The title of Mogaji in Yorubaland has been as old as Yoruba tradition; delegating power to the heir apparent of the forefathers of a progeny, generation or descendant.
And this was accommodated into Yoruba culture, to establish continuity in descendant influence and generational affinity.
As Olubadan is the lord over his people in Ibadanland and environs; a Mogaji is a miniature of Olubadan within the general members of his descendant which comprises of many neon-families that "extended" into large family, to which the moment a Mogaji is chosen not considering seniority in age but must be elderly and custodian of the descendant historical facts, figures and the intricacies within their background yet must be reachable, accommodating, generous, firm, decisive, loving, respectful, unbiased, frank,attentive, honest, person of integrity, influential, relentless, bold, intelligent and of wisdom, Godly, patient, selfless, enterprising, initiative, prayerful, focused, having foresight, creative e.t.c.
Though Mogaji title is not by subjugation, not compulsorily by seniority, the person to be chosen for Mogaji must not be forced on his people therefore, the consent of the general members of his family is essentially paramount and a deciding -point in his selection and presentation to the Olubadan and his council, with the affirmation and ratification of the Olubadan and his council so the family's consensus is a must and anything short of that is like taking a short-cut and an undue advantage over the general members of the family, while whoever may be the one chosen by force or enforced on the general members of the family must have known he is sitting on a keg of gunpowder, that may explode anytime even it is dangerous for the upcoming generation , that has no hand in the wrong choice, made by the myopic and parochial but few members of the family, to the detriment of the general members, because the Mogaji must be lord over his general members of his family like Olubadan is the lord over Ibadan people, the land and its environs.
So it is compulsory the general members of the family identify with the Mogaji and his insignia, meaning it should be a consensus from the family and unanimous decision, that they are ready to see the "would-be" Mogaji leading them as a priority, and not compulsion, compromise-able, nor bargain-able and should not be politicized ( all these helps to preserve culture and tradition of Yoruba , even it is a curse for anybody to change this normal course of culture and tradition) This is to uphold the age-long fact that it is an unchanged-able aspect of the historical background or evolutionary idiosyncratic phenomenon, here much experience and knowledge of the Yoruba and family background is a must, if procedure should be followed to the detail. And anything done from the family or elsewhere is to belittle the essence of the traditional importance, which may be a source of ridicule, from those outside, seeing the expected off-springs or custodian of culture and tradition as corrupt and compromise-able, while the repercussion is immeasurable and could boomerang later in future, among the upcoming generation, who must have been confused with clashes and conflicts against their historical importance of their progeny(This sometime embarrasses members of the family, tribe, and clan, when there are contradiction in historical value, importance and arrangement of facts and figure of their root, which was caused by the shortcoming of the members they belong)
However, with a Mogaji being chosen and all necessary things (rituals) being done, at the collective point of their descendant (Agbole) with piece of crossed-piece of plank (aka) being nailed to the upper part of the main entrance to their common house.
And the insignia of office being given to the new Mogaji by the Olubadan in the presence of the members of his council , and being acknowledged by the general members of the family then celebration and choruses of various are sung like: A moye yii je naa, iwo n papa i wo n naa, E rebi wa bii; eyin tee n sebi yin rada rada ee rebi wa bii, Owoole laa n lo ao ma ya wo fi see o; laau erebe erebe lau etc.
All these is to show the general acceptance of the whole family in the choice of Mogaji being picked.
Meanwhile, this spoke volume, as their choice must have been tested and trusted, that is; he must have been doing one thing or the other, to better the lot of his people, which means adding another feather to his office in recognition, affirmation and accommodating him to be the true son of the family, who had been identified with them by placing a must oath or betray-able responsibility upon the whole members of the family, to pay him back in his good coin, for generational progress, development and advancement, with firm believe in his leadership qualities and reposing their confidence in him, for safe, harmonious , careful and advantageous consideration for all and sundry.
