The death of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, has resulted in many allegations and denials to surface. The palace officially announced the monarch’s death on August 12, Wednesday. The Royal Traditional Council of Ife maintained that the Oba is alive and in good health for two weeks after reports about his death surfaced.

While controversy rages about the Abobaku, who was reportedly said to have run away after the death of the monarch, Social media is awashed with so many fallacies and jokes. Trust Nigerians, always bringing joke out, from every events, but much as we may want to be humorous about this, we should also not join hypocrites in joking with every single thing, (Especially if it lacks any iota of truth), who knows, it could be someone close to us in future.

Have started seeing tags like "Run away abobaku", i was just laughing, read many tweets saying "The abobaku is smart" "Aregbesola should pay the abobaku", Others saying, is the abobaku blind when he was taking the title? i just. laugh at their sheer ignorance, ignorance can transform to a full blown disease, from epidemic to endemic if caution is not put in place.

I smiled at the level of ignorance we sometimes portray on salient issues of national interest....When i saw some picture posted by a nairalander, i just wish media reporting would be better one day.

In this present day,it is appalling how people just use pictures they see around to support the useless junks they write, simply because they know this would appeal to the public. Am a Muslim and would never be a party to hypocrisy. This how they would bring pictures and videos of Liberia and somalia war and tag it with Islam (you see caption like "Muslims beheading a christian in Yobe".

It's most unfortunate that we don't do our findings very well before joining badwagons in making someone look bad just because we don't subscribe to their way.

Note: My analysis here is in no way to appraise any religion class but to admonish us to be cautious before we judge people unfairly.

Now to the issue on ground, the issue of "Abobaku" started on social media just like joke, where a faceless Nigeria disguised as abobaku tweets that he is on the run because Aregbesola has not paid his salary, funny you would say? Yes an Abobaku on tweeter and who does that?

As a long time student of knowledge, have learnt to understand that few percentage of the Older generation has embraced ICT, with bulk of them adhering to majorly Facebook. Even few among we so called youths make use of Twitter, skype, instagram among many other social networking platforms. How much an abobaku who would have been a stalk illiterate ( If there is even an abobakuin the first instance). As an Indigene of the ancient town, i can tell you that even 90% of the palace chiefs are stalk illiterates, except few that they may have primary school leaving certificate.

Am a Practicing Muslim that preaches "Religion Tolerance" everywhere i go, i do not see myself as All-in-all, it's a privilege to be in Islam, all i can do is to use characters and acts to display the beauty of Islam to whoever cares to embrace them, coercing people through gimmicks could be inimical.

Let me set it straight, "No such thing as Abobaku in Any Yoruba land again and even in Ile-ife" I challenge you to come with your evidence and i stand to be corrected.

As an indigene of ile-ife with requisite knowledge of Ife chieftaincy and Culture... It is important to make many Nigerians know that the issue of"Abobaku" was last witnessed in any Yoruba land, almost like 4 generations ago, Ooni never had any Abobaku, and nothing of such even in the days of his immediate predecessor, Sir Adesoji Aderemi who died in 1980. The closest to Ooni of Ife in any form or loyalty rank is called "Sarun Odua" and he is even an High chief. I wish Nigerians should fear God, as they have nothing to gain by discrediting YORUBA culture, just to make a point. If there is anything of such, tell us the name ofthe bearer. People should not just sit in their room and start twitting what is never the truth..

BELOW ARE THE COMMENTS FROM CONCERNED IFE MEDIA PERSONALITIES AS GIVEN BY MR FATAI ADIYELOJA (G.M NTA SAKI)

