As the world is celebrating Sango festival, the life of Alaafin Sango would definitely be an excellent example in leadership considering the fact that his rule of Oyo was far less than a decade.
This is a question of not how long but how intensive and significant.
Before Sango ascended the throne, his brother, Ajaka, was deposed probably because his temperament did not meet the requirements of the turbulent period.
Sango was preferred because he was a man of valour, purpose-driven and master of diplomacy.
He became king when Oyo was at its formative stage and surrounded by mighty and warlike states such as Nupe, Ibariba and Owu.
His charismatic leadership re-defined the character and pattern of inter-group relations and diplomacy and made Oyo the centre-piece of his foreign relations.
His dynamic alliances, including marriages, were constructed to pursue the greater interest of Oyo just as he spared no effort in consolidating the military ascendancy of Oyo in the region.
In Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, and Togo in West Africa as well as Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Guyanas, Jamaica, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, St.Kitts, and St.Vincent, in the New World, are millions of Sango adherents.
In Santeria, Candomblé, the Cuban and Brazilian manifestations of Yoruba religion are very high.
In these countries, the beliefs and organizational structure of the Yoruba religious system remain generally intact, even though they may incorporate other African roots.
In Yoruba cosmology, Olodumare or Olorun is the Supreme Being whose supremacy is absolute.
Olodumare is acknowledged by all divinities as unique and pre-eminent.
The divinities called orisha (orisa) are offspring of Olodumare and are believed to be ministers and functionaries in the universe.
Among the orisas is Sango or Shango which represents the divinity of vengeance against theft, and other crimes and is more dreaded than other divinities.
Sango is of special significance in Yorubaland, Nigeria and several Caribbean countries.
Under the inspirational leadership of Sango, the Oyo kingdom became known not just for the effectiveness of its political system, but as well for its military strength.
Sango’s seven years reign was marked with several wars fought to liberate Oyo from its predatory and truculent older neighbours.
His short reign consolidated the position of Oyo as the foremost Guinea Savannah State and also secured the independence and sovereignty of the nascent kingdom.
Sango eventually became the hero of his people and the circumstances of his death as controversial and mysterious as they were have continued to be referenced all over the world.
He disappeared into the ground with the concern of his people paramount in his heart. He paid the supreme sacrifice and left Oyo more grandiose, more stable, better administered and more secured than he met the nascent kingdom.
He would be remembered as one of the rare African leaders who became instant success in empire building.
Unfortunately, what owners of the culture do not appreciate at home are being cherished, admired and highly valued by those outside and are doing everything humanly possible to acquire it by all means and at all cost.
The uniqueness of Oyo traditions is worthy of emulation taking for examples the respect Yoruba people have for the institutional authority, clothing and mode of dressing, the beauty of Yoruba language with its semantics, the use of proverbs and aphorism, different satires of Yoruba poems full of wisdom and philosophy that has no equal all over the world.
He explained further that Oyo tradition is the pride of Oyo, and it is the main reason why the city continues to enjoy respect among the African nations and the black races in general.
This best explained in the common saying that due process is the nature of administration at Oyo. This is justice which Sango stands for. It is the practice his Imperial Majesty. The ALAAFIN of Oyo is known for, and this is what Nigeria should be known for because where there is justice, there shall be peace and where there is peace, there will be development.
And it is development everybody should be working towards to complement whatever the governments at local, state and federal levels are doing.
A celebration of Sango as evidenced in the festival provides everyone with a rare opportunity to define his or her attitude to culture by identifying with the virtues of Sango, and in so doing equip ourselves with an understanding of these virtues that transformed Sango from being just the fourth ruler of the kingdom of Oyo to global brand that he has become today.
In this era of African cultural re-awakening, the life, leadership, administration and government under Sango as Alaafin here in Oyo should be explored in the strictest academic tradition and the ennobling values intellectualized.
The life of Alaafin Sango would definitely be an excellent example in leadership, considering the fact that his rule of Oyo was for less than a decade.
This year’s world Sango festival gives another opportunity to examine and conceptualize the entire building qualities of Sango and use that as a possibly template for efforts in nation-building.
Yoruba cultural studies should go beyond a study of the performing traditions, but should now begin to emphasize scholarship in the intellectual foundation of this universal culture.
While Yoruba in diaspora should immerse themselves in their religious and traditions for spiritual strengthening, personal fulfilment in life, global understanding and harmony, they should look beyond the challenges of nation-building we are currently facing in Nigeria and concentrate attention on the spiritual significance of your home coming to rebuild your cultural identity and spiritual self-rediscovery.
Explaining the essence of the festival, the celebrant and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba (Dr.) Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, pointed out that going by happenings around the world in contemporary times, there is the need for Yoruba as a people to retain our traditional and cultural identity in the face of the global village, which the world has become as a result of fast-improving technology.
The Paramount Ruler noted that while great countries celebrate their glorious past, Africans do not give much reverence to theirs due to super-imposition of the two main religions of Islam and Christianity.
‘Unfortunately, preachers of these two religions are known for etching their sermons and creed into the consciousness of Africans’ psyche, which have conditioned our sense of appreciation and thinking.
“The colonial mentality has blindfolded us and made us to perceive erroneously our invaluable culture and tradition as fetish.
“This has also resulted in the way we picture our past heroes and great men of valour and virtues, who should be immortalised, venerated and celebrated. Not only that, their deeds, acts and wise sayings were worthy of compiled, documented, reserved and preserved for generation yet unborn.
Conclusively, Alaafin postulated that, ‘’in everything, be it science, astrology, dressing, language, social sciences and even businesses, Yoruba remains the pace-setter. There are empirical data and proven track records to show for this assertion. Oyo not only remains centre piece of Yoruba Nations world-wide, but Mecca and Vatican of the richest culture and traditions in the universe’’.
