By Kayode Emola
In a break from the series on the lessons from Nehemiah, I feel it is important to take this time to pause, reflecting on the tragedies occurring right before our very eyes afflicting the Yoruba race.
Specifically, I want to address the losses faced by Oyo state recently.
Oyo state is home to many traditional rulers of Yorubaland, and boasts a legacy of distinguished traditional rulers for centuries. Oyo state can, therefore, justifiably call itself the home of Yoruba tradition and culture. Indeed, in the past, it has been the capital of the Yoruba people.
Unfortunately, Oyo has lost three of its prominent kings within a space of five months; a devastating blow for the Yoruba people. We all know that death is an inevitability for all men; however, much can be learnt from the treatment of the dead as to how much value we accord to those still alive.
Yoruba people famously do everything possible to showcase how our culture and traditions, handed down through the ages, still remain a bedrock of our civilisation. Yet, following the death of the Alaafin of Oyo, on Friday, April 23, 2022, the way his remains were treated causes one to wonder if there is anything left of our culture to celebrate.
First, there was the rumour that he had died, preceding any authentic reports on social and mainstream medias. Then, as if his body being manhandled by the corpse bearer were not indignity enough, the way that people stormed the palace, scrambling to flaunt themselves on social media, was nothing less than a show of shame.
At this juncture, I am moved to ask whether any customs of our traditional institutions still exist, other than that of our leaders lining their pockets with governmental handouts. Since the advent of colonialisation, our traditional systems have been losing their flavour, to the point where today it looks merely like a decorated institution for whom society’s need has long since expired.
I still believe there is a role for the traditional institutions to play in today’s society, but that we need to revisit the large part our traditional institutions used to play in our everyday lives, and then identify what role they will play in the future. I would like to see them reformed, with a means of sustenance independent of government handouts, as receiving funding from such sources can easily lead to political pressure on the rulers.
How did such impotence and corruption become rife in this once-venerated and honoured institution? Originally the kings were the head of state and government, supported by noblemen and women, titled chiefs. Together they ran the community affairs, upholding justice and passing judgement on the guilty.
This system worked wonderfully until the arrival of the European colonisers, who superimposed their own system. The power to govern communities was taken away from the kings and given to the European administrators. As the colonisers withdrew, they handed the power to the present-day politicians. As a result of this power shift, the traditional rulers no longer commanded the power and authority they once had. Consequently, in order to maintain their status, they became the errand boys of the politicians, used to influence the community vote to their advantage.
Not only did the traditional institutions get a poor deal from the colonisers, the land owners also got a raw taste of European imperialism. Historically, land was held by families, handed down through the generations. This proprietorship included any and all resources the land yielded. However, when the Europeans took over administration of the land, they legislated that all mineral resources belonged to the government – and since they were now in charge of the government, this arrangement allowed them to retain the benefit for themselves.
This setup, with these resources controlled by the government to the detriment of the land owners and communities, has impoverished huge swathes of society. For instance, the crude oil mined in the Niger Delta, generating enormous wealth, does not benefit the people equitably. While the government officials, both in the north and the south, are smiling all the way to the bank, the local communities receive nothing but the degradation of their land. These things are happening in full view of our traditional rulers. These rulers should be custodians and advocates of their people, however, in reality they seem either unable or unwilling to speak out.
I would like to warn our traditional rulers that, unless drastic action is taken, there is worse yet to come for our culture and tradition. This immediate moment is their golden opportunity to remedy the power imbalance created by the Europeans, giving back the people their sense of belonging and pride.
Nigeria, as is presently constituted, will eventually collapse. When this occurs, our leaders will be called to answer for the part they played (or not) in liberating their people from the political stranglehold. Posterity will be the judge of our revered institutions, to assess whether they lived up to their calling.
But let us not be too quick to condemn this institution for its shortcomings, but rather do everything we can to reform it. Let us seek to restore it to performing the functions for which it was originally created: to safeguard the welfare of the people across the communities. It is our collective duty to ensure that this great institution does not fail; it is our only hope of preserving any remaining dignity of our culture. It is when we uphold our culture that our traditional beliefs can be reinforced for the upcoming generations.
