21st coronation Anniversary
The Edu Adimula of Yorubaland, Oba Morakinyo Fatokun Jayeola, Ruler who understands the Golden Rule
By Bode Durojaiye.
Strategic leadership begins with values, ethics, codes, moral and standards.
Upon this foundation, the leader develops an abstract body of expert knowledge based primarily on experience and basic skills.
The Edu Adimula of Yorubaland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Morakinyo Fatokun Jayeola, last Thursday , celebrated his 21st coronation in the ancient town of Oyo, amid pomp and pageantry.
Relations, friends and well wishers both high and low besieged the ancient town to felicitate with the indomitable monarch.
Compassion, at its root, is a desire to see others happy and a readiness to take action to help it happen. This is basically an expression of the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
The Golden Rule is a helpful step for putting wise compassion in action since it requires the consideration of another person’s point of view.
When we are able to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes, we can take a fresh look at a challenging situation. We can take a moment to recognize that we have one view of the situation, but things may, and probably do, look very different from an- other person’s perspective.
Although putting yourself in another person’s shoes is good for reflection, it is important to avoid thinking you know what the other person is feeling or experiencing.
This is especially true in today’s increasingly diverse work environment. Hence, need to balance putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes with not assuming we understand their reality, which requires good listening.
Oba Morakinyo Fatokun Jayeola is a distinguished Ruler , who , within 21 years on the throne, proved himself to the people as a traditional ruler who understands the Golden Rule.
The amiable monarch listens intently . We have two ears but only one mouth. This means we can—and should—listen twice as much as we speak.
When you truly listen to others, they feel heard and seen, which satisfies one of our primary needs as humans.
Oba Jayeola listens intently, with an open mind and a willingness to learn, not only dose he become wiser, but he genuinely helps others.
If he has an important conversation coming up, Oba Morakinyo Jayeola will take extra time to prepare.
This can mean establishing the right kind of environment so that he can be fully present or setting an intention to really hear and feel what the other person wants and feels versus focusing on fixing a problem.
He is a selfless monarch who asks himself, how he can be of benefit?
A Chinese proverb says, “There is no way to compassion; compassion is the way.” Asking how you can be of benefit to others, though, is a “way to compassion.”
Whenever Oba Jayeola about to engage with someone, he takes a moment to reflect on what might be going on, what is challenging or going well? And then ask himself: what support might he need to overcome his struggles? What nudge might he need to gain more self-awareness about blind spots that are creating difficulties?
Reflecting on these questions before he meets people helps to create a more human interaction focused on their growth and development.
Oba Jayeola stretches people to see his potential. We all want to perform and be appreciated. As a good leader, Oba Jayeola values who people are today but also challenges them to stretch themselves and do better to realize more of their true potentials.
According to Oba Jayeola, “this is not easy. When someone is already doing well, pushing them to do better can be discouraging and demotivating.
” But leadership is not about trying to please people and make them feel content and at ease. Leadership is about supporting people by shining a light on things they may not want to face. Instead of shying away from these uncomfortable conversations, try to view your role to stretch people as an indication of true care for them.
“When we practice wise compassion by bringing more of our humanity to our leadership, we can create a culture in which others increase their focus on real human connections. As leaders, we should never underestimate the impact we have on people. We have the power to control their livelihood. We have power over the work they do. And we have power over how they feel treated. This is a huge responsibility. This makes it of the utmost importance to do the hard work of leadership in a human way, so that we can be more successful in positively impacting people’s work experience, their sense of commitment, and their job performance”.
To the 76 year old Oba Morakinyo Jayeola, ” next to education, even ahead of education, and in some places in the country, including the Yoruba land, Nigerians see religion as a factor of development.
” This is because tenets of religions account for the adoption of certain patterns of behaviour. Therefore, religion and morality are expected to interact and influence each other, even preferably for the better, most especially during the course of man’s development. With the Yoruba, like other Nigerian ethnic groups, morality is certainly the fruit of religion.
“The Yoruba believe that both are inseparable, because separating them will attract disastrous consequences. It is the belief of an average Yoruba man or woman that man’s character is of great significance because it is this that Olodumare (God) will judge. Hence good character must be the dominant
feature of a personal life, as good character attracts good
reputation.
On Moral decadence, Oba Edu Adimula lamented that the moral decadence in the society is characterised by social vices, ranging from willful disobedience to legally constituted authorities, especially by our youths, civil disturbances occasioned by socio-economic, ethnic and religious intolerance, wanton destruction of lives and property, assassination of people and so on.
“Today, criminals use beautiful girls to snatch exotic cars, people place much value on wealth and material acquisition, rather than good name. It is clear to see that Nigerians only practise their religions without bothering to observe the tenets. Consequently, the various religions they practise have little or no positive impact on their attitude to life, character, and morality. Does religion really affect the morality of Nigerians? Therefore, regardless of the proliferation of churches, mosques and shrines, moral decadence continues to exist the more in our society. It is quite shameful”.
Oba Morakinyo Jayeola however urged Nigerians to refrain from acts or inflammatory utterances capable of igniting ethnic violence in the country.
He submitted that freedom of speech, though sacrosanct, is not absolute, as freedom is a shared one, limited by the freedom of others.
Said he, 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”.
While expressing deep concern about insecurity in the country, Oba Edu called for seamless synergy involving traditional rulers, security agencies and government at all levels, to fashion a framework for collaboration on security, grassroots mobilisation, advocacy and development, with the objective of ensuring stability at all times.
His words: “As custodians of traditions and values, we are the ones who keep peace in our rural areas and in the various local governments that constitute our various states. As Nigerians, we must respect our various religious and ethnic backgrounds, because it is God that lol brought us together under one country. Thus, when we understand one another, the security challenges bedevilling the country will be a thing of the past.
“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”.
The traditional ruler, therefore, 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.
” There is also 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, is 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.
According to the Oba Morakinyo Jayeoba, ‘’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’’.
