OPINION: OLUGBO’S STACCATO ON OONI STOOL.

By Femi Abulude

I was in the midst of some old friends few weeks ago mourning the demise of our beloved senior colleague, Chief Funmilola Olorunnisola, a veteran Jounalist and Broadcaster.The late press affair director to the late Ooni Okunade Sijuade. One thing led to another and I was asked to state my candid opinion on the staccato of Olugbo, Oba Obateru Akinruntan on the Ooni stool. This is my presentation.

It is a known fact the then Prince Obateru Akinruntan was a wealthy petrol magnate respected by all. Young folks looked up to him as a worthy role model. He did not hide his passion for power. This quest to mount the paramount stool of Olugbo was fierce. He did not hide his ambition to become the Oba of this town Ugbo in Ondo State. This seemed a mirage because there was an incumbent ruler; Oba Mafimisebi.

Against all odds, Obateru eventually became the Oba of Ugbo. One of the people who made this happened was the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade. I personally witnessed some of his visits to the revered palace. He was officially introduced as the Crown Prince at a special event organized by World Information Agents at the Ooni’s palace. He made a generous donation on this special occasion tagged “The gathering of Yoruba leaders” It was on record that he was almost lynched when his motorcycle was mistaken for that of Ooni during the Ife-Modakeke war. That was how regular his visits to Ife was on his life ambition.

Throughout his guest for Obaship, Obateru never mentioned his superiority over the stool of Ooni. When the reigning Ooni was installed, he went around the Yorubaland on peaceful mission. It was a matter of irony that Oba Obateru Akinruntan was chosen as the chairman of the peace committee saddled with the responsibilities of maintaining a lasting peace among the Yoruba.

What brought out the real Obateru was a statement from the Ooni that Moremi was a goddess

and a heroine of note in Yorubaland. A 42 foot statute was built in her honour at Ile-Ife.

Obateru countered that this was unguarded statement and historical fallacy. He claimed the Ugbo were the aboriginal settlers and owners of Ile-Ife. He alleged that Moremi was a slave captured by Ugbo warriors during one of their many raids on Ile-Ife town. He added that this unfaithful woman betrayed her husband’s trust when she exposed the secret of the Ugbo warriors.

This latter day assertion negates the general belief and history of Yoruba. The Yoruba regarded the then Ugbo invaders as terrorists. Moremi decided to unravel their secrets. She volunteered to be captured by the Ugbos. After accomplishing her mission, she escaped back to Ile-Ife and revealed the secrets. When the Ugbos invaders came as usual to invade the Ife, they met their waterloo! That was the end of terrorism in Yorubaland.

Where Obateru got his latest version of history that exposed his parochial thoughts is still surprising. What he wanted to achieve with this fallacy is yet to be known.