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[OPINION] Game Of Thrones: Ooni, Alaafin And The Ridiculing oF Yoruba Heritage

Published

2 months ago

August 20, 2025

By Israel Adebiyi

I recently visited my family in Lagos, and as always, my aged father took time to tutor me on the significance of my name — Adeniran (the crown has lineage). He reminded me of our heritage and where our royalty stems from. His weak voice, now distorted by the frequent grinding of his teeth, carried a burden of weight and seriousness.

“You are royal,” he declared firmly, “and you cannot afford to mess around, nor allow anyone to mess with you. Omo Aláwó ni ẹ́, Aláwó yàdé, Aláwó jọbí etí Ẹ̀dẹ.”

The lesson was clear: royalty is serious business and cannot be trivialised. Yet, barely two weeks after, some royal fathers seemed not to have received this same memo from the source where they ought to have. Instead, they are on national tabloids, dragging themselves before the public.

As you read this piece, kindly note this disclaimer: as the young ones would say when they attempt a proverb in the midst of elders, t’otó̀ ń ṣe bí owe, òun kì í ṣe owe. I am but a child before the custodians of wisdom. I dare not assume the place of counsel before monarchs who are living reservoirs of knowledge. My words are but whispers in the presence of gods—unworthy to instruct those who hold the staff of tradition and the heritage of our people.

In Yoruba history, the crown has never been a mere ornament. It is a living symbol, an emblem of continuity, and a spiritual covenant between a people and their deities. When a Yoruba monarch steps out in full regalia, he does not walk as an individual but as the custodian of centuries-old heritage, the voice of the ancestors, and the embodiment of the divine on earth. That is why kingship in Yorubaland is not just political; it is metaphysical, transcending ordinary governance to embody the very soul of the people. As the Yoruba say, “Oba kii ku, oba wà bí o ti wà” (a king never dies, he only transforms in existence).

Take the story of the late Obafemi Awolowo’s collaboration with Yoruba monarchs in the Western Region. While Awolowo carried the vision of modern governance, it was the blessings, counsel, and mobilization of traditional rulers that anchored his reforms in education, health, and infrastructure. The people followed Awolowo not just because he was brilliant, but because their kings gave legitimacy to his vision. This sacred synergy between traditional authority and modern governance remains one of the strongest demonstrations of how monarchs elevate their people.

Similarly, the Alaafin of Oyo has historically stood as the political rallying point of the Yoruba, the custodian of the Oyo Empire’s legacy, and the symbol of unity in times of turmoil. The Ooni of Ife, on the other hand, carries the spiritual weight of being the custodian of Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba race. Both stools are not just thrones — they are altars upon which the destiny of the Yoruba people rests. To sit upon them is to step into a covenant of restraint, wisdom, and eternal dignity.

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This is why the current supremacy clash between the Alaafin of Oyo and the Ooni of Ife is deeply unsettling. It is not about whether one monarch is right or the other is wrong. It is about what these revered stools represent. The Yoruba say “Kabiyesi, Alase Igbakeji Orisa” — unquestionable ruler, second only to the gods. When such figures are seen washing their royal linens in the market square of public opinion, it is not they alone who are diminished; the collective pride of the Yoruba nation is bruised. When elephants fight, the grass suffers; when royal fathers lock horns in public, the moral fibre of the society they lead trembles.

History teaches us that when monarchs elevate their stools, their people rise with them. When they descend into the mud of ego battles, the people’s heritage suffers ridicule. The crown does not belong to a man; it belongs to the race he represents. The Ooni’s beaded crown and the Alaafin’s royal stool are not private property but sacred trusts passed from generation to generation. To trivialize them in the public square is to weaken the very foundation of Yoruba identity. To watch monarchs wash their royal linens in public is to cheapen the value of the stools their forebears protected with blood and sacrifice. As the proverb says, “Bi omode ba subu, a wo iwaju; bi agbalagba ba subu, a wo ehin” (when a child falls, he looks forward; when an elder falls, people look back to trace the cause).

The contention over titles may be legitimate within royal circles, but the manner in which such disagreements are ventilated should never erode the dignity of the thrones. The Yoruba society thrives on the belief that the king is the rallying point of cohesion. When kings disagree privately and resolve silently, the society moves on in harmony. But when kings take disputes to the marketplace or national dailies, they expose themselves to ridicule and diminish the respect the people instinctively owe them. “Oba tí kò lè so ilé rẹ̀ di mímọ́, báwo ló ṣe máa so ìlú di mímọ́?” (A king who cannot keep his household in order, how will he put his community in order?).

The point, therefore, is not to judge. It is to remind. The Yoruba monarch is not an ordinary mortal. He is the bridge between the seen and the unseen, the living and the ancestors, the deities and their people. If he falters in dignity, the people’s reverence falters too. This is why Yoruba monarchs must rise above mortal pettiness. They must embody the restraint of Orunmila, the wisdom of Oduduwa, and the dignity of their forebears who understood that true power is exercised in silence and majesty, not in public altercation. And as another Yoruba proverb warns, “Àgùntàn tó bá dá ilé olúwa rẹ̀ rú, kí lón jẹ́ pé ó máa fi ara ẹ̀ jẹun” (a sheep that destroys its master’s house will eventually feed on its own flesh).

The Yoruba nation watches. The world watches. And as history has always shown, the monarch who elevates his stool elevates his people.

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VIDEO: Why I’ve Never Tried Convincing My Christian Wife To Convert To Islam — Tinubu

Published

20 hours ago

October 4, 2025

Editor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained why he has never attempted to convince his wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, to convert to Islam, stressing his belief in love, religious freedom, and mutual respect among people of different faiths.

