My strength at 79, by Alaafin

“Where others, despite their statuses as traditional rulers, are,
wittingly or unwittingly, shying away from playing the guiding role to politicians in government or speaking against the wrongs by the high and mighty in the society, I, the Alaafin, in 46 years as the custodian of cultures and traditions of the Yoruba race, had been heard loudly against those wrongs’’
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba [Dr.] Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, was born on October 15, 1938.
He ascended the throne on December 15, 1970 and received staff of office on January 14, 1971 to succeed Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II, during the regime of Colonel Robert Adeyinka Adebayo, now the late Major-General of the defunct Western State.
That was after the civil war.
The Iku Baba Yeye, as he is traditionally called, has held many notable positions and played major roles in the efforts at moving Nigeria forward.
 He was, in 1975, included by the then Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, in his entourage to Hajj.
He was Chancellor, Uthman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto between 1980 – 1992 and, in recognition of his commitment to the consolidation of Islam in Nigeria, for consecutive tenure of three terms of four years each.
During this tenure, Oba Adeyemi provided scholarships to 120 students in various institutions across the country, through personal funding.
 President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, in 1990, appointed Alaafin Adeyemi as Amir-ul-Hajj by the virtue of which he led the multitude of Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
He was also appointed Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri by the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Similarly, the paramount ruler is the Chancellor for Crescent
University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, and Kiesien University, South-Korea and Ghana respectively.
Oba Adeyemi had been committed to several moves towards ensuring Nigeria’s unity, harmony and development.
Forty- six years of living with Yoruba’s richest cultures and
traditions isn’t a joke.
Hence, the Titan of Oyo Empire could not understand how the feat of
two scores and six that he had been on the throne was achieved.
 According to the monarch, being on the throne for this long has come
with its challenges, achievements regrets and consolations.
All the same, to him, the achievements, consolations and satisfactions
are more quantitatively speaking than the challenges, regrets and
dissatisfactions.
‘’Where others, despite their statuses as traditional rulers, are,
wittingly or unwittingly, shying away from playing the guiding role to
politicians in government or speaking against the wrongs by the high
and mighty in the society. I, the Alaafin, in 46 years as the
custodian of cultures and traditions of the Yoruba race, has not only
been heard loudly against those wrongs but ,also, has won virtually
all the cases he instituted in the course of getting those battles to
a logical conclusion. My strength is boldness and truthfulness’’.
 The Royal Phenomenon believes in equity and social justice.
 The monarch took a retrospective look at his 46 years on the stool
and said, “I have spent the last 46 years on the throne as the
Alaafin, to contribute my quota to the development of the traditional
institution in Nigeria.
 Though he admitted it was not an easy feat, doing all that amounted
to his contribution to the traditional institution development both in
Yoruba race and Nigeria as a whole.
Recalling that the first 25 years of his reign was tough and full of
challenges, Alaafin added that he inherited an empty and bushy palace
but was able to turn it to Mecca and Vatican of all Yoruba through
divine intervention.
 Oba Adeyemi who is a staunch advocate for the inclusion of
traditional institutions in the constitution, pointed out that the
historical disposition and status of traditional rulers, as custodians
and sustainers of the cultural and traditional values of our peoples
cannot be over-emphasised.
“Traditional rulers are in dire need of first line charge in the
allocation of funds to enhance operations and actualization of their
natural mandates.
The paramount ruler further submitted, “we really cannot understand
the present without knowing a little of the past. Therefore we need to
look into a bit of history. The reason for this is that well organized
communities which either by cohesion or persuasion developed into
autonomous states must have passed through the historical process.
They operated their own system of Government, had their separate
social structures and evolved particular traditions and customs.
Significant among them were the Oyo Empire, Benin Empire, Borno Empire
and what could be rightly called Fulani Empire’’.
 ‘’Also existing simultaneously were small kingdoms operating alone or
as a Federation.  The British came, took over, and grouped the various
Empires and Kingdoms into Northern and Southern protectorates and
Colony of Lagos. In January, 1914, the two protectorates known as
group of Provinces and the Colony of Lagos were amalgamated into one
country known today as Nigeria’’.
‘’When the British assumed the control of Administration, they simply
adopted the existing system of government and this they styled as
Indirect Rule. This step became necessary because they met an
excellent system of Administration. Furthermore, they had no knowledge
of the country; had no personnel and resources to establish an
alternative system’’.
 Therefore, he continued, they decided to use the available local
resources in manpower to govern.
 ‘’The system of Indirect Rule was just like the utilization of the
traditional rulers – their age-long and well-tested apparatus of
Administration to govern the country – in a system which had been
tried in India. The system remained in operation until we took over
progressively the control of the administration in the country from
early 1950s and finally in 1960, when we achieved our Independent’’.
Describing traditional rulers as formidable barricades which reinforce
peace and security of the nation, the Alaafin who was feasibly
disturbed noted with concern the insecurity in the country which he
blamed on lack of confidence and synergy between security agencies and
other stakeholders in the society, in areas of information generation
and management.
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
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.”
 He called for seamless synergy between traditional rulers, security
agencies and government at all levels, to fashion a framework for
collaboration on security, grassroots mobilization, advocacy and
development, with the objective of ensuring stability at all times.
 To political office holders, the Alaafin seized the occasion to urge
them to redouble efforts, with the fear of God, towards discharging
their responsibilities to the people.  He decried “intolerance,
distrust, deteriorating state of trust among the political elite and parties. It is creating political tension in the country.”