And this is like a covenant between him and them, to live undeniably as one and not bringing shame to the family in anyway, so this is the cord that bind them together as one hence, to the people of village they fear being indicted by invoking the spirit of "alale" or to a family "alajobi" and thus an adage is propounded that "it is easy to forgive an enemy but not a friend that betrayed". Even the family like to get uniform-textile material (aso-abi) as a souvenir to remind them of their common decision, to make a member of their family Mogaji.
All these express and display the beauty of Yoruba a well planned and arranged successor-ship, which often provide collective power and attainment within the family or Yoruba culture.
Then after respite of some weeks within which comes meetings upon meetings with family members on how, what, where when, why, issues had being trashed out, delegation and inauguration of sub-executive members of the Mogaji would start work both from town and village(s), while Baale; the head at home but not as special as Mogaji serves as a coadjutor or assistance to the Mogaji yet Mogaji is superior to both Bale and Baale respectively; since the Mogaji is the ratified, endorsed and official head of the family, all must respect him including Bale and Baale. And what he says is binding but he is not expected to abuse his office, provided he doesn't want to incur the wrath of his family members, so as the electorates has absolute power in democratic governance (electioneering power resides with the electorates) such is the absolute power to install or demote a Mogaji lies with the general members of the family. And the office of Mogaji was created to ease the administrative role of Olubadan as the collection of Mogajis is the wisdom of Olubadan , aside the Olubadan in Council's responsibility per excellence, since a Mogaji is held responsible for any short-coming within his domain, and all these is to maintain law, order and morality within the land. And it is corroborative to affirm that Yoruba people had had a system of governance before the advent of colonial master.
Yet often-time deliberation, discussion and execution of matters concerning the interest of the family members are addressed for advancement, where one or more problems concerning, affecting, eroding on family interest are checked, coursed, collectively and cooperatively solved.
And any meeting time many members of the family found it compulsory, paramount, patriotic, and palliative to be present, to contribute where seriousness, intelligence , wisdom, sense of belonging, purposefulness, merriment are expected to be displayed. Then a Mogaji is subjected to Olubadan and anything expected to be known by the Olubadan and his council is a matter that squarely concerns the Mogaji.
Hence Mogaji should be the real choice of his people, who are ready to rally round him in time of joy, abundance, dearth and stress, so here he must prove his responsiveness, responsibility, initiative, integrity and truthfulness of nature.
Nevertheless, as Olubadan and his council are there to complement the role and duty of Mogaji in respect of his area of local administration so is the Mogaji and the Mogajis helping to make effective the administration of the larger society, by the Olubadan and his council.
Accordingly, as of the olden days; a Mogaji is expected to live among his people for proximity sake and promptness in attending to issues and addressing differences and issues , as expected and mandated by the oath of his office, only nowadays there is a change to that, where the Mogaji comes often from his own house, where he lives with his neo-family, but must not compromise or shrink from his responsibility, to his family members, as Mogaji nor avoid his role by delegating anyhow what is expected of him to do . And this is where the beauty and best of the Mogaji is seen, acknowledged, appreciated, as a good leader, who everybody within the family can repose their confidence, commitment and dedication through constant attendance to whatever a meeting he call for or is convene by him.
As Mogaji is a subject to the Olubadan who can be on the path to becoming Olubadan one day in life by (first) starting with the traditional title of Jagun (especially in Ibadan's good arrangement to Obaship) from here he can be having promotion within, being conferred on him progressively, with higher title-ship , as he deserves it by year, good character, commitment and loyalty to Olubadan and his Council, the people of the town (Ibadan), its environs regarding his contributions to the development of the town, villages and city of the state.
At this juncture suffice I express our thanks to the office of Mogaji Ajayi-Ida of Ibadan
; Mogaji (Dr) Muideen Babatunde Olatunji, a qualified and experienced medical doctor of repute, who shed more light on the historical and traditional importance of Mogaji as an institution and what intricacies of background leading to the conferment of the title of Mogaji on the eligible male and elderly member of any family, as the choice of the general members of his descendant, with the Oba ratifying and endorsing the wish by consensus of the family.