Lanre Akintilo commented on his Facebook account about what now happens with the trusted stewards of the Obas. He said: “ Quite a number of no-truths and distortion has been written regarding the eloping of an entity called ‘Abobaku’. In Ile-Ife, the person so referred to is called ‘Saarun’,head of the ‘Emeses’ who are stewards to areigning Ooni. The Saarun is the head andclosest aide who must go everywhere the Ooni goes. It follows in the days of hold that uponthe demise of an Ooni, his most trusted aide andsteward will be interred with him to continue his life of service to his master and as well show hisloyalty.“I personally know the Saarun that served late Oba Adesoji Aderemi (late Chief YayaArasanmi) While Oba Aderemi passed away in 1980, his late Saarun passed on in 1987, andseven clear years afterwards. The current Saarun will not be buried with late Oba Sijuade as the practice has since been stopped in Ile-Ife. So there is no need to elope. I am a proudson of Ile-Ife and I am well grounded in thetraditions and cultures of my people. It will not happen.
”Balogun Jr., the senior manager of business development at Global Media Mirror Limited,publishers of National Mirror, also reacted to the Abobaku saga.

Read what he has said on the development:“ When the Abobaku saga started, I was so sure someone was just being funny, I mean, anybody with a passing knowledge about Yoruba history would surely get the joke. But days later, the story was still trending,and somehow, some very senior, and well respected journalists also join the fray.“I can excuse the quasi or emergency journalists, those who have gained notoriety and fame neither for their unique turn of phrase nor for any intellectual bent, heck, some cannot even write a complete sentence to save their lives, but just because news reporting, like almost every thing else, has been dumbed down to sound bites.

“I can also indulge those who are not Yoruba,the Omoluabi concept is complex enough for some freeborn, not to talk of strangers. The first thing I expect an average educated and enlightened mind to do is to mentally fact check the story.

“The Abobaku concept is exclusively an Old Oyo template,and was never a practice in Ife. Even in Oyo town, it is no longer in vogue. Any student of Yoruba history would tell you that the practice of the crown Prince of Oyo dying with the Aalafin was the immediate cause of the Yoruba wars, which lasted a hundred years. “I know fake news is the order of the day, but sometimes you begin to question our ability for critical thinking, spreading a story because it is popular, not because it is true, is one of the pitfalls of using the social media as a primary news source.”

My Conclusion

We should endeavour to get our facts right and never join badwagons to Paint Our Culture red. We should only condemn what is in humane and not be an advocate to issues that makes mockery of the revered"Traditional Institution".This is not the best way to correct certain norms, a false alarm is not only detrimental but also undignifying.

Ife People are Versed and knowledgeable Yoruba People and would not condone or be part of any Fetish Practice, the media and those behind the unfound social noise should be aware "Life hereafter" or "Atunbotan". We should not raise dust where there is none.

Lateef Eluyemi, "Concerned Ife Mind" Writes from The cradle of Yoruba Race.

God Bless!!!


cc. Lalasticalala
ishlove
seun

TWI TITLES FTC AND FTTC

TWO TITLES FTC AND FTTC

defence too late

Roger dat

K

This was exactly the same case when Oba akenzua 2 of Benin kingdom was about to be buried in 1979.

And u expect me to read all that?

clear explanation....

agarawu23:
clear explanation....

Thanks for Understanding and taking your time to Read.
God bless you bro.

all join

Why won't cultureless,wrapper-tying people try to denigrate a yoruba culture that is unrivalled in its flamboyance and popularity in the whole of Africa. People with no history nor heritage to cling to, people without historical poems or oriki, people with no precious values and virtues to hold on to. You should understand that this is just an exhibition of extremely deep jealousy by people who feel culturally inferior and will do anything to smear their percieved enemy. You look at togo, benin, brazil, trinidad.cuba, haiti, and you keep seeing aso-ebis, geles, and bata drums appearing like nothing else exists with everyone willing to learn the language. People whose culture is the most influential,most-studied sub-Saharan culture outside Africa and its popularity keeps spreading like a wild fire. Yorubas should know that the abobaku thing is not something to be taken too seriously especially when we know the people fuelling it

QTEST007:
This was exactly the same case when Oba akenzua 2 of Benin kingdom was about to be buried in 1979.

I don't know why I love that name "oba akenzua"

Rubbish face mending jargon. Why are ppl told to stay indoor before and after oba's death. Why is d oba's burial enshrewed in so much secrecy?

I know, the rumour was started by those, never do well flatthead.

