The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji and members of the Olubadan -In- Council, turned obas have disagreed on the order of the Olubadan barring the masquerades from dancing in any of the High Chiefs residence in this years Egungun festival.
The Olubadan, in a statement suspended the visit of egungun to any of the High Chiefs, citing security reasons for his action.
But, in a counter move, the concerned high chiefs-turned beaded kings had kicked against the Olubadan instruction, describing it as arbitrary use of power and an attempt to fight tradition.
In a statement signed by the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Lekan Balogun, on behalf of others after their meeting on Monday, the kings insisted that they would resist the order and host masqueraders in their various homes. They also described security reason given by the monarch as phantom.
The statement said, “Our attention has been drawn to the directive by our referred father, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adetunji, that the usual annual masquerade dance in our residences would not hold this year due to a phantom security threat, a directive we reject in its entirety.
“As far as we are concerned, the directive was arbitrary use of power and authority, we won’t take it. Our father (Olubadan) wants to distort and destroy the tradition and wants to use us to fight tradition, but, we won’t succumb to his antics. The same Olubadan solicited for the hosting of the Egungun authority from the late Oba Odugade Odulana when he was about five steps away from his present position and his request was granted.
“We therefore tend to ask him that of what benefits would his outrageous order be to him? Except for extraneous reason as we just pointed out, how can one explain that security would be threatened only when the masqueraders come to dance in our residences and not when they went to his palace?
“As the members of Olubadan-in-Council, we were not part of the decision and we won’t take it and the Egungun authority will not likely take it. It was our resolve that the Olubadan is trying to use everything to fight the government, because the government has among its responsibilities the protection of the people’s tradition, but, we will not allow ourselves to be used to either fight the government or the tradition.”
However, the Aare Alagbaa of Ibadan land, Chief Ojetunde Asoleke, has said that masqueraders in Ibadan will obey the directive of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji, which barred them from visiting any of the high chiefs whose elevation to kingship status generated controversies and court actions.
Speaking during the visits of the masqueraders to the monarch palace, Asoleke said they would abide by whatever the king directed.
He said, “Whatever the Olubadan said is what we are solidly behind. Olubadan gave us the order that we should not go to any of the High Chiefs to dance and we are not going there because Olubadan is the head of all traditional worshippers in Ibadanland, be it Egungun, Sango, Oya, Obatala, Osun or whatever. And being the head, he has the right to tell us what is proper to do, and whoever that does otherwise will be punished by the Olubadan himself.”
In a message through his Personal Assistant and Director, Media and Public Affairs, Adeola Oloko to the visiting masqueraders, the Olubadan enjoined them to observe a peaceful festival devoid of violence.
He said, “It is God in His infinite mercy that has preserved all of us to witness this year’s festival. The festival is to celebrate the best of our cultures and traditions. Therefore the Kabiyesi is telling everyone in Ibadan to celebrate in peace. There should be no use of dangerous weapons as law enforcement agents are not going to take kindly to it, and Kabiyesi is not going to come between the law enforcement agents and the thugs if anyone is arrested. Therefore, we should celebrate in peace and joy.”
Credit: The Nation
