By Kayode Emola
There is a time for everything, says the Bible, a time to be born and a time to die. For Queen Elizabeth II, this Thursday, 8th September 2022, was that time to finally say goodbye. However, her departure is only from this earth; it is the beginning of the journey in another world. And as she goes, she leaves behind her a legacy; whether good or bad, people will remember her for all she has done and what she left behind.
Elizabeth Regina II led a simple life, always stepping up to fulfil her duty, devoted to the nation she promised to serve till the end. She definitely did not disappoint her family, her subjects or the world at large. Time will not permit me to highlight her numerous achievements and failures during her reign as monarch. However, she demonstrated wisdom even until the end, such as clarifying publicly that Camilla, wife of the man who is now King Charles III, should be addressed as Queen consort. In so doing, she allowed the family and nation to focus on more important matters of state following her passing.
We who are advocating for Yoruba nation can learn many valuable lessons, applicable both to our lives as individuals and as a nation, from the death of Queen Elizabeth II. We all know that the selection of a new King is frequently a problem in many cultures, Yoruba included. This is an especially big challenge for us in Yorubaland as who will become the new king is not decided until after the death of the reigning monarch. This consequently leaves a vacuum, creating many issues during the interregnum period that can, on occasion, result in the right person not being the one chosen to lead the kingdom.
Looking for a simple solution for the royal arrangement in Yorubaland will be like the proverbial needle eye through which the camel must pass. There are over 900 thrones in Yoruba, the occupants of which are unlikely to agree to be subjugated by another. Therefore, choosing any one particular throne over another may lead to another civil war amongst our people.
This exact issue is the root cause of our problems, yet to date, no one seems to have a definitive answer to this dilemma. Instead of looking for practical solutions, we point the finger of accusation at Britain as the primary cause of our problem. But if we are truly honest with ourselves, we are forced to acknowledge that we must be the ones to solve this fundamental issue as we attempt to establish our independent Yoruba nation.
When the British first entered our lands in the early nineteenth century, we were a people spread over several kingdoms, from Ondo, Ekiti, Lokoja, Bauchi to Dahomey, even having some Yoruba kingdoms established beyond, in Togo, Ghana, and Cote D’Ivoire. We did not function as a single entity, but every kingdom did its own thing, with many of these kingdoms under the rule of the Oyo empire.
More recently, during Chief Awolowo’s reign as Premier of the Western region (Yorubaland), the Ooni of Ife governed Yorubaland as the Sovereign. Whilst many Yoruba people would want to see a continuation of this system, with the head of Yoruba nation being determined from the descendants of Oduduwa, we must acknowledge that there are also many who do not subscribe to this belief or support this method. However, at the very least, it gives us a framework upon which we can build and develop.
The next step would be to agree on succession prior to the death of the current ruler, in order to avoid a period of interregnum. Prior to the late Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi III, ascending the throne in 1970, there was over two years of interregnum during which he contested with 10 other princes before being officially pronounced as King. There is no reason that these exercises should not take place during the reign of a living monarch, allowing a crown prince to be established before the existing sovereign’s death, and enabling a smooth transition upon their demise. The same could then be extended to the holders of Ife stool and the other traditional stools across Yorubaland.
Queen Elizabeth II of Britain has already lived her life, now will be with us no more. However, her long reign will be remembered for many years to come, together with the legacy she left behind. She was a solid rock for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, a point of constancy amidst shifting tides. If Yorubaland is to be great again, we need to learn from the British monarchical system, establishing a ruling house to hold the fort on behalf of the traditional houses in Yorubaland and on behalf of the people as a whole.
In so doing, we create a solid tradition that will eventually enable a smooth transition. The monarchy will be the ones to approve the politicians’ ruling of the country, rather than the reverse, as is the current situation in Nigeria. The sovereign will be recognised as separated from the government, delegating the ruling of the country to the politicians, who then serve for a limited tenure.
Though the shift in mentality is challenging, I am certain that the Yoruba nation will be able to develop a pragmatic solution which will benefit the people, the politicians and the monarchy. In this manner we will be able to build a nation worthy of a seat on the world stage, one worth returning home to, so that our brightest and best will once again be content to contribute to the development of mankind from our own native soil.