From Alaafin Oranyan to Alaafin Adeyemi, celebrating enduring political system through culture

The annual celebration of Oranyan in the ancient town of Oyo has no doubt left sweet memories in the minds of Yoruba indigenes who are excited to attend the week-long Heritage Festival hosted by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, to celebrate the culture and tradition of Oyo, especially its first Alaafin, Alaafin Oranyan.
It is a tribute to the work of the organising committee led by Bishop Emeritus Ayo Ladigbolu that over 30,000 guests converged on the grounds of the palace to celebrate this year’s colourful festival.
Flagging off the festival which begun on Monday, at a press
conference, Ladigbolu said the significance of the Oranyan festival for the Alaafin, for Oyo Metropolis and for the Yoruba race is first
and foremost to celebrate an icon of a progenitor, to showcase the
sagacity, the courage, the vision that Alaafin Oranyan represented in
the annals of the Yoruba nation, to challenge this generation by exposing them to the story of Oranyan, a Prince who started early to be a mobiliser of young people.
 History, he said, has it that he was loved so much by the young people of his days that wherever he went, he had many, hundreds and thousands of young people following him.
“So, there is something great about him, and I believe it was because of his Integrity, Courage, Leadership abilities that he was able to mobilise people to follow him. We want to also challenge Nigerians and the Yoruba nation to show appreciation to our heroes, so that the labours of our heroes past shall not be in vain’’.
‘’We are demonstrating to our nation and our people, that when people
have lived and left legacies, and they have set good examples, we
should be able to bring them up and showcase them and hope that our
generation will find models in them; that will also challenge them to
do likewise and excel even beyond those heroes. And Oranyan was such a
hero’’.
In his address, Oba Adeyemi noted that the life and political career
of the legendary founder, Oranyan would provide a template for effective political system or statecraft, Empire building and expressed mass political participation.
According to him, ‘’Oranyan was an astute political leader who in spite of all odds created  a most enduring  political system in
sub-Saharan Africa. The archetypal monarchy embroidered with central
authority was a product of the wizardry of Oranyan who left the cradle
of Yoruba consciousness to create a system of government whose
effectiveness, creativity, relevance, suitability and appropriateness
is not in doubt even in contemporary Nigeria’’.
He added that what Oranyan did was to create a system and not personal
autocracy, pointing out that if it were to be a structure built around
him, it probably would have collapsed immediately after his death.
Alaafin further asserted that it was indeed a structure built on a
solid foundation of ideas and the best of Yoruba knowledge system,
hence its capacity to endure the vicissitudes of time.
The Alaafin said the festival was held annually to celebrate the
leadership qualities of Oranyan, who established an enduring political
structure for civil and military administration in Africa.
 “It is also to call attention to Yoruba contribution to civilisation
as empire builders long before the dawn of political sophistication in
other parts of the world. It goes beyond mere celebration and
veneration of  our heroes past, but lubricating the tunnels of
harmony, ignite the touch of unity and fester peace among the Yoruba
race. It is also to immortalise and showcase to the whole world the
deeds and worth of an enigmatic Oranyan, one of the seven sons of
Okanbi, the son of Oduduwa who was the ‘’first Oba in Yoruba-land to
establish an enduring empire which spread beyond its dialectical
region and lasted more than 600 uninterrupted years!’’
 Oba Adeyemi said while other great nations celebrate their heroes by
showcasing their glorious past, Africans do not give much reference to
theirs just because of the super-imposition of the two religions,
Islam and Christianity and the etching of their sermons and creeds
into the consciousness of Africans psyche have conditioned our sense
of appreciation and thinking, thereby making us see and read fetishism
and primitiveness as the hallmark of our tradition and culture.
 “It is within this prism that we used to picture our past heroes and
great men of valour and virtues who should be venerated, immortalized
while their deeds, acts and wise sayings compiled, documented reserved
and preserved for generations yet unborn.”
The paramount ruler further stressed the need for cultural tourism,
which he said, is important in boosting the country’s economy and a
way of diversifying it from oil.
 He stated that there is a strong need to shift focus from oil to tourism.
The monarch who called for more commitment to cultural promotion,
charged the Yorubas to eschew betrayal and join hands to promote the
Yoruba cultural heritage for economic advantage.
He admonished politicians to emulate the sterling qualities of
Oranyan, which made him a successful builder of many states and
originator of progressive ideas.
In his speech, Governor Abiola Ajimobi represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Christian Matters,  Bimbo Kolade, praised the Oyo monarch for initiating a move to unite the whole Yoruba nation through the Oranyan festival.
 According to the governor, “Oyo remains the Pacesetter State.
Therefore, the Oyo State government will always play its role in
promoting unity among the Yorubas. As such, it is ready to provide the
necessary support towards the achievement of this aim and objective.”
In his remarks, National Coordinator of Oodua  Peoples’ Congress, Otunba  Gani  Adams stressed the significance of reviving old culture, values and tradition inherent in the ancient city of Oyo.
Said he,“Oyo has remained the meeting point in Yoruba history.There is
no way you can talk about Yoruba history without making adequate
reference to Oyo, and Alaafin has, since a very long time,
remained a force to reckon with.”
 Adams called on all Yorubas to join Oba Adeyemi III in his quest to
ensure unity among the Yorubas and bring back the values and cultural
heritage of the race.
 Highlights of the event include cultural performances and  the
wearing of sacred white crown, known as  ‘’ADE SESE EFUN’’ in Yoruba
language, by the Alaafin which was displayed before the excited
audience. 
The crown was said to have been worn  seven times by only two Alaafins about 120 years ago.