Traditional rites should have preceded Ogun monarch’s prosecution – Yoruba Council chair, Hassan

The President, Yoruba Council Worldwide, Dotun Hassan, in this interview with DAYO OYEWO, bares his mind on the recent misconduct of the Olorile of Orile Ifo in Ogun State, Oba Abdulsemiu Ogunjobi, and the implications of his prosecution on traditional institutions

The misconduct of the Olorile of Orile Ifo has been the subject of public discourse in the past few days. What do you make of this?

The Yoruba Council Worldwide laconically reiterates its total condemnation of the abysmal conduct of Oba Olorile of Orile Ifo. This is indeed a monumental embarrassing sacrilege and taboo to the Yoruba Obaship institution and preserved authority, honour, Omoluabi identity and untainted cultural heritage, traditions and values of the Yoruba people. It is a most despicable act to subject a fellow human to molestation, harassment and abuse wherein, according to the viral video, the innocent man was slapped and beaten by the king’s errand boys. His uncouth boastful statement of using the Nigeria Police to deal with the old man is wrong and uncalled for.

Do you feel his action deserved more than the six-month suspension handed to him, as some Nigerians had claimed?

We see the six-month suspension by the Ogun State government as a pivotal step to achieving equitable justice for the victim. We still believe an enquiry committee needed to be set up by the Ogun State Council of Obas and Chiefs to deal with the issues, and to preserve the traditional institution from public ridicule and such embarrassments. Such recommendations should earn the Oba Orile Ifo consequential order of removal from the sacred throne before being subjected to full police prosecution at the court as the case is now. Because, by morals, you don’t jail the crown. Even in the police, before an erring police officer is dismissed or sanctioned, such a culprit would have been subjected to an orderly room trial and subsequent dismissal from the  Nigeria Police Force. Such should have been meted before prosecution.

What impact does such an incident have on the reputation and authority of traditional institutions in Nigeria?

This is indeed a monumental disgrace to the reputation and authority of the traditional institution in Nigeria and this is not the first time traditional obas would commit the same criminal act. However, due to the lack of strong internal sanctions among the traditional institutions, a lot of them now act ultra vires of their position, some grab lands and seize innocent people’s land with thugs and sometimes police. These are tendencies that the law must address for onward prosecution and deterrent.

What disciplinary measures, if any, exist within traditional institutions to hold monarchs accountable for misconduct?

We have in each State Obas and Chiefs Council. Regrettably, this institution is slacking in its responsibilities to correct the abnormal acts committed by its members, all because of ego and personal vendetta. There is, therefore, the need for substantive laws for Yoruba People called Iwe Ofin Yoruba. This will ensure any erring king is indeed sanctioned according to the tradition, to avoid the recurrence of such in the future. Sanctions like total banishment, suspension, and other consequences of vacating the palace during such suspension or any other traditional punishment deserved or commensurate to the penalty of the offence committed should be stated in the law.

Before this incident, there were concerns about the public conduct of some traditional rulers. How best do you think this can be addressed?

In my capacity as the President of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, Traditional Secretary and Oba Aala Aje Obatala Agbaye of the Obatala Agbaye Temple, Ile-Ife and Prince of Ogboru Amodo Royal Compound, Okerewe Quarters, Ile-Ife, it is most important to clarify that Obaship is the most sacred stool of authority in Yoruba land, hence this important position that stands as the vanguard authority must be protected from both internal and external encouragement, attacks, blemishes and vindictiveness. There’s a need to establish the Yoruba Council of Obas Worldwide, wherein all Obas in Yorubaland can be united and work together to build common grounds and resolve to guard against similar occurrences. Recently, we saw a traditional ruler here in the South-West descending into issues of religion, which negates his stool and that of the people he represents. We have seen Oba kneeling for governors in public. All these are fundamental errors that must be addressed and corrected. If nothing tangible is done, more embarrassing sacrileges are inevitable.

What measures do you think the government needs to put in place to forestall similar incidents?

The government should do more orientation and training for Obas because they are the closest authority to the grassroots. They needed to be treated with a high level of respect and reference, not to suppress them under stricter sanctions but to ensure they were granted full autonomy as the fourth tier of government, as representatives of the people with more responsibilities. This also precipitates our proposal to President Bola Tinubu’s administration to establish the Federal Ministry of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs at the federal level, wherein the traditional rulers can be properly trained and guided on the roles and responsibilities expected of them.

Many blamed the selection processes of traditional rulers for the Ogun incident. Do you see a nexus here?

