Disturbed by the recent series of attacks on traditional rulers in Nigeria, especially in the South West region, an Ifa priest, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, has called on monarchs to reconcile with their ancestors, atone for their alleged neglect of African traditional religion and return fully to core traditional worship.
Elebuibon lamented that many monarchs have abandoned traditional means of protection, thus rendering them vulnerable to physical attacks.
He was reacting in an interview to the gruesome killing of two traditional rulers in Ekiti State.
Recall that on January 29, 2024, some armed assailants attacked a car conveying three Ekiti monarchs along Ajoni Local Government Area of Ekiti State and murdered two of them.
The Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Ogunsakin; the Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Olatunji, and the Alara of Ara-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, were on their way from a security meeting held in Irele-Ekiti on the fateful day when armed assailants suddenly emerged from the forest and charged at them.
With cold and calculated brutality, the assailants opened fire at the vehicle, killing two of the monarchs – the Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti, and the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti. The third monarch, Alara of Ara-Ekiti, was said to have survived the attack.
However, Elebuibon explained that monarchs in Nigeria were known to wield enormous spiritual and physical powers, regretting that Western civilization, foreign religion and politics have negatively affected the traditional institution, thus making traditional rulers to lose their respect and fall victims of violent attacks, gruesome killings and kidnapping.
The Araba Awo of Osogboland therefore asked traditional rulers to return to the days of their forefathers who enjoyed an aura of spiritual protection.
He also blamed the ordeals of traditional rulers on their alleged relinquishment of African cultural norms and traditions, especially as it has to do with their enthronement and salient traditional activities that should accompany it.
According to him, the few Obas who were selected by Ifa oracle passed through necessary seclusion rites and were fortified upon assumption of the throne would necessarily receive signs of danger or attack before it strikes.
The priest added that “real Obas” should have the powers to commune with the gods whenever danger or attack looms and would avert it.
Lamenting the general insecurity in Yorubaland, Elebuibon declared, “This is a challenge to all Yoruba Obas. They should assemble themselves and ask themselves some pertinent questions. It is a shame for us who are custodians of Yoruba culture that our Obas are being attacked and killed cheaply. It makes us cry.
“Most of our Obas have been swept away by civilization and politics. Politicians are not helping matters. Politicians no longer regard Obas. Imagine, if any governor is having a programme today, it is that morning that he will take invitation to the king. Surprisingly, he will heed because of fear that the governor might dethrone him. It should not be that way.
Oba is not governor or president’s mate. But, because of fear that they might be removed, Obas dance to their tunes,” he stated.
Arguing that the process of selecting Obas has been bastardized, Elebuibon said, “The process of selecting Obas is faulty. Government picks their party members and anyone who is rich as Oba and it is affecting us. Ifa is no longer allowed to choose Obas and that is where the problem starts. Normally, Ifa doesn’t pick rich Obas or those that are educated or well-traveled as we have them today. The poor people that Ifa chooses become rich after they are installed and people count their blessings during their reign. Obaship position is not about education, status or exposure. It is about the person that the gods have chosen.”
The Ifa priest also disclosed that many traditional rulers are bereft of their traditions and cultures.
He said, “Most Obas don’t know about the culture and tradition of the land. Those who know the culture and tradition are very few. Most of them come from abroad and they are made kings.
It is true that princes are taught culture and tradition while growing up but this is not the case anymore. Most Obas don’t enter Ipebi and Ilero (secluded traditional rooms) as part of their installation rites. I asked one Oba recently about his experience in Ilero and he said he was only enjoying himself with food and drinks there.
“There is no longer fortification in the spiritual realm. No training, no education for Obas. Palaces are becoming empty traditionally. If they were to be installed in a real traditional way, there is no way an Oba or his domain would be attacked without him knowing and averting it. There are places Obas consult in the palaces when there is danger ahead,
especially where the ancestral throne is kept. There is nothing the Oba asks that won’t be granted but sadly, there is nothing of such because of civilization and western culture.”
He warned Babalawos and other Ifa priests to desist from collecting money to favour aspirants to Obaship stool, saying that the consequences are grief.
“Any Babalawo who collects money and picks someone that is not chosen by Ifa will suffer for it. The gods are watching and they will punish him. There are those writing and recording all the activities of Babalawos and they will revisit them. So, a true Babalawo should not allow himself to be bribed while consulting oracles for selection of an Oba,” he warned.