Speaking on Saturday at the funeral service of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwada, Tinubu said his marriage to a Christian pastor has never created any conflict in their home.

The president, who arrived in Jos, Plateau State around 2 p.m. for the ceremony at the COCIN headquarters church, said he inherited Islam from his family and has always upheld the principle of freedom of religion.

He noted that both he and the First Lady serve the same God and would ultimately be answerable to Him, adding that what matters most are people’s deeds, character, and love for others.

Tinubu urged Nigerians to embrace tolerance and peaceful coexistence, emphasising that hate should never have a place in the country.

He also prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Lydia Yilwada and asked God to grant comfort and blessings to those she left behind.

He said, “Hate is not an option for us. Love is what you preach, that we should love one another.

“Nobody, nobody determines what God has ordained. God’s ordained action and his promises are what matter. I inherited Islam from my family. I didn’t change. But my wife is a pastor. She prays for me.

“No conflict. And I never did at any single time try to convince her or convert her. I believe in the freedom of religion.

“We are praying to the same God. We are answerable to the same almighty God. We will answer to him. We will account to him. Our deeds, our character, our love for our fellow beings are what are important.

“May the almighty accept the soul of Lydia and give all that she left behind blessings and glory, so we say, may her soul rest in peace.”

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UK Police Quiz Six After Fatal Synagogue Attack

Published

23 hours ago

October 4, 2025

Editor

Six people arrested on suspicion of “terrorism”-linked offences after a fatal car-ramming and knife attack on a UK synagogue remained in police custody on Saturday, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged people not to take part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Two people were killed and three others seriously wounded in Thursday’s attack in northwestern Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

Police shot dead the assailant, Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old UK citizen of Syrian descent, within minutes of the alarm being raised.

Three men and three women are in custody.

The attack has heightened fear among Britain’s Jewish community.

Police said they were patrolling places of worship across the city “with a particular focus on providing a high-visibility presence within our Jewish communities”.

The attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in north Manchester was one of the worst antisemitic incidents in Europe since the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel led by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive on the Gaza Strip has killed at least 66,288 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in the occupied territory that the United Nations considers reliable.

The Gaza conflict has inflamed passions in Britain, with frequent pro-Palestinian rallies in cities that some critics allege have stoked antisemitism.

A “global movement for Gaza UK” protest went ahead in London late on Thursday, with police making 40 arrests.

London’s Metropolitan Police asked organisers delay another planned demonstration backing the banned Palestine Action group later on Saturday.

However, organisers Defend Our Juries rejected the calls.

A spokesman said the group “stood in solidarity” with the Jewish community over the attack.

– Accidental shooting –

Starmer urged protesters not to join the pro-Palestinian rally.

“I urge anyone thinking about protesting this weekend to recognise and respect the grief of British Jews. This is a moment of mourning. It is not a time to stoke tension and cause further pain,” he said on X.

During the attack, Shamie was seen “with a big knife, banging his knife into the glass, trying to get through”, synagogue chairman of trustees Alan Levy, who helped barricade the doors, told ITV News.

“The heroes of the congregation who saw what was happening then came to the doors because he was trying to break the doors down to get in,” he added.

A UK police watchdog, meanwhile, said it would look at the police shooting of Shamie.

The probe would also look at the shooting of a second victim who suffered a fatal gunshot and a third person who was shot but survived.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said there was no evidence anyone other than police used firearms at the scene.

“Our independent investigation will look at the circumstances surrounding the fatal police shooting of Jihad Al-Shamie,” it said in a statement.

“A post mortem has today (Friday) concluded another man who died at the scene suffered a fatal gunshot wound.”

IOPC investigations are standard practice in situations where the use of force by police may have resulted in the death of a member of the public.

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Edo Inaugurates Committee On Drug Abuse, Healthy Living

Published

1 day ago

October 4, 2025

Editor

L-R: ACGN, NDLEA, Fidelis Cocodia, Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon. Dennis Idahosa and Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edo State, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani during the Inauguration

Edo State Government has inaugurated Drug Control Committee for the state and local governments, aimed at curbing the menace of drug abuse in the state.

Inaugurating the committee, Governor Monday Okpehbolo said the committee was not only saddled with the responsibility of curbing the menace of illicit substances, but to promote healthier living across communities in the state.

Represented by his deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Okpebholo described the initiative as “a vital step in our unwavering commitment to stopping the menace of drug trafficking and substance use among youths.”

The governor, who bemoaned the rising tide of drug dependency and its impact on society, pointed out that the committee’s creation aligns with the national drug master plan and represents a bold stride toward protecting Edo future generations.

On his part, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, represented by ACGN, Fidelis Cocodia, Zonal Commander, Zone 13, emphasised grassroots interventions, awareness campaigns, and support systems as the backbone of the fight against drug abuse.

Edo State commander of the NDLEA, Mitchell Ofoyeju disclosed that while national drug use prevalence stands at 14.4 percent, Edo state surpasses the average at 15 percent.

He noted that the state is one of the hardest-hit states in the country, warning that the trend has fueled crime and heightened youth vulnerability.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole pledged to make Edo a model in drug control through rehabilitation, youth enlightenment, and second-chance opportunities for recovering addicts.

Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Edo State, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, described drug abuse as a pandemic, noting that “you hardly see a crime without drugs being involved.”

She added that women’s empathy and influence must be harnessed in the campaign against drug abuse.