With this it had denoted that the Mogaji (Dr) Muideen Babatunde Olatunji is soundly a qualified Yoruba man and true son of his descendant, knowledgeable and historically rich , to be presented as a custodian of the knowledge about Yoruba tradition and culture. And this must have been the much reason why he was seen eligible and qualified by the general members of Ajayi-Ida descendant, to have been chosen as their new Mogaji, that was conferred with the title on the 19th of December, 2016, while we pray for good health, sound body for him, with prosperity and longevity of life, for him to steer the leadership mantle of Ajayi-Ida family well.
By and Large, with this aforementioned historical background of Mogaji as an institution permit me to X-ray on the rancour among some members of Beyioku Akere family of Oritamerin , on their differences over the choice being enforced on them as Mogaji.
Despite the fact that the members belong to the same lineages: Bamgbegbin, Akintaro, Fagbinrin, with Akintaro and Fagbinrin leaving the title-ship to the candidates from Bamgbegbin who are by names as: Hon/Alhaji Abdulwasiu Okunlola Akere and Alhaji Moshood Gbolagade Oyebode while the one conferred with the title of Mogaji was said not to be the choice of the general members of the lineages: Bamgbegbin, Akintaro and Fagbinrin hence, it led to protest upon protest, complain upon complain and partial uprising within the family members. But His Royal Majesty the Olubadan of Ibadanland Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Ogungunniso 1 had issued a press-release (warning) that no family should disrupt the peace of the town(Ibadan) nor cause violence of any kind, due to the effect of the misunderstanding arising from the wrong choice that the family members of Beyioku Akere had.
With Mogaji in control in an extended family setting the beauty of it is immeasurable where " what touches one touches all" hence the formidable relationship and native system of administration or of directing Yoruba life, activities and livings before the advent of the colonial masters, was to the envy of other tribes even the white man was greatly impressed and equivocally envious to have tried to superimpose other tribes on Yoruba because of the white-man's understanding of the un-matchable of the Yoruba's wisdom.
And the deprivation the white man gave the Yoruba is still affecting them till date.
However, to any professional the focus and passion he has for his job always drives him into action since he has no other means to make livelihood and in the absence of not doing what he ought to do regarding his job depicts him as being lazy and quack, who is good for nothing, as everybody aspires to contribute one thing or other through ones job into the society where he belongs and thus it shows the essence of living for humanity. And where one avoids the best for others in whatever he does leads to total failure in life.
With this we considered that we should set into unravel-ling the mystery behind the issue of the rancour within Beyioku Akere Family over the Mogaji Title-ship by paying a visit to the Beyioku Akere Family 's House at Oritamerin and here we met the members of the large family with the "expected choice" of the family for Mogaji ; Alhaji/Hon Abdulwasiu Okunola Akere being present to relay the cause behind the rancour and with some documents he unwind-ed thus
That from the days of yore he has identified with his family members of Beyioku Akere of Oritamerin of C2/27 Akere's compound Oja'ba Ibadan and interruptedly by chorus some member of the family attested that he has been spending money in sponsoring some of their children's education, installing transformer, rehabilitating some dilapidated house within the compound.
That the family either through selection or election picks a particular candidate as Mogaji to represent the family and which had been done by the family.
That the head of the family and the family consented to the nomination of that person.
That in case more than one person signified their intention to occupied the post of Mogaji there shall always be an election, which the Olubadan and its council have deprived the family of the due process and their consideration in this case.
That the immediate Mogaji according to the tradition must have nominated before his demise; a particular person that will become the Mogaji of the house by transferring the cloth called 'Aso-Irole" which make the person an automatic Mogaji of the family as demanded by the tradition.
That the selection or election of a particular person must be an unanimous decision of the vast majority of the family(i.e. democratically elected person) and any decision reached is binding on every member of the family home and abroad.
