By Morenike Taire

Some years ago- long before the social media became a destination in which every single generation must spend an essential part of their day- a photograph went viral in the Nigerian space that had a baale (a somewhat lesser king/stronger high chief) stranded on one of our precarious highways, looking on anxiously as part of his entourage deployed themselves to trying to figure out the reason the royal vehicle had broken down.

The photograph inspired much derision, with contenders finding the idea laughable that a whole king would be driving a vehicle that would break down in the first instance. One minion was holding some sort of ceremonial umbrella so the unkind sun would not scorch the precious head of the king. The whole affair had inspired an entire debate about the complete disintegration of the traditions that are supposed to uphold the monarchy, what with kings losing their economic powers and having to grovel before mere mortals in government to be able to live.

It has been a while since the various monarchies in Nigeria have become less than what they once were and were instituted to be. It is a global effect, with the powers of monarchies all over the world reduced drastically over the years to accommodate government as well as modernity. The ascendancy of countries which never believed in monarchies such as the United States was to further weaken the institutions while exposing their lack of usefulness.

A staff of Buckingham palace was reported to have spilled that the revered Queen of England showed her disdain for waste by actually going around her quarters and switching off lights that are left on. The fact that the royals of England are required to pay tax sends a clear message that the age in which blue blooded folks had absolute powers are gone forever.

Ironically, the arrival of colonial forces in the area now known as Nigeria and most of Africa, marked the beginning of the end for our monarchies. With the advent of the slave trade which dragged on for the better part of three centuries had come the denigration of the institution, with many kings waging immoral wars in order to obtain prisoners of war which would end up as transatlantic merchandise.   While they grew greater in influence and material wealth, little did they know that that their political influence had begun to diminish as alarming rates.

Their respective kingdoms, rendered incompetent and unproductive as they were by the rampant raiding that ensued, were also shrinking by numbers and geographical stretch. When the colonialists arrived however, virtually every monarch was harassed, bribed, cajoled and effectively conquered.

In exchange for handing over their kingdoms and all the potential wealth in them, they became   friends of the empire and sometimes willing subjects of the King of England. The former Ooni Adesoji Aderemi, the old and great Ife monarch, was a well-known friend and ally of the British Empire. At the time, it was counted for prestige.

But while the History of the British Empire has been preserved by history as well as by monuments, the history of our empires is what we are told it is. The relics we do have are more human than material in nature.

If we had trouble preserving history in the age of writing, how much more so now in the digital age when nothing is permanent and everything is dispensable?   Now more than ever, oral communication of history is essential not only in Africa but elsewhere in the world, and the custodian of those traditions are none other than the traditional rulers whose fathers and forefathers have handed down history to them. They, however, appear mostly preoccupied with more modern matters.

In recent times the paramount king in Lagos was involved in a messy “he said, she said” brouhaha, which almost caused an ethnic clash. Next, there emerged a digital age Ooni- debonair, knowledgeable, cosmopolitan, gracious, socially conscious; a royal wedding and now a royal divorce.

A few hundred miles away in Ibadan, a storm is brewing in the royal teacup as the governor tinkers with a centuries old monarchy.   In Osun also hundreds of miles away a monarch was convicted for the rape of children.

While the Yoruba have the most consistent and sophisticated monarchies in the country still existing today- arguably second only to the Benin- these institutions appear set to die a natural death. And while a dignified silence emanates from the “house of Oduduwa” concerning the royal divorce, questions are being raised now that had not been raised before about the value of our monarchies to the society today.

Without doubt, the monarchy is still of considerable value to society, particularly in the areas of peace keeping and tourism. However the way our traditional leaders conduct themselves will go a long way in determining the sustainability of the institutions.

Long may the kings reign! Or so we hope.