The seeming antagonistic posture of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Soliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1 to the government of Oyo State under Governor Abiola Ajimobi, has been ascribed to the manipulation of the Olubadan by those opposing the governor because of their personal aggrandisement.
Making this assertion last week at his Aliiwo family house, Ibadan was the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun. He spoke to our correspondent after the annual masquerade dance for him as an Ibadan High Chief, defying the directive of the Olubadan of Ibadanland.
Oba Adetunji had, on Sunday, issued a statement directing that the annual traditional masquerade dance in the residences of some selected High Chiefs must not hold this year, except in his own palace, citing security reason
Oba Adetunji had, on Sunday, issued a statement through his Personal Assistant/Director of Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Adeola Oloko, directing that the annual traditional masquerade dance in the residences of some selected High Chiefs must not hold this year, except in his own palace. He cited security reasons.
Following the directive, the High Chiefs met at the Alarere residence of Balogun, where they described the directive by the Olubadan as balderdash. They vowed to host the masquerade dance as they had been doing in the past, queryingwhat made the masquerade dance conducive in the Olubadan’s palace and made it unconducive in their own residences?
About 48 hours after the directive by the Olubadan and less than 24 hours to the scheduled masquerade dance in the Aliiwo residence of Oba Balogun, the next in rank to Olubadan, the state government issued a counter directive, asking the masquerade authority to go ahead and observe the festival as they had been doing.
OTUN OLUBADAN: I CANNOT FATHOM WHAT THE OLUBADAN WANTS TO GAIN OR ACHIEVE BY THE OBNOXIOUS DIRECTIVE THAT I SHOULD NOT PLAY HOST TO MASQUERADES, SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN DOING ANNUALLY FOR THE PAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS
According to the statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun and Special Adviser to the governor on Community Relations, Alhaji Bidemi Siyanbade, “the government called on the Masquerades to celebrate the 2018 Egungun festival in the age-long norms and traditions of the Egungun Festival albeit in a non-violent manner.”
An elated Balogun, after playing host to the masquerades, said, “I cannot fathom what the Olubadan wants to gain or achieve by the obnoxious directive that I should not play host to masquerades, something I have been doing annually for the past six or seven years.”
He maintained that the monarch only allowed himself to be used by an individual around him that had an axe to grind with the incumbent governor, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi. He questioned why he should submit himself to be used for a reason not known to him, which he said was the reason he and his colleague-Obas disagreed with the Ibadan monarch on the directive.
At the event, which had in attendance virtually all the High Chiefs, including Oba Owolabi Olakulehin (Balogun of Ibadanland), Oba Tajudeen Ajibola (Otun Balogun), Oba Eddy Oyewole (Asipa Olubadan), Oba Amidu Ajibade (Ekarun Olubadan), Oba Kola Adegbola (Ekerin Balogun), Oba Biodun Kola-Daisi (Ekerin Olubadan), Oniroko of Iroko, Onijaye of Ijaye, numerous Baales (village heads) and several Mogajis (household leaders), the traditional sacrifice of slaughtering a dog was performed by one of the most popular and senior masquerades, ‘Atipako’.
Sequel to the tension earlier generated by the directive and counter-directive by the Olubadan and the state government, respectively, there was heavy presence of security agents, comprising officers and men of the Nigeria Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, to ensure that law and order did not break down.
Despite that, it was gathered that some of the masquerades were waylaid at Oranyan by some hoodlums suspected to be sympathetic to the Olubadan’s cause, while another set of the senior masquerades were alleged to have been physically prevented from coming out of their respective family houses by some persons loyal to the Olubadan.
Both the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Arulogun and the Special Adviser to the governor on Community Relations, Siyanbade, as well as government officials, also visited the Aliiwo residence of Oba Balogun to ascertain the peaceful hosting of the masquerades.
Oba Balogun, who thanked God for the successful hosting of the masquerades’ dance this year, said he was happy that there was no breach of the peace.
The ongoing imbroglio in Ibadan dates to last year’s decision of Governor Ajimobi to upgrade 21 Ibadan high chiefs and Baales to Obaship position, which the Olubadan kicked
against.
The aggrieved Ibadan monarch raced to court to protest the action and got a judgement in his favour at an Oyo State High Court, which nullified the installation. But the state government, alongside the newly crowned Obas, filed an appeal against the judgement at the Court of Appeal.
The last, therefore, has yet to be heard on the royal tiff.
