….By Safety Skilled/Surv.
Prince Amb (Dr) Adedipe Dauda Ewenla
Akinjagunla Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland,
NIS, DiL, PSU, BSc, MSc
In Yorubaland, we have to overlook the colonial historical past and the religiously influenced narratives concerning the Yoruba individuals. The manipulation is an excessive amount of, to the extent that some ignorant beliefs now dominate our understanding of who we’re.
In our historic document, we have now two dominant and common variations of the Odùduwà origin story — however each are pretend, with out concrete proof. This distortion is the genesis of a lot of Yorubaland’s issues. It’s the primary cause conventional rulers are continually combating for supremacy, particularly between the Ooni of Ife and the Alaafin of Oyo. Some individuals assist the Ooni, whereas others assist the Alaafin.
This combat will solely cease if we return to our unique historical past — the story that claims Odùduwà got here from heaven (Odùduwà Tèwòràn). This model has sturdy backing in oral custom and religious perception, and proof of it exists as much as today.
1. The historical past that claims Lamurudu (or Lamududu) gave start to Odùduwà, who then gave start to Okanbi, who then had seven kids — is a fabricated lie. It was created by spiritual leaders after they needed to sentence our traditions and tradition. They discovered it tough to just accept that Odùduwà got here down from heaven. As an alternative, they needed us to imagine that they had been the primary settlers on earth.
2. One other story says Odùduwà got here from an Arabian nation and refused to just accept Islam. This, too, is a fantastical and fabricated lie. There isn’t a proof wherever that Odùduwà got here from the Arabian Peninsula to Ile-Ife. There isn’t a home or hint of Lamurudu or Okanbi in Ile-Ife until right now. They used the truth that our forefathers couldn’t learn or write to govern the historical past of Odùduwà and the Yoruba individuals.
Some individuals discover it tough to imagine that Odùduwà got here from heaven (Tèwòràn), however my query is: do those that reject that story imagine in God? In the event that they do, then they need to additionally imagine that there’s nothing Almighty God can’t do.
In the event that they imagine the spiritual tales within the Quran and the Bible — for instance:
{That a} fish swallowed somebody for 3 days (Prophet Yunus / Jonah),
That somebody died and rose after three days (Jesus Christ),
That Allah despatched angel Jubril to Prophet Muhammad,
That Prophet Muhammad married a spouse at age six,
{That a} child used his leg to dig the bottom and created a stream (Zamzam water),
Then they need to additionally settle for Yoruba conventional beliefs as recorded in Ifa. These items could also be arduous to imagine, however they’re accepted in religion so our personal traditions deserve the identical respect.
Let me make this clear: Odùduwà didn’t have solely seven kids. That story is one other fabrication by spiritual and colonial students. I can categorically say that Odùduwà had many kids not simply seven or one however that may be a story for one more day.
The one one that has rights throughout everything of Yorubaland is Alaafin. That is primarily based not solely on oral and conventional historical past but in addition on authorized judgment. In the course of the reign of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, there was a authorized matter between the Alaafin and the previous Ooni, Oba Adesoji Aderemi. The matter went to the Supreme Court docket, which dominated in favor of the Alaafin affirming that he has overarching rights in Yorubaland. Solely Alaafin has the authority to confer titles over Yorubaland.
*Some essential clarifications:*
The problem of Alaafin not standing as much as greet the Ooni at an occasion is just not an insult. It’s the truth is the proper custom. No king is anticipated to face up and greet one other individual whether or not they’re a king or not.
Within the Nigerian structure and protocol, it could be required that Obas stand to greet governors and presidents, however in our Yoruba tradition and custom, it’s mistaken.
You’ll by no means see revered Obas just like the Awùjalẹ̀ of Ijẹbu, the Aláké of Ẹ̀gbá, or different distinguished rulers attending occasions anyhow or behaving like bizarre residents.