Then with this brief acquaintance we went to the office of the Olubadan at Popoyemoja to verify what transpired to the development that caused the rancour, here we met a protocol officer of the Olubadan(name withheld) and some of the office assistants who we may not be able to identified factually, that told us that prior the conferment of the Mogaji on Chief Moshood Gbolagade Oyebode Akere, a meeting was convened by the delegation of the Olubadan who gave even and equal opportunity to both candidates : Hon/ Alhaji Abdulwasiu Okunlola Akere and Alhaji Moshood Oyebode Gbolagade Akere to come with their supporters and on the day in question the family came in large number to support the candidate of their choice, but instead of having people queuing behind their choice candidate, only the two candidates and four family members each that support the two candidates with family head; Pa Fasasi Titiloye Akere , women leader; Madam Falilat Laoye Akintaro Akere and Bale of Ijokodo;Chief Fatai Oyeniyi Akere were in attendance other family members were outside .
And at the meeting the two aspiring candidates Hon/ Alhaji Abdulwasiu Okunola Olasunkanmi Akere and Alhaji Moshood Gbolagade Oyebode Akere were only interviewed on why they are more qualified for Mogaji than the others. Questions bothering on lineages they belong were asked and both claimed they belong to Bamgbegbin, and questions on their contribution to family, support and years of involvement in family matters were raised. In the end the two chiefs in attendance High Chief Olufemi Olaifa and High Chief Ajibola Tajudeen, Prince Mukaila Adetunji (Aremo) and the secretary to the Olubadan in Council; Mr Liasu sued for peace and amiable co-existence among the families and assured that their finding and observation will be communicated to Kabiyesi and His Imperial Majesty Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1 promised that justice would be done. At the end of the meeting, both aspiring candidates were made to sign an agreement for peace and that they are to agree to Kabiyesi 'prerogative' on the matter.
They obliged to sign because they believe His Imperial Majesty is a just and truthful father and pray to God to guide Kabiyesi , so that in it is final decision on Mogaji Akere justice will be done.
On the morning of 11th December, 2016 the family held a peaceful rally procession from Akere Palace at Oritamerin to Popoyemoja Palace to register their displeasure on information obtained through a call from Prince Moshood Gbolagade Oyebode Akere to one Lukman Olabamiji Okunola Akere that he has received letter of appointment as the new Mogaji Akere from the palace, while the protest was peaceful and no property was destroyed, to express their clear grievance that the general members of Akere Family has the exclusive right to select their family head and that such decision to impose anybody on them will be resisted because it is unknown to Ibadan age-long tradition, subsisting from time immemorial .
And that the choice of Akere Family for Mogaji is Honorable /Prince Okunola Olasunkanmi Abdulwasiu Akere, which is not negotiable.
Here they affirmed their conviction and believe in His Imperial Majesty Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso 1 that the decision to impose candidate is not his, and thus hope in his fatherly gesture to right the wrong by allowing the wishes of the majority to prevail over the minority at-least" where the majority has its way then the minority can have its say"
In addition they cited the letter to His Majesty Office dated 21st November ,2016 informing His Imperial Majesty and the Olubadan in Council:
That the above mentioned process has been observed, passed and executed by the Akere Family in selecting their Mogaji (Hon/Prince Okunola Abdulwasiu Olasunkanmi Akere) between Sunday 18th and 20th November inside Akere Palace and duly signed letter accompanied by other valuable documents that aided the process , were sent to the palace of His Imperial Majesty by the elders of Akere Family and acknowledged copy received by the secretary to the Olubadan in Council.
That upon receiving the information on Thursday 15th December, 2016 His Imperial Majesty still went ahead to install Prince Moshood Gbolagade Oyebode Akere as Mogaji Akere Family against the wishes of the vast majority of their family members hence, they mandated Prince/Hon Okunlola Olasunkanmi Akere to institute a legal action for the stoppage and because the court cannot sit due to the legal week, they were only able to obtain an advance copy of summons and restraint, which was served on the palace and received by the palace, to forestall the installation, but to their greatest surprise His Imperial Majesty did his wish to install Prince Moshood Gbolagade Oyebode Akere on the 19th December, 2016 against impending court summon.
