A Yoruba elder statesman, Senator Femi Okurounmu, has said that the national coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams is too young for the title of Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland.
According to Okurounmu, who represented the Ogun-Central Senatorial District between 1999 and 2003 in the Senate, said although Adams had done a lot for the Yoruba nation, he still had a long way to go.
Adams was announced as the Generallisimo of Yorubaland yesterday at an event marking the 79th birthday of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.
Born in Arigidi-Akoko area of Ondo State, Adams is succeeding late MKO Abiola, as the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland.
Abiola died in detention camp of the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, in 1998, for refusing to trade his presidential mandate for freedom.
The former lawmaker said most men who were bestowed with the title hardly ended well.
He, however, wished Adams the best.
Okurounmu said, “My honest opinion is that as a young man, that title is not befitting for him. I think that title is more befitting for an older person; an older person who has accomplished more for Yorubaland.
“As much as I like the young man and his activities for Yorubaland, I think he is a bit too ambitious and too much in a hurry and frankly, I would have wished the title would have been given to someone with a history of achievement and accomplishment for Yorubaland.
“That title doesn’t have a very good history. In Yorubaland, people with that title have not always ended very well and I think that is perhaps why people are always running from it.
“There is a saying that where angels fear to tread, fools rush in. So, it is a title many fail to take and I don’t know why he was keen to have it but I wish him the best of luck. I know he wanted it and I wish him the best.”
