ByuOla Ajayi, Ibadan

The installation and presentation of staff of office  to the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Olasupo Adetunji Aje Ogungunnuso 1, on  Friday, at  Mapo Hall, cannot be forgotten in a jiffy.

Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji receiving Staff of Office from Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State while his Oloris look on yesterday.Pix Dare Fasube

It was a day that politicians in  Oyo State put  their bitterness aside  to honour the 87- year-old monarch.

On that day, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja, Senator Teslim Folarin and host of others, from different political tendencies,  came together under the same roof.

Many  traditional rulers from within and outside the South-West also  attended. They  include the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi  111; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi; Oba Rilwanu of Lagos; the Alake, Oba Adedokun Aremu Gbadebo; and the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu Gambari.

The  rich cultural display at the occasion overshadowed the litigation filed against the new monarch by the estranged Seriki line.

The ceremony was slated for 9am, but, due to some traditional rites that members of the  Olubadan-in-Council and the king went to perform in a nearby shrine, people had to endure  the scorching sun.

Crowning

After the  rites, Oba Adetunji was  crowned at about 9:53am after which he went for  more  rites.

The Oluwo Afobaje Labosinde of Ibadanland, Alhaji Wahab Idowu Popoola Mosadogun, stressed  the importance of the  rites, saying they were  to initiate the new Olubadan into the royal priesthood.

Calabash

In Yoruba culture, when a king is about to be crowned, three calabashes are placed before him. In the three calabashes are different kinds of objects, including honey, pepper, bitter kola, kolanut, money and, sometimes, honey bees.

The face of the king is tied and asked to pick one of the calabashes. The one he picks, it is believed, will prove whether his reign will be peaceful or not.

In the case of the new Olubadan, he picked money and honey.

After this, Ibadan High Chiefs entered and paid homage to the king. Oba Adetunji then prostrated to members of  the Olubadan-in-Council and the people for the last time. After this, the king is not expected to prostrate for any other person on earth, even his parents.

At 11:20am, he went to the Ose-meji Shrine where he performed the last rite after which he moved to Mapo Hall.

Due to some stress he had undergone, the monarch showed some signs of exhaustion as he was supported by those around him when he became unstable. People had to surround him and began to fan him. After some time, he regained his strength to the joy of many people who witnessed it.

Before the presentation of the staff  of office and  certificate to the Olubadan,  Ajimobi took the gathering down the memory lane.

“By the transition    of   Oba (Dr.) Samuel Odulana Odugade I   on Tuesday 19th January, 2016 a vacuum was created in the Olubadan Chieftaincy which is a recognized Chieftaincy under Chiefs Law Cap 28 of Oyo State 2000.    In line with the Declaration regulating appointment to the Chieftaincy, succession to the Stool of the Olubadan will be in strict rotation between the two major Chieftaincy lines, that is the Otun and the Balogun lines.   The late Oba was from Otun line while the new Olubadan is from Balogun line in conformity with the age long tradition”, the governor said.

Those in attendance include the governors of Ogun, Osun, Lagos, Ekiti and Imo states, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Ayodele Fayose and Chief Rochas Okorocha respectively.

Also in attendance are  Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader of  the All Progressives Congress; Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu; a  former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Dr. Omololu Olunloyo;  former governor of Jigawa State, Mr Saminu Turaki; senator representing Oyo South, Soji Akanbi; Chief Kola Daisi, industrialist; Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka; Senator Teslim Folarin;  a  former Senate Leader;  Mr Bosun Oladele, member representing Oorelope/Olorunsogo Constituency; and  Mr. Dapo Lam-Adesina, member of House of Representatives.