The Olowu of Owu Kuta, Osun State, Oba Hammeed Adekunle Oyelude Makama, Tegbosun III, has said that any traditional ruler in the South-West that is against tradition is not fit to be a monarch.
The traditional ruler stated this on Friday at the Breakfast Meeting of the South-West Group of Online Publishers (SWEGOP) in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The Olowu of Owu Kuta, reacting to questions from pressmen, also urged journalists to stop promoting views of any traditional ruler that does not believe in the Yoruba culture and traditions.
Justifying his position, the traditional ruler said there was no where in Yoruba land where any oba is enthroned outside of the traditional institution, declaring that not even in the church or mosque.
“Look, any traditional ruler that says tradition is abomination, note it very well, is a misfit. Stop promoting any traditional ruler that does not believe in our culture and tradition. There is no place in Yoruba Land that any king is enthroned in the mosque or church,” he said.
Oba Makama admitted that some traditional rulers no longer give out chieftaincy titles on the ground of morality and societal values, but also asked that the traditional institution should be strengthened financially to restore morality back to the society.
The Olowu of Owu Kuta, who is against frivolous conferment of chieftaincy titles, also noted that as embodiment of royalty, traditional rulers should not engage in activities that would jeopardise the revered institution.
Oba Makama said: “Yes, gone are the days when conferment of chieftaincy is to most patriotic and loyal subjects of the traditional rulers.”
The Olowu of Owu Kuta asked for adequate financial strengthening of the traditional institution, saying: “Fingers are not equal; things are not the same.
“The way our forefathers did it [then] is no longer the [same] way we are doing it now. You know the Bible has two versions; the Old Statement and the New Statement.
“In this generation, many things have gone so wrong. There are some traditional rulers that could not afford N100,000 in a month. They are not earning up to that amount in a month. Some are not earning N50,000 in a month.
“If you, being a subject of that traditional ruler, now come home and tell that traditional ruler that you have a friend in the US and he needs a title.
“You say ‘Kabiyesi, he said if you give him a title, he will give you N500,000, that you should paint the palace and when he comes, he will do something’.
“The traditional ruler may not know if that your friend is a drug baron over there. He didn’t that that your friend may have been convicted for money laundering, the traditional ruler will go ahead and give him the title of Otunba or he can even tell him to choose which title he wants.
“So, if the traditional institution is strengthened properly and financially, I think the respect would come back on that morality ground.
“But that is not the only aspect you should be thinking of as regards morality. In the past, the traditional ruler don’t leave his domain; it is you that will come.
“The traditional ruler is not supposed to be a businessman so that you don’t have conflict of interest with your subjects. The traditional ruler should be above board to maintain that moral standard. All these are taught in the seclusion that Yoruba called Ipebi. We were taught all these.
“It is the community that will be feeding the traditional ruler. The tribute they bring, called Isakole, in a year maybe during a traditional festival; maybe they will bring four 50-litre gallons of palm oil; tubbers of yam and whatever else they have. But those ones cannot pay the school fees of your child in the Nursery School.
“So, to keep the traditional ruler going, even you as a journalist, if I ask you when was the last time you saw your traditional rulers, you may have not seen him for years. It is the way you and other subjects want the society to be seen that you maintain it.
“How many subjects are playing good roles in our clime? If you, the subjects, are doing good, you will see the morality reflecting in the traditional rulers. If you treat them well, you will meet it in them.
“This is because, just like what I am doing, I am not made a traditional ruler to build bridge. I was made a king to promote tradition. But today, I am doing the work of someone that or elected and didn’t want to work.
“The subjects need to change their orientation. Let us always think of our homestead. When we think of our home, what we see outside, we can replicate it and promote morality among the traditional rulers,” the Olowu of Owu Kuta said.
