Traditionalist caught conferring fake chieftaincy title on American citizen in Oyo

 Stakeholders on Yoruba traditions and culture have been called upon not to be complacent by allowing their heritage to dwindle into oblivion because of earthly desires.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, gave the admonition on Sunday when he received in audience some members of Oyo Traditional Religions Association in his palace.
The association members led by the Oba Edu Adimula Temple of Oyo, Chief Ifatokuun Morakinyo Jayeola, were in the palace to seek forgiveness from the royal father over the conferment of chieftaincy title on a black American from Florida Miamey, by the Aase Orisa Obatala, Chief Oke Ajuwobi, in collaboration with an Ifa priest in Oyo town. 
The America citizen whose name was changed to Yoruba, Ifagbemi Faseye Efunsola, was also fraudulently crowned with horse tail and royal stick, contrary to lay down rules of either Ifa divination, or any traditional religion practice.
The traditionalist was arrested during the coronation ceremony of the foreigner, after which he was brought to the palace.
In his address, Alaafin said Yoruba recognise the need to have a society where law and order will prevail, adding that quite unlike what obtains in contemporary times, Yoruba enshrine the values and ethos of sanity in all facets of life. 
The paramount ruler noted that what stands out the Yoruba everywhere they are found is their strong attachment to their culture, religion and traditions, adding that even with civilization, the light of culture has remained effervescent among the people. 
‘’It is unfortunate that those entrusted with the preservation and promotion of our endowed traditions and culture are the ones desecrating them because of avarice and covetousness. They make mockery of our traditions before these foreigners without recourse to its devastating effects in the foreseeable future. This is the more reason why stakeholders must not sit on the fence but to team up with determination in order to get rid of these criminals who disguise as traditionalists of repute, to hoodwink unsuspecting members of the public’’. 
The past Alaafins, Oba Adeyemi pointed out, including himself, were impervious to changes, as it is on record that they contributed and still contributing in no small way, morally and financially, to  the preservation and renaissance of traditional heritage of the people.
 ‘’Personally, the record which the past Alaafins left behind [both written and oral] had been a source of inspiration and pride to me since I ascended the throne and was exposed to their rich archives in the palace. The indigenous resources of Yoruba epistemology are crafted in such a way as to shape the thoughts and worldview and also guide daily conducts of the Yoruba people’’.
Interestingly, he noted, ‘’one major reason why the bond of tradition in Yoruba society remains relevant is the seeming interwoven nature of the elements associated with same in the Yoruba worldview. For the Yoruba, culture is the unwritten constitution of the society. It is a guide to morality, a determiner of ethics and a paradigm of inter-personal relationships. Yoruba tradition is essentially oral-driven’’.
While forgiving Chief Ajuwobi, Ase Orisa Obatala, for his misdeed which was referred to as ‘betrayal of trust’, the paramount ruler warned that Yoruba traditions and culture are being bastardised beyond their limits of tolerance in manners that suggest danger.
 The Titan of Yoruba kingdom observed that the time to put an end to criminal activities of these disgruntled traditionalists is now. 
‘’We must appreciate and re-appreciate the cultural importance to Yoruba and national growth now, as experiences suggest that the pathways to development are strategically hidden in the cultures and cultural-political determinations. 
According to the Alaafin, ‘’Yoruba culture is not static. At the same time, every generation tries to preserve aspects of the indigenous tradition. This effort is counterbalanced by the pragmatic desire of the Yoruba to appropriate change in the garb of tradition.
Said he, ‘’culture as viable tool of development are under-estimated and not annexed even when the Americans and European Union (EU) are doing everything possible to annex their many cultures for national and regional sustainable development drive. Brazil, India and China, as well as South Korea, Indonesia, and Singapore all built their paths to development on traditional values and culture’’. 
‘’Interestingly, these Western countries, including the Asian Tigers all started the journey to development with Nigeria, but they have since left Nigeria far behind on the race to development. The gap is very wide and is still being widened as the missing link in Nigeria is still not being annexed’’.