Consequently, the entire family resisted imposition and what is not known to their tradition by not allowing Prince Moshood Gbolagade Oyebode Akere to enter Akere Common House (Agbole) and neither was he allowed to mount "EKE-WOOD" in the house nor be allowed to perform other rites which are the symbol of family support to the new Mogaji.
And to corroborate the historical -facts revolving round the institution of Mogaji they cited 1986 when Chief Sanusi Okunola Akere died ;Chief Durodola Salaudeen succeeded him and the contest was between him and Late Alhaji Yussuf Abioye Fagbinrin and the selection was exclusively that of the Akere Family and ratified by the then Olubadan of Ibadan-land Late Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike 1 with reference made to the family minutes; 16/03/86 and 23/03/86 as attached.
In the same vein Durodola Salaudeen Akere 1996; Alhaji Mustapha Oyeleke Wintola was unanimously selected and appointed as Mogaji and letter of his appointment as the new Mogaji was equally forwarded to the then Kabiyesi Late Oba Adeyemo Operinde 1 having attached the right hand impressions and signatures of members that supported his appointment as the new Mogaji Akere Family . with reference made to the copy of letter of invitation from Late Oba Adeyemo Operinde Palace, Isalejebu Ibadan dated 12/12/96.
Here the Akere Family general members stated that Beyioku Akere , their great grand fathers laid down his life to stabilize and unite Ibadan therefore, his sons and daughters deserve to be given inalienable right of selection and appointment of their Mogaji and not the one forced on them, hence here they unequivocally presented that Prince/Hon Okunola Olasunkanmi Abdulwasiu Akere is their choice as the new Mogaji instead of the one forced on them in person of Prince Moshood Gbolagade Oyebode Akere.
And they attached a copy of their choice appointment with signatures and thumbprints of those who supported him from the three lineages: Bamgbegbin, Akintaro, Fagbinrin that make up the Akere Family thus forwarded to the palace on 21st November, 2016 but it was disregarded by the Olubadan's office.
Though the family members expressed their rigidity that the vast majority of the family have spoken and pick their Mogaji;Prince/Hon Abdulwasiu Okunola Olasunkanmi Akere and that their wishes should be sacrosanct and respected.
That , the issue of selection and appointment of Mogaji Akere should be strictly family affair.
And that anybody or person parading himself as Mogaji Akere Family aside Hon/Prince Abdulwasiu Okunola Olasunkanmi Akere is an impostor.
Here they implored the Kabiyesi and His Imperial Majesty to revisit the case for good to allow peace reign again in their family. And that with the affinity the present Olubadan of Ibadan Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso 1 has with their forefathers , they least expected that he can effect any row to cause unrest in their family through enforcing a Mogaji who is not their choice, as he has a link with their forefathers that he cannot betrayed and as Oba on threshold of history he should right the wrong for peace to reign in their family. Signed and thumb printed by members.
With reference to this letter of petition from the family cum documented evidence we went further to the Kabiyesi's office who expressed his displeasure and annoyance to the protest action of the aggrieved Akere family who came to his office and age-long house (palace) calling him thief preemptively; suggesting that he had collected money to influence Chief Moshood Oyebode Gbolagade Akere's installation despite the chosen candidates admission to accept whoever is chosen to be the Mogaji, which though in respect of the allegation against the aggrieved members calling Kabiyesi thief, His Majesty admitted that the expected Mogaji ; Hon/Prince Abdulwasiu Olasunkanmi Okunola had come to his palace thrice to beg for forgiveness, but the effect of their unruliness disturbed him to have carried out his decision to install Prince Moshood Oyebode Gbolagade as their Mogaji, yet the aggrieved members of Akere Family denied ever to have called Kabiyesi thief citing that on that day some protesters agitating against one of the installed Bales of that said day; 19 December,2016 were also present at the gate of the Kabiyesi, which could have been mistook for them as the aggrieved members of the Akere Family but, upon the allegation they still bent over backward to apologize to the Kabiyesi for forgiveness.
