BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

OSOGBO—The people of Ile-Ife, Osun State, yesterday, urged the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and his subjects to stop further distortion of the history of Yoruba.

Addressing newsmen at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, in Ile-Ife, spokesman of the community, Oba Adebolu Fatunmise, the Adagba of Iyanfoworogi, Ile-Ife, stated that the recent pronouncement of the Oyo monarch concerning the history and culture of Yoruba race was faulty.

Specifically, Fatunmise faulted the claim by the Alaafin concerning the proposed celebration of Oranmiyan festival in Oyo town as distortion of historical facts by Oba Adeyemi and his subjects.

Oba Adeyemi was quoted to have said in a publication that “Oranmiyan festival is the one and only authentic festival for the metropolitan Oyo and the Yoruba race in which all Yoruba  at home and in the Diaspora can joyfully and patriotically patronise.”

But Oba Fatunmise stated that in as much as the people of Ife community did not begrudge any Yoruba town or village from celebrating any of the Yoruba deities, such celebrations should be channeled properly through the custodians of such deity.

The spokesperson of the Ife people said it was an incontrovertible fact that Oranmiyan is among several deities being worshipped or observed by the people of the community from time immemorial.

His words: “Ile-Ife is not in competition with any town or city. Ile-Ife is neither a war mongering town nor in competition with anybody who believes in laying false claim to false suzerainty over the people’s legitimate property through blatant lies and unabashed military arrogance and self aggrandizement .

“But if these half truth  people constantly dish out to the public and are unfortunately promoted by those who believe there will be dividends derivable from such despicable strategies, Ile-Ife will continue to hammer on the truth, even more constantly” he added.

While putting the record straight, Fatunmise recalled that Oranmiyan ended his military escapade in Oyo Ile in today’s Niger State adding that,  “from Oyo-Ile where Ajaka his first born ruled, Oranmiyan came home, to Ile-Ife.

“The new contraption which they described as metropolitan Oyo only came into existence in 1836 under the leadership of Prince Atiba who they latter  made the head, that is the nucleus of the Alaafin you have today.

“Oyo empire disintegrated in 1830 under the rulership of Aole whose military expedition offended Ife tradition and thereby caused the collapse of the Nupe based Oyo-Ile.

“Therefore, celebration of Ooni Oranmiyan without Ife is like celebrating arrogance and rascality which has no importance and meaning.”