TRIBUNE
A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife), Professor Wande Abimbola, was third republic Majority Leader of the Nigerian Senate. The professor of Ifa divination who was installed as the Awise Awo Agbaye in 1981 at Ile Ife, speaks with LASISI OLAGUNJU, FESTUS ADEDAYO and SAHEED SALAWU on the role he played in the emergence of the new Alaafin of Oyo. He also talks about other issues affecting religion, culture and tradition in Nigeria and Yorubaland in particular.
You were involved in the choice of the Alaafin. How did it start?
Well, someone interviewed me yesterday or day before and it has gone viral. I don’t regret what I said, but I don’t want to say too much anymore; only to let you know that for the first time in modern times in Yorubaland, Ifa played a key role in the selection of a prominent oba. I said for the first time because in the past, in the entire Yorubaland, that is how it was always done. Ifa used to be the one who would pick the successor to the king who died. And any time they did that, it was not done with the influence of money or position. The choice of Ifa was always respected. But in recent times, they don’t do that anymore; it is now usually done with the influence of money. So, I was happy and surprised, too, that we could find a governor who says that we should consult Ifa. A year or two ago, we divined and it was so easy to pick someone, anyone — I didn’t want to know the person. That was how Ifa selected a person.
We did it and for a long time, we didn’t hear anything again. Actually, I came home for the marriage of one of my sons in Lagos. When the governor heard that I was around, he said he was just about to send for me again because he was ready, and the kingmakers were fighting among themselves. Some of them were questioned by the EFCC because it was allegations galore; some of them received money, plenty of money. Two days ago, they summoned me again and he said they presented names to me last year so, which one? I said the one Ifa picked remained the choice of Ifa. Fortunately, when they screened him, that number one, they didn’t find anything wrong; he hadn’t committed any crime. They know how they do their own screening. That was the person whose name was announced.
Don’t you see some kind of clash between tradition and modernity in this choice because some people are saying that the chieftaincy law of Oyo State, for instance, does not reckon with Ifa choosing an Alaafin and here we have a governor who wants to go backwards for us to go forward?
Even in modern times, culture demands that they would ask Ifa also. That may not be the primary method of selection, but they would ask Ifa, and that is our own tradition. Now, it is not the case that the kingmakers were bypassed; they were there while we consulted Ifa to choose the best. The Oyo Mesi were there only they had split into two. And one section took the governor to court; that he must take the candidate they presented. There were five kingmakers. They used to be seven. Two of them had died, remaining five. Two of the five went to government to complain that from the bribe that was given to them, what they gave to them was small. So, the EFCC invited all of them and they confessed: “Well, we are very sorry that we are involved in this. This is the money that we got. Please, forgive us.” But the others, instead of that, took the government to court, saying that the candidate that they chose through the influence of money must be installed. The case is still in court. So, the two kingmakers who relented were part of the process. The governor also picked another two as warrant chiefs in the process of selecting the Alaafin. Which is the normal way it is done. If things are like this and the kingmakers split, if they don’t agree among themselves, they would use warrant chiefs; they (government) find other minor kings or chiefs in the town and they make them warrant chiefs to participate. You can’t use somebody who took the government to court anymore. In any case, those ones are adamant on their own choice which the government didn’t want to use. So, it’s not that the choice of Ifa was not acted upon by the kingmakers. They (four of them) were there and they agreed. It’s the kingmakers who chose the person selected by Ifa.
And Ifa did not make a mistake?
Ifa does not make mistakes. It does not.
And you didn’t take money?
I, Ogunwande Ifagbemi Sangodahunsi, did not collect a kobo from anyone.
I turned 92 in December. I am satisfied with where I am. I was Vice Chancellor for eight years without blemish. Some people were saying it was charm that Baba employed. What charm? They knew I was father to them.
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