On further balancing of our story we (team of the reporters) tried to link up with the enforced but new Mogaji through phone who on the 9th of January ,2017 promised to come home from Lagos to Ibadan on Friday but when he got to Ibadan he refused to pick our call, but later when we called again he promised to call back as soon as he got to his club in Ibadan but failed to do so, while we called him again on Saturday, Sunday without any positive response, but a dilemma or stalemate we encountered at the course of bringing into balancing and accuracy our report, to unravel the mystery and impediment, also causing such same like dilemma in the family since the enforced new Mogaji is not recognized at his family place and the general family members also are not ready to accept him as their Mogaji; except their wishes are granted and honoured by the Olubadan and his Council, on this we were reminded of the wisdom adopted by King Solomon in solving the same riddle /puzzle between two women who slept together with their babies while one overslept to have snuffed out life from her own baby and later the next morning both argued to be claiming the alive baby rejecting the dead, but King Solomon arraigned them for questioning without both women being aware that King Solomon was very attentive to watch both of their temperament, assumption and reactions to his questions yet, he arrived to conclude that the nonchalant woman that agreed that he should pass the judgement that sword should be used to cut the alive baby for equal share between them; should be the one indictable and instrumental to her child's death, hence he gave the alive child back to her rightful mother, in allowing justice to take its due course, yet no victor; no vanquished.
Lastly, on this note here I changed to speak in my mother's tongue that Mo ki Oba Alayelua Aje Ogunguniso 1 ,Ori Ade Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji , Aje Ogungunniso 1 , Baba Mo kunle; mo pagunwo mo, Ka'de pe lori oooh baba, Ki bata pe lese, esin Oba a je oko pe, irukere a di abere, igba odun; odun kan fun baba wa, Ki baba f'ewu pari, Ki baba ferigi j'obi, ase waa ni tireke!, Arobafin lo ba n pa, Oro ti a ni ki baba ma gbo; baba naa ni yoo pariee. Omo eni ko si ni buruburu ka le f'ekun pa'je, Eru Oba ni mo ba oba toto!,
Awa nibadan, Awa laameto, Awalanimo, Awa laalowo, Awa laaniteriba, Awa laalaaje, Awa lalalaye.
Sebi sekere ko ni ba'won loo s'ode ibanuje. Omo ale eniyan ni foowo osi juwe ile baba re, Mo woole;f'ori ade oh! Kee pe bi mope see n pe, Ke waa bi wawa n se wa.
Mo ni kini won ti n se belo ni'lorin, Kini won ti n soye laafin Olubadan, Alagbede lo mo ohun to le finrin ro lorisirisi ni'le aro; Alamo lo'mo ohun to'le fa'mo mo nirorun, Iti ogede leleyi ti ko to ohun a nyo ada tii, Baba mi Aje Ogungunniso 1 omo ajee baba mi lo'ni ka buure; ka laare wipe ikan ko gbodo ju'kan,omo eleni ateeka omo eleni ewele , Lojo gbogbo agba nii gba ni Kabiyesi Ko si ni buruburu ki baba so'pe o di owo omo n lo'run , enu agba l'obi ti n gbo, totun tosi leyele fii n kore wole.
Enu mi a goo; enu mi a wo wo,, eni ba fo'ju d'oba ; awowo a woo!. Oro ko ni gungungun ka fo'be buu, enu laoo fi so; idi lao fii joko.
Kabiyeesi Oba wa Akanmu Alayelua ! Obe ni be'suu; iran atelese ate'na, kee gbo, kee too, ko ni hun yin in, ko si nii baje, Ilu Ibadan yoo toro lasiko tiyin, Aje Ogungunniso 1, Oro d'oro agba, nitori pe agba kii wa l'oja k'ori omo titun woo oh, Iba Baba mi Alayelua Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji Aje Ogunguniso 1, Oro dowo yi in ooh!
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