I guess when we really look at the picture of things, we all have some type of prejudice in us. I have some friends who believe so strongly that we should do away with kingship, or having monarchs in Yoruba land because of the archaic beliefs they still follow. Many do not see the reason why an old man should be prostrating before a young man who happens to be a king. In fact a dear brother told me he will never enter the palace of any king for any reason. He doesn’t regard them, and doesn’t think there is any more use for them. He and people in his corner believe this is an enlightened generation, so “who cares about an archaic tradition.
But I believe we should still keep that part of our tradition; because that is who we are. But one aspect that is very disappointing is when we now say, just because someone is a king, then he cannot be a Christian. My question is why? But these same set of people do not have any problem whatsoever with devout Muslim Yoruba kings. It’s the Christians they have problem with. It’s Jesus they have problem with; and not Muhammad.
Are these two religions not imported to Yoruba land? So why favor one over another? Why be prejudiced towards one and not the other? As a kid in Christ Apostolic Church (C.A.C.) back in those days, I remember vividly that the Olubadan of Ibadan,Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele 1955–1964, was a devout Christian who was a member of Christ Apostolic Church. Did that stop him from being the Olubadan? No!
So, why do they want to crucify the Ooni of Ife for proclaiming Jesus as his father? But they never saw anything wrong in Oba Lamidi Adeyemi – the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Sikiru Adetona – the Awujale of Ijebuland, and a new king in Ofa, Ọba Mufutau Gbadamosi, Okikiọla Èsúwọyè II, among so many others who are what I would term “Core Muslims”. Except for maybe the previous Ataoja of Osogbo who was a proclaimed born again Christian, I don’t think there are many others. These few Christian monarchs are lonely fishes swimming in the ocean of monarchs of strictly traditional beliefs, and of Islam.
I am really troubled by this. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander in my opinion. But unfortunately it’s not so amongst my people. No wonder a foreigner had the audacity to be insulting our own. So, what else is new?
We really need to keep our prejudices in check. Live and let live, will you?. Don’t we have so much problem with religion as it is?
Credit: Vickie Owodunni | Facebook
The fear of God they say is the beginning of wisdom. When a king humbles himself before his creator, his throne will be blessed. Conversely, if any earthly king disrespect his creator, his days on the throne will be numbered. Remember when the great king, Neb-u-chad-nez-zar failed to glorify God. A hand came and wrote on the wall, Me’-Ne, Me’-Ne, Te’-Kel, U-phar’-Sin. Interpreted as God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. Simply means the days of your kingdom are numbered. May the days of the Ooni of Ife be long on the throne because he humbled himself before his creator.