There is an ongoing battle of supremacy
between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba
Obateru Akinruntan, over which throne is the monarchical seat of power
in Yorubaland and the origin of Oduduwa, the so-called progenitor of
Yoruba people.
Oba Akinruntan also attacked the Ooni of Ife for describing Moremi Ajasoro as a heroine.
The Ugbo monarch disagreed with the Ooni, who described Moremi as a goddess and recently built a 42-foot statue in her honour.
To the Ondo monarch, Moremi was a traitor who betrayed her husband, Osangangan Obamakin.
But in a swift reaction, the Ife monarch said Olugbo did not have deep knowledge of Yoruba history.
The Olugbo, in a statement issued by the
Olugbo-in-Council, said, “We, the Olugbo–in–Council, found such (Ooni’s
remarks about Moremi) unguarded statements and historical fallacy
disturbing, particularly when such emanated from a monarch who is
expected to be a custodian of history, customs and traditions of
Yorubaland. We hereby state categorically that we are Ugbos, the
aboriginal settlers and owners of Ile-Ife.
“Our forefathers descended from heaven,
that is why we are called ‘Ugbo Atorunwo.’ We are not Ibos (Igbos), who
are from the South-East, and who have their own clearly researched and
defined ancestry. To set the record straight, Moremi remains a traitor.
She was a slave captured by Ugbo warriors during one of their many raids
on Ile-Ife. She later became the wife of Osangangan Obamakin, the son
of Oranfe, of who was the paramount ruler of over 13 aboriginal
communities of ancient Ugbomokun, which later came to be called Ile
Ife.”
The statement said further, “Oduduwa
came to Ugbomokun as a stranger and was welcomed in Ilero, the
aboriginal palace of Osangangan Obamakin, which is still in existence in
present-day Iremo, in Ile Ife. During the dynastic struggles,
Osangangan Obamakin was directed by the oracles (Ifa and Osanyin) to
leave Ile Ife. Moremi betrayed her husband’s trust when she exposed the
secret of the Ugbo warriors’ gallantry.”
“Popular history states that Oduduwa,
the progenitor of the Ooni, migrated from the East/Mecca. In another
account by the Oba of Benin, recently, Oduduwa came from Benin. We ask
that the Ooni should confirm his ancestral roots. It is also of
importance to note that in the ancient custom of Yoruba, an incumbent
king must have no living father. Also, no man from a female lineage of a
ruling house is qualified to sit on the throne.”
But Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke through the
Director of Public Affairs of the Ooni’s Palace, Moses Olafare, said the
Ooni would not dignify the Olugbo with an answer because he was more
focused on achieving unity among all Yoruba people and would not allow
himself to be distracted.
The Ooni insisted that Moremi was a
heroine, who deserved accolade because of the role she played in the
liberation of Ife people from some “faceless terrorists.”
He said, “This outburst of Olugbo can
only be viewed by well-meaning people as a pitiable act of absurdity
that doesn’t deserve serious attention by serious people. How on earth
could a Yoruba king refer to Moremi as a traitor because she used her
power as a woman to liberate her people from incessant invasions by some
faceless terrorists?
“Most paramount on the mind of His
Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, with the unflinching
support of the Alaafin, baba; the Awujale; the Alake; the Orangun; the
Deji; the Ewi; the Osemawe; the Olubadan; the Oba of Lagos; and other
relevant peace-loving monarchs in Yorubaland and in other parts of the
country is and remains the much-needed progress of Yoruba nation which
can only be achieved through peace and unity.
“It is a pity that at this time when
everybody is tired of retrogressive royal discord, the Olugbo, who
claims to be the Chairman of Yoruba Obas Committee on Peace and
Reconciliation, has suddenly without a deep knowledge of Yoruba history,
woken up to see royal controversy as the only tool for cheap
publicity.”
- PUNCH.
