40 obas, other senior citizens honour Ooni at book launch •S/West govs pledge to promote Yoruba culture, tradition

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NO fewer than 40 traditional rulers, two governors, prominent Yoruba leaders, captains of industry and professionals, among others, converged on Lagos, on Thursday, to honour the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, at a book launch done in his honour.

The books, entitled: “The City of 201 gods: Ile-Ife In Time, Space and the Imagination” and “In My Father’s Personage: The Story of an Anglican Family in Yoruba Speaking Nigeria,” were written by a Harvard University lecturer, Professor Jacob Kehinde Olupona and launched at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, while launching the book, attested to the fact that he came personally to honour the Ooni, a statement which was also echoed by his Osun State counterpart, Mr Rauf Aregbesola.
Both Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and his Ondo State counterpart, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, sent representatives.

Traditional rulers present on the occasion included the Olowo of Owo, Oba Victor Olateru-Olagbegi; the Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida; Oba Kola Ibiyemi of Araromi, Oke Odo, Ife; Oba Aderemi Adedapo, the Secretary of the South-West traditional rulers; the Owamiran of Esa-Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran; Oba Almarufu Adekunle Magbagbeola; Oba Ilori Olowobosin of Ifetedo; the Elerin of Erin, Oba Abdul Ganiyu Ajibola, among others.
The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, sent a representative.
Other dignitaries included Bishop O. A. Owadayo; Sir Olaniwun Ajayi; Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Rear Admiral Akin Aduwo (retd); Dr Tony Akintomide; Chief Balogun Omidiora; Chief Akinsola Akenfenwa; Senator Jim Nwobodo; former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Chief Joseph Sanusi; Chief Alade Odunewu; Dr Ade Makinwa; High Chief Bayo Akinnola; Senator Segun Bamgbetan; Chief GOK Ajayi; Professor Tunde Babawale; Professor Chris Ajila; Professor Bolaji Akinyemi; Professor Michael Faborode; Alhaji Kassim; Mr Sam Adegboyega; Mr Olu Adetimehin; Mr Bashir Awoturebo; Mr Segun Adeniyi of This Day newspaper, Dele Momodu; Chief Yemi Ogunbiyi; Odu’a Peoples Congress (OPC) leader, Chief Gani Adams, among others.
Meanwhile, a centre for promotion of the Yoruba culture and religions may soon be built by the governments of Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Ogun and Oyo states, in an effort to promote the core values of the race.

This was a decision muted by Governor Fayemi, which was supported by Governor Aregbesola.
Governor Fayemi stressed the need to build a centre which would effectively champion the culture and tradition and, as well, build a hall of fame for the race, noting that this was the only way to prevent the culture from going into extinction.

Speaking in the same vein, Aregbesola identified religious tolerance as one of the attributes that stood the Yoruba race out anywhere.
He described the Yoruba as people of distinction, noting that God had made religion as a unifying factor and not otherwise.
Earlier, the chairman of the event, Sir Ajayi, had observed that the book, the City of 201 gods, was all about the Ooni, Oba Sijuwade and Ile-Ife as the cradle of the Yoruba.

He declared Oba Sijuwade as “a rare breed, who commands honour as a result of his worthy and unforgettable contributions to the welfare, well-being and happiness of fellow men and his fatherland.”
He recalled that Oba Sijuwade became the Ooni 32 years ago as “the 48th or as some chroniclers say 49th Ooni of Ife” and had since then brought genuine and enduring progress to both the race and the Ile-Ife.
Reviewing the book, Professor Wale Adebanwi described it as a masterpiece, which must not only be read but also be consumed.

He said the book examined “the multi-dimentionality, both intrinsic and extrinsic, of the orisa (including Obatala, Oduduwa, Ogun, Orunmila – Baba Ifa – Esu, etc.) and orisa worship in the Yoruba imagination and everyday socio-cultural practice, by relating this to the simultaneous conflation and separation of the divine and the profane in a religious culture, which is remarkably adaptable and open to creative meanings and interpretation.”