulers from time immemorial, own the markets.
“We are also appealing to the government, through the Permanent Secretaries, that traditionally, Iya Olojas (market leaders) is under the Iyalode, but unfortunately, we are hearing that it is the Iya Oloja General in Lagos State, that is installing Iya Olojas in communities”, he said.
“Markets are under the authority of the King and it is incumbent that any King must install market leaders within his domain. Before we adopted Ayangbure, Adeboruwa, Ranodu and other Obaship titles, our monarchs were known as ‘Olojas’ (market owners), such as Oloja of Ikorodu, Oloja of Igbogbo, Oloja of Epe, etc.
“Kings owned the market and not the government. Apology to the council authority whose responsibility is to ensure that markets are well catered for, but those that operate markets are King’s subjects. It is the King that has the authority over the market, and not the Council Chairman.
“We appeal to the government to assist us in ensuring that all these lapses are corrected”, he pleaded.