So now, Where Is Abobaku

agarawu23:
clear explanation....

liar, haha liar, you didn't read anything here

@op,good of yu

funkybully:
Rubbish face mending jargon. Why are ppl told to stay indoor before and after oba's death. Why is d oba's burial enshrewed in so much secrecy?

Same reason why South African Gov't declared 10days Mourning and work free for Late Nelson Mandela... It's a cultural sign of honour to a traditional Ruler.

Omotayor123:
So now, Where Is Abobaku

lol.. You, i can see u in all thread shouting abobaku.....the truth is that no abobaku if you can take time to read what i wrote above, or if i may ask, do you have an abobaku in your home town?

micronut:


Same reason why South African Gov't declared 10days Mourning and work free for Late Nelson Mandela... It's a cultural sign of honour to a traditional Ruler.

10 days mourning is not 10 days curfew. What happens during d curfew period? Helpless citizens are killed and used for sacrifice.

Can't u mourn ur king without restricting movement? What happens to women that have labour within that curfew period? Emergency duty call by doctors nko?

This is barbaric culture that must give way to modernity my friend

funkybully:


10 days mourning is not 10 days curfew. What happens during d curfew period? Helpless citizens are killed and used for sacrifice.

Can't u mourn ur king without restricting movement? What happens to women that have labour within that curfew period? Emergency duty call by doctors nko?

This is barbaric culture that must give way to modernity my friend

They will deny the curfew in your very eyes ..

micronut:


lol.. You, i can see u in all thread shouting abobaku.....the truth is that no abobaku if you can take time to read what i wrote above, or if i may ask, do you have an abobaku in your home town?

When did I shout Abobaku??

No we don't

Abobaku equals cannibalism

Just imagine burying a human being together with oba? The culture stinks

Awa yoruba lo ni ede, ati asa ni gbogbo ile adulawo.

Aareonakakanfo:

Why won't cultureless,wrapper-tying people try to denigrate a yoruba culture that is unrivalled in its flamboyance and popularity in the whole of Africa. people with no history nor heritage to cling to, people without historical poems or oriki, people with no precious values and virtues to hold on to. you should understand that this is just an exhibition of extremely deep jealousy by people who feel culturally inferior and will do anything to smear their percieved enemy. you look at togo, benin, brazil, trinidad.cuba, haiti, and you keep seeing aso-ebis, geles, and bata drums appearing like nothing else exists with everyone willing to learn the language. People whose culture is the most influential,most-studied sub-saharan culture outside africa and its popularity keeps spreading like a wild fire. Yorubas should know that the abobaku thing is not something to be taken too seriously especially when we know the people fuelling it

your point is made and noted but the 'people' you described is non- existent.i mean that the description you gave does not match any group. as you have your culture, others do have theirs.if you refer to a people as nothing( no matter how aggrieved you are) does that not equal you to such people? we are all equal in the prescence of our maker, irrespective of how superior we feel.let love lead.it's very important please.

OP please STFU people are being slaughtered daily in the ooni's palace. stop deceiving people.
Even many honest ife idigenes will confirm this

Denying that a king is buried with alive or dead humans is nothing new, but many of us know that it still happens in many parts of the country,



I bet the Abobaku might have even been kidnapped by the Ife chiefs and is cooling off in one shrine somewhere in Ife, for onward interment with the Oba

Thank God its no longer in practise.

I just hope it doesn't cause a tribal war

Don't come and blame any tribe here , cause when the news Abobaku on the run came up no Yoruba came out to clear us on this.

Now we have being cleared just watch the topic die.

funkybully:


10 days mourning is not 10 days curfew. What happens during d curfew period? Helpless citizens are killed and used for sacrifice.

Can't u mourn ur king without restricting movement? What happens to women that have labour within that curfew period? Emergency duty call by doctors nko?

This is barbaric culture that must give way to modernity my friend

I wish you can have evidence for all you are saying. I want you to call any relative in the town (if you have one) to give you situation reports. I was there even through out last week and to my amazement, still saw okadas plying the roads around 10pm, the streets is still with people as if nothing is happening.. People are not that secret, they would have come out if there is anything inhumane... Make findings before you use mouth hang people sir.