Awujale: A Late Ruler With Legacies To Celebrate -By Abdulkadir Salaudeen

I am not a cultural traditionist. Nor am I a traditionalist. I do not belong to the palace. I am also not impressed by what traditionally goes on in palaces. I can recall, almost twenty years ago as an undergraduate, I did a course on local government administration. In that course, we were taught the roles of traditional institutions. The lecturer was obviously a conservative—he was soaked in his local traditions. He did not hide it. We also understood him.

In that course, and as usual in the social sciences, there are arguments for and against the relevance of traditional institutions in modern democratic states. I knew the position of my lecturer—a professor I so much respect. However, in examination, I argued against his position and I knew the implication. That is exactly me. Then, I did not mind losing some marks. All I wanted was to argue my points even if my lecturer was not comfortable. As far as I am concerned, analysis of concepts and practices, and conclusions therefrom, should be based on conviction, not loyalty. In this context, I am not a loyal student. My loyalty is to my conviction. I got an average grade. A part of me told me  I deserved something better. Yet, another part of me whispered to me that my lecturer was even generous not to have failed the “useless boy” for arguing against a position favored by his lecturer.

But here I am today extolling a traditional ruler. Has anything changed? Nothing has changed. It is only that the Awujale of Ijebu Land, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona, is one of those few traditional rulers that are reformers in conservative regalia. Traditional institutions are full of taboos. The late Awujale is free of taboos—both in thoughts and deeds. He disliked cultural taboos with passion and he did not hide his dislike. He was not a talkative oba that talks a lot in condemning ugly things but who does not act. Our amiable King talks and acts.

Narrating some of the events and rituals in the coronation process around 1960 when he ascended the throne, the late Awujale wrote: “At the Owa Stream, the Elese of Ilese, carried me on his back across the stream as custom had it that my feet must not touch the water. After this, according to tradition, the Elese must never come to Ijebu-Ode again to visit or see me for the rest of his life. Also at Odo Esa, I passed an iroko tree which, again by tradition, I was told I must never see again. Indeed I was forbidden to ever pass that very road again or, according to tradition, I would die. I did not believe any of this of course and I have since travelled the road and passed the iroko tree on several occasions!” Just imagine some of these superstitious tradition!

The Awujale continued: “Also at Ijebu-Imusin, there was again another tree at Oja Imusin which I passed and which I was never to set my eyes on again, yet I have also seen this one many times. So much for all these unnecessary taboos!” These quotes are in Chapter One, The Road to the Coronation, of his memoir titled “AWUJALE: The Autobiography of Alaiyeluwa Oba S. K. AdetonaOgbagba II” (page 23-24).

Some of these taboos are unnecessary. Civilized people should disregard and discard them. In our modern world, and to the modern mind, they are just ridiculous. On what account and for what traditional reason, for instance, should I be prevented from setting my eyes on my brother for a lifetime? Explaining why his official staff was not present at the palace of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, one other King in Ijebu Land, Oba Sikirullah Kayode Adetona, states that as an elder brother to the Awujale, he could never prostrate to the late monarch or see him face-to-face even when he was alive. This is serious!

Generally speaking, there are many things in the process of kings’ coronation that are shrouded in secrecy. This is well known. This is not only in Yoruba land. It is virtually everywhere. But why? On page 21 of his memoir, the late Awujale wrote: “All the secrecy that they maintained about the rituals was, therefore, as I saw it, simply a ploy to extort money from the public, just as their fathers did before them. They deliberately made the rituals look very mysterious. In my opinion, custom or tradition should not be dominating the people but rather, people themselves should be creating the traditions and customs according to their needs. As far as I am concerned, I do not see any value in continuing to cloak the rituals in a mystical veil.” 

The Awujale ascended the throne in 1960, when Nigeria gained her independence. While it is debatable whether Nigeria is truly independent or not after sixty five years of independence, the Awujale remained independent throughout his six five years on throne. He maintained his integrity. He stuck to his principles. He joked not with his celestial religion even as a traditional ruler. He kowtowed to no one; not even to governors and presidents. Authorities higher than him tried to cow him. The Awujale remained uncowed. Because he was fearless and non-partisan. I will cite two instances.

It was in the early 1980s. The Awujale was to travel out of the State (Ogun State) to the UK for medical attention. Then something happened. Let’s hear from the horse’s mouth: “I was going to the UK for medical attention and I wrote, as I had always done in the past, in a friendly way to inform Chief Onabanjo in his position as the Governor…He replied that he wanted more particulars about my health and trip to enable him take a decision on whether to grant my request or not. I replied that my letter to him was written out of courtesy to keep him abreast of my absence, and not to ask, in the manner of the Civil Service, for permission about my travel.” (See page 97-98 of his memoir).

Being a no nonsense king who was loyal to his cherished principle, the Governor, Chief Olabisi Onabanjo,  could not tolerate him. The Awujale was deposed—allegedly for insubordination. But there is more to the King’s deposition than meets the eye. He was deposed based on religious cum political grounds. For details, readers should read Chapter Seven of his memoir “The case with Chief Olabisi Onabanjo” (page 89-110).

The Awujale would not tolerate nonsense. He mounted a legal challenge against the Ogun State Government. Since it is God that ultimately gives power, after two years or thereabout, the King regained his stool while the Governor (the sacker) was sacked, in return, by higher authority (a military government). The Awujale, after he was deposed and regained his stool, remained the King for the next 41 years till he passed away few days ago at the age of 91.

The second instance to show that the Awujale was not power-drunk though powerful and was not afraid to lose his power to assert his integrity was during the Abacha dark days. Yes, the Awujale was willing to lose anything, not his integrity. Who could dare General Sani Abacha in those days? Only few people could make the list. The Awujale was on the top of that list.

There was a time traditional rulers and politicians were falling on top of one another in a long queue to watch coup videos in Aso Rock in exchange for large brown envelopes. It was the “coup videos” of the late General Oladipo Diya on invitation of General Sani Abacha. To many traditional rulers, Abacha’s invitation was the greatest favor of their life. Being invited to Also Rock was like, wow! But to my subject of discussion in this column (The Awujale), it was a slap on his authority. He cannot take that slap; so, he could not honor the invitation. He was very vocal against Abacha whom he considered a tyrant and his shenanigans.

Fast forward to 2021. Knowing fully well that His Lord would be inviting him soon to the Next World and being acquainted with the fact that there are many taboos—in form of rituals—in wait for his deceased body, the Awujale quickly pushed for a legislation that will allow him to be buried in Islamic way after his death. We learnt from the Awujale a new way to plan for one’s death. Though the legislation was vigorously resisted as the respected Olusegun Adeniyi rightly mentioned in his Thursday Column, the assembly passed the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law of 2021 Bill. It was later signed by the “Eleyi of Ogun State”, Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun. Kudos to our governor.

The chaos that the death of the Awujale would have generated between the traditionalists and the Islamic clerics was averted by the wisdom of the King who pushed for that legislation. Another traditional fetish practice was again averted—all to the king’s credit. The deceased body of our dear king would have been messed up and even mutilated in the name of tradition. Rather, he was buried according to the Islamic rites.

If our traditional institutions would be rid of taboos, superstitions, and blood-demanding rituals, we shall all embrace it. After all, we are tired of democracy. The traditional institutions could be an alternative, but only if they could be reformed. The Awujale has set the ball of reformation rolling. I hope other kings would follow suit. I earnestly supplicate to the Almighty to overlook the shortcomings of our respected Awujale and shower His Mercy on him as he embarks on the journey of no return.‎

Abdulkadir Salaudeen 

salahuddeenabdulkadir@gmail.com