Oluwo lacks understanding of Ibadan history, says CCII

The President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Chief Wole Akinwande, said the claim by the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, in newspapers interviews he granted that Iwo was responsible for installing the Olubadan of Ibadanland was a demonstration of the monarch’s ignorance of the correct history of his environment.

In one of the interviews, Oba Akanbi said the first Baale of Ibadan, Baale Olugbode, was sent from Iwo to lead Ibadan. He added that Orowusi and Oderinlo were also sent from Iwo to rule in Ibadan.

The Oluwo

“It was so because Ibadan people believed that Iwo people were very powerful. Bashorun Ogunmola went from Feesu here in Iwo to Ibadan. Balogun Ali Iwo also went from Iwo to be king in Ibadan,” the monarch claimed in the interview.

But reacting to Oba Akanbi’s claim, Akinwande said Ibadan people and elders were not interested in taking issues with the Oluwo because of the respect they had for eminent sons and daughters of Iwo like the Eketa of Iwo, Dr. Oluremi Atanda; Molasin of Iwo, Adebola Asafa; Asiwaju of Iwo, Gbadegesin Adedeji; eminent lawyer, Adebayo Aremu; Prof. Wale Akinsola; Prof. Mathew Fawole; Prof. Olasupo Oladipo; and Adetona Adeyinka.

The CCII president, who spoke with our correspondent on Monday, however, said that Oba Akanbi might have been tutored by quack historians after his sojourn in Canada.

He said, “Nobody ever appointed Baale or Olubadan in Ibadan from outside. Oluwo claimed that the first Baale in Ibadan was sent from Iwo to rule in Ibadan. That is a wrong foot of ignorance.

“Lagelu and his children were the founders of the first and second Ibadan and as a result of the Yoruba Civil War of the 19th century, Maye Okunade from Ile-Ife became the first Baale of Ibadan and not Baale Olugbode as claimed by the Oluwo.

“He must have been taught the wrong history of Ibadan either by oral historians or the quacks of history.”

Akinwande called on the Oluwo to acquaint himself with the chieftaincy system in Ibadan, which he said, was unique and different from other towns in Yoruba land.

He noted that the age-long practice in Ibadan was that whoever would become an Olubadan must climb 23 chieftaincy steps.

He added, “All the names of past Baales and important warriors of Ibadan mentioned by the Oluwo did not originally come from Iwo area but from the northern part of Yoruba land after losing their homestead during civil wars. They merely migrated through Iwo to reassemble in Ibadan and thereafter establish the third and present Ibadan. They emerged as Baales after going through the chieftaincy process and not by act of any of Oba Akanbi’s ancestors.

“Ibadan was and is still the leader of all towns and villages in Yoruba land. Rev. Samuel John in his book, ‘The history of the Yoruba’, pointed out that the agreement of August 15, 1893 on general administration of internal affairs of Iwo, Ede, Osogbo, Ikirun, Ogbomoso and so on is vested in the general government of Ibadan and local authorities of the towns are subject to Ibadan.

“Oba Akanbi should not belittle any Baale or Olubadan of Ibadan. He should read well-researched publications by Rev. Samuel Johnson, J.A. Atanda, Prof. I. A. Akinjogun, Oba I.B. Akinyele and particularly, Prof. Bolanle Awe’s PhD thesis on Ibadan and the Ajele system.

“When the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi ascended the throne, he studied the history of Yoruba through the university system and his late friend, the Olufi of Gbongan, Oba Dr. Babayemi. The Oluwo should learn from humility and unity initiative of the present Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi,” said the CCII boss.

Akinwande also urged the Oluwo to desist from exhibiting wrong perspective about Ibadan history.

“Such will truncate the unity initiative of the Ooni on the altar of ego-tripping which has been the cause of disunity among the Yoruba traditional rulers. The Oluwo should learn not to make unguarded statements that may land him into disrespect,” he said.

PUNCH