Why Yoruba in Diaspora must partnering for synergy ——– Oba Morakinyo Fatokun Jayeola
By Bode Durojaiye.
If a man only knew how to master and control the realm of the supernatural, the world would be a much happier place.
Belief in the mystical powers, the spirit beings behind them and the human quest to control or influence them had produced a variety of specialists such as medicinemen, rainmakers, mediums, diviners, sorcerers, magicians and witches. Superstitions, totems, taboos and rituals grew out of such beliefs.
For safety and protection in a world dominated by the spirit beings and powers, one needs a spiritual compass for guidance and practical efforts for control, protection and security through religious rites, reverence to ancestors, symbolic totems and regulative taboos, rituals, superstitions, customs and specialists. For guidance and protection in life, one needs some, if not all, of these.
One of them is His Royal Highness, Oba Morakinyo Fatokun Jayeola is the Aare Isese of Oyo Empire, Oba Edu Adimula of Yorubaland , and the Okanlomo Asa conferred on him at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ice, Osun State.
Oba Jayeola is also the Aare Amufawunni, Awise Awo Great Babalawo of Nigeria and the Seriki Awo of Oke Ogun land in Oyo State.
Born 76 years ago and bonafide indigene of Oyo town, Oba Jayeola’s parents hail from Isale Oyo in the Atiba Local Government area of Oyo State. While his father is from Arowopale’s house, the mother is from Ajiroba’s house.
He is a renowned strategic traditionalist who has a vision and can communicate it and make it happen.
A redoubtable and reliable traditionalist who envisions the future by imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities.
For over forty years , Oba Edu Adimula of Yorubaland had been in cordial relationship with the late Paramount Ruler, Oba ( Dr.) Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111.
HRM Jayeola enlists others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations, fosters collaboration, promoting cooperative goals, building trust and strengthening others by sharing power and discretion.
He models the way and clarify his personal values and set the example aligning actions and share values.
HRH Jayeola also recognises contributions by showing appreciation for individual’s excellence, celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community.
The Aare Isese has a proven character, humble,has a solid understanding of the God’s words, genuine love for people, a godly marriage and family, seeks God’s direction, modest, not arrogant, a peacemaker, fair and just, a good,learner , humble, sensible , kind , slow to anger, and one who surrounds himself with honest, trustworthy people and listens to them.
What is more, meeting Oba Edu Adimula of Yorubaland is meeting a devoted leader that does not tolerate wrongdoing, honest and open, makes rules that people are glad to follow, and protect the people, merciful and compassionate.
Others include, he does not tempt people to do evil, knowledgeable and mindful, leads in peacefulness and godliness , words are respectful, leads by example, not greedy for money, and a great Role Model.
In an Exclusive interview, Oba Jayeola said ” I neither disobeyed, disrespected , ridiculed or speak evils about the late Alaafin since 1982 that we were together. My loyalty, and support support for the late Monarch was total, no matter the situation . My allegiance to him ( Alaafin) is sacrosant. In fact, there was nothing I would do without informing him. Even if I want to travel out of the town. That is how it should be . He was a monarch and the father of all. We must ray round him and should not allow anything to ridicule his status”.
He observed that it is time Yoruba at home and in Diaspora start partnering for synergy.
Said he, “without doubt, we can find strength in unity . This has become imperative so that whenever our brothers and sisters in Diaspora come home, they won’t be complainers about how things are not working, but rather, they would see themselves as partners and partakers in the overall development for a better future of their home land.
” Partnership is a voluntary collaborative
agreement between two or more parties in which all participants agree to
work together to achieve a common purpose. Partnerships, he explained, share interest, concerns and create visions for the future.
‘’In this technology-driven age, when the whole world has virtually dissolved into a global village, meaningfully partnering is a foundation for success. This is because such collaboration enables continuous improvement which is created when it doesn’t seem possible to solve a problem or address the situation by just one group – due to magnitude, lack of knowledge or vague nature of the issue at stake; or when the cost of
solving a problem or addressing an issue gets too costly for one group to
tackle’’.
In an enterprise therefore, the Oba Edu Adimula of Yorubaland pointed out that the best partnerships are those (either formal or informal) that have an
organization or a structure with shared vision, mission and goals, involving people for maximum utilization of emerging and existing technologies.
” In this regard, the kind of partnering one envisages between the Yoruba at
home and in Diaspora is the type that will provide necessary developmental
planks such as intellectual, technological, communication and marketing plans for the homeland that is urgent for modern transformation. This is with a view that such an alliance will produce results that will benefit
all group and process members’’.
Oba Jayeola further urged Nigerians to refrain from acts or inflammatory utterances capable of igniting ethnic violence in the country.
The frontline traditionalist submitted that freedom of speech, though sacrosanct, is not absolute, as freedom is a shared one, limited by the freedom of others.
According to him, citizens must draw the line between free speech and arbitrary spite, as they expressed grave concern about the dominance of ethnic incendiary speech in our country.
He noted that the public space has been hijacked by a vocal minority of individuals who promote ethnocentric ideas inimitable to the peace and well-being of a majority of citizens.
“Nigerians must exercise restraint, must bear in mind Nigeria’s long history of ethno-religious conflicts, as people use this type of deep seated animosity in their speech precisely because of the culture of impunity which reigns in the country.
“To comprehend today’s current fracturing, as citizens, we must understand the historic, religious, ethnic and geographic context.
“As citizens, let us bury differences, embrace peace, live in harmony and shun hate comments which have been contributing to increased tensions in Nigeria. What is more, hate speech is an agent provocateur and precursor to insecurity any where in the world.
In a multi-cultural country like Nigeria with different diverse ethnic settings, inflammatory statements are very sensitive that if not contained, could lead to war”.
Oba Jayeola asserted that it is the duty of the government to do everything in its power to protect her citizens, apprehend and prosecute criminals and bandits who unleash terror on innocent and defenceless citizens, so that will be seen to have been done.
The Aare Isese therefore stressed the urgent need for the family as the first socializing unit, the government, religious and opinion leaders, as well as various non-governmental organizations to work assiduously to inculcate in the youths the virtues of hard work, patriotism, and exemplary leadership.
This, Oba Jayeola argued s in addition to creating the conducive atmosphere for the realization of the numerous potentials of the youths to enable them play the expected roles , as it is not too late to remove the encumbrances on the way to actualizing the Nigerian youths as future leaders.
Said he, ‘’it is only when we have the right legacy to bequeath as well as the youths with the right frame of mind, opportunities and conducive atmosphere and readiness to receive same and keep the flag flying that we can truly be said to understand the full import of leaders. The implication portends something ominous for the society as a whole’’.