The selection process of some Obas who pervert and perpetrate these ills in our society may have had grave consequences due to improper and unmerited favouritism, often influenced by political or personal affinity. In many cases, these factors have led to flawed selections, while some Obas simply lack good character. The most sacred method of selecting an Oba should be through Ifa divination and the presentation of the most suitable prince. However, this is not always the case. Nonetheless, it must be acknowledged that the selection process should be transparent and fair.

Given that the monarch has been arraigned in court, do you think legal action is the only way necessary to ensure accountability?

The arraignment of the Oba Orile Ifo is the right step in the right direction but proper traditional rites should have been done before his arraignment by the Ogun State Council of Obas and Chiefs.  Moreover,  the morality of this matter should be addressed through civil means, while the man who slapped the old man should be prosecuted accordingly.

Can you tell us more about these rites?

Basically, in Yorubaland, the traditional rites that must be performed before such events take place should begin within the Orile Ifo community. The Oba does not make himself king alone. It is believed that he must have the support of respected council members, such as the Otunba, Iyalode, Iyaloja, Oluwo, and all the paramount chiefs of the community. They ought to have met and made their resolution in giving the monarch a fair hearing, to know what transpired and why such a thing happened.  If it were to be that the traditional ruler apologised in the open and became remorse, there could have been a measure of relaxing the consequence he is facing now, but if he is found guilty within the confines of their community, the only thing the community can do at that particular point is to perform traditional rites by appeasing the gods of that land. It might have been out of his excesses or violation of the gods because it could have even been the punishment of the gods that pushed him to make such errors. The community ought to have carried out traditional rites on the traditional ruler.

What do you consider the role of the Council of Obas in all of these?

The role of the Council of Obas is not just for ceremony, which is almost what they are doing. The council is supposed to be a disciplinary body. There should be a committee that checks the excesses of Obas and sanctions them, maybe through the seizure of their salaries, not participating in functions or not displaying their regalia for a period. That will serve as a deterrence. The sanction on the suspended monarch was from the Ogun State Government, not the Council of Obas. This is a failure on the part of the council. It should have risen to its responsibilities of condemning the act, by showing a voice of authority. If the council had first issued a sanction against the Oba by immediately summoning him with a letter to appear before a committee, which would then determine the appropriate punitive measures after granting him a fair hearing and allowing the other party to present their case, he would have received his consequential punishment.

So how do you relate this to the police prosecution so far?

The involvement of the police is understandable, as they are doing their job. However, in matters concerning traditional institutions, I believe the police should exercise some restraint, allowing the issue to go through the appropriate traditional processes. This does not mean silencing the matter, but ensuring that traditional measures are followed before police prosecution.

The Oba should have first been sanctioned by the Council of Obas. However, since that has not been done, the police, acting on the viral video and public outcry over the violation of the man’s rights, have taken legal action. While their actions are legally justified, morally, the Oba should not bear the dignity of his crown while in prison. This concern is what the Yoruba Council Worldwide is addressing, which is why we are working on establishing the Yoruba Council of Obas Worldwide as a formal body.

Are there any implications for not observing the traditional rites before police prosecution?

There are consequences because every community has its gods. Within their confines, it may be considered a taboo that could lead to disastrous consequences for the community, as the stool and crown of the Oba are in the custody of the gods. The spiritual authorities, including witches, wizards, and other forces, place their power in the hands of the Oba on the day he is crowned.

However, if the Oba fails in his duties, it can have dire consequences for him, his family, and the community. This is why some communities experience plagues and misfortunes. Traditionally, an Oba who committed a sacrilegious act was required to take his own life, but this was only after a series of rituals and sacrifices. Modernity has changed these practices, but the sanctity of the throne should still be upheld.

There should be a level of immunity and moral protection for the Oba. If he had been properly sanctioned and removed from his position, then facing prosecution would be a personal matter. However, taking the crown into prison symbolises imprisoning the entire community alongside him. The police should exercise restraint in handling such sensitive matters to prevent overzealous officers from disrespecting traditional rulers.

While kings are subject to legal action and court proceedings, an act as outrageous and publicly condemned as this should prompt the Council of Obas across Yoruba land to speak out, not just the Obas from the affected community. This is not merely an Ogun State issue but a matter that puts the entire Yoruba nation in disrepute.

How can traditional leaders rebuild public trust following this development?

The traditional institution should learn to build trust and personal respect, be modest and maintain decorum and the right attitude to life, by maintaining good Omoluabi character, ensuring justice at all times and equally serving with the wisdom of God.