OONI @ 48: Applause For A Trailblazer

Ooni Babatunde Adeyeye Ogunwusi marches on in spite of distractions that many a man would have normally foundextremely bewildering. Can anyone fail to perceive the series of odoriferous narratives concocted to malign the person of the Ooni? You would probably be one from the back of beyond not to recognize the malodorous tales invented to paint pictures of the private and public dimensions to the life of Ooni BabatundeOgunwusi. Not with the frequency with which popular and unpopular, reputable and disreputable media of mass communication host such invidious tales will anyone in a fully functioning state fail to perceive the odiousness of such invented narratives. What of the numerous from online bloggers?

Right from the onset of his reign as the Ooni, fangs of malice have been barred from the least expected to the most predictabletraducers. Yet, one-by-one like broomsticks, enemies constituting obstacles on his way to a successful reign have been falling like a pack of cards. And so shall they except they have a change of mind. Kábíèsí, ẹbọ á fín; ètùtù á dà, eku á j’ísẹ́, ẹjaá j’ísẹ́ (Your Majesty, may your sacrifices be accepted, may your supplications never fail; may the rat-medium deliver your messages; may the fish-medium convey your messages).

An average Ife cannot but be happy today that the Ooni has raised the bar of Ile-Ife’s reputation as the spiritual capital of the Yoruba, their close and distant cousins as well as their historically intimate acquaintances. Amidst a huge cultural and historical deficits coupled with a high level political marginalization, Ooni Ogunwusi ascended the throne of the foremost traditional ruler of the káàárọ̀–oòjíire people popularly known as the Yoruba. His promise of a new dawn for the ancient city of Ile-Ife that had been so heavily weighed down was too prompt and simple to be taken seriously. Today, many a doubting Thomas has willingly submitted themselves for rechristening and conversion. If there are still doubting Thomases, their doubts are definitely not marked by the kind of vociferousness of those of old. Obviously too, their days of conversion are close by.

Thanks to well-wishers. They come in different shades, too numerous to mention. On behalf of the Ooni, I say to you: Your applause from time to time is deeply acknowledged. You are part of the brand new beautify history just unfolding. To you scandal-breeders and scandal-mongers, your naysaying is well-noted. Thanks to you too. Unfortunately, despite your malice you cannot resist being swallowed up in the unfolding history of cultural progress across the land being championed by the Ooni.What you will definitely miss is being mentioned as part of the makers of this worthy history-making.          

Your choice for now notwithstanding, should you desire a change of mind, you have to learn and learn very well because it will help. First, to be the Ooni is to be above petty emotions that scandal-breeding and scandal-mongering excite easily. Explicit in the ancient constitution of Ife which is supposed to guide an incumbent Ooni is the provision which stipulates that at the moment of either adulation or humiliation, the Ooni must never be weighed down. And of course, why should he when right from the beginning of time, both honor and shame have always swarmed at the backyard of the Olufe – the Ooni? IyÌ àti àbùkùẹ̀hìnkùnlé Olúfẹ̀ ni wọ́n kú sí (Both honor and humiliation swarm at the backyard of the ruler of Ife), goes the ancient Ife proverb. So, the dialectics of both social conditions of humans are commonplace in the Ooni’s palace.

Unfortunately, the growth of modernity with its baggage of erosion of cherished Yoruba traditions that attends it continue to pose a serious challenge to traditional system of cultural education, hence, the proliferation of warped and malicious individual across the Yoruba cultural space. Nowhere else is this more noticeable than the simulated space of human existence – the internet. So many idle, warped and hateful netizens just exploit the wide freedom of the net to go wild like an accursed person under a spell of self-destruction. It is a sorry state.  

If it had never been made this clear, no one need feign ignorance any more that should anyone choose to act dishonorably, the Ooni can never be caught unawares. If anyone chooses to act honorably or otherwise, the Ooni only needs to look at his backyard and smile at the archetypal drama of both honor and dishonor – the dialectics of pride and humiliation constantly on display right at his backyard. The best drama, therefore, that can ever be staged to malign the Ooni will at best be a mere parody of the age-long drama of the dialectics of honor and humiliation at the Ooni’s backyard. Hence, most dramas being staged to malign the Ooni are best rated as poor parodies of the archetypal drama freely available to him right at his backyard.

So, as I put this piece together as a tribute on the occasion of Ooni Babatunde Ogunwusi’s 48th birthday, a question runs through my mind: what’s the next on the list of scandal-mongers and scandal-breeders? Is it about the expansive harem he is building to guard against further embarrassment from prospective social-climbers with one-man-one-wife colonial mentality and a desire to pocket the throne of the entire Oòtùpeople (the Yoruba and their kinsmen) – a racial heritage? Do as your malice-driven spirits direct. For now, it is sufficient for the Ife people and all their close and distant relations that the first in the set of women in the Ooni’s harem said the most needed prayers for their father and husband: “You would not weep over anyone. You will not know sorrows. Ile-Ife will enjoy the goodness. All of us you married will give you peace of mind.”

In Ootu Ife (the ancient city of Ife) today, despite the erosion of ancient traditional values, enough are still available to teach the ignorant that are willing to know, not ignoramuses that are bound to remain oblivious of their own frivolities. For those who truly wish to learn, their primal lesson begins with knowing the central import of the ancient anecdote: Nǹkan tó ń ṣe Ọwá kòs’Ọọ̀ni. Ọwá ń sígun Ọọ̀ni ń bẹ̀bẹ̀ Edì (What preoccupies the Owa is different from what preoccupies the Ooni. While theOwa is waging war, the Ooni is arranging for the Edi festival).The message of this anecdote should be made clear. The Edi festival in Ife is a rite of atonement and purification. And, of course in whatever circumstance, the primary function of the Ooni is to ensure there is peace and harmony across the expansive land under his preeminent coordination. On the other hand, the Owa who rules in Ijesaland, like other expansionist rulers of the past, had a primary focus on war. This anecdote therefore sets apart the ultimate function of the Ooni as that of peace and not war. This explains why there are very many rituals in the ancient city of Ife. Till date, the Ooni is supposed to be guided by this ancient constitution.

Ooni Ogunwusi has exuded palpable traits of a reincarnate on a mission to restore our racial glory. Like-play-like play, the Ooniis counting years. K’ẹ́sin ọbá jẹ oko pẹ́ pẹ́ pẹ́ (May the king’s horses graze on the field for a very very long time). While younaysayers wish for the Ooni’s downfall the Isoros (priests) in Ife shall never seize to perform the duty of neutralizing all evil wishes for the Ooni. And each time they say their prayers to neutralize your evil wishes, we shall keep chorusing “Ase” (so shall it be).

M. B. omigbule (Ph.D)

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife