The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, has warned the Yoruba nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called Sunday Igboho, to cultivate the habit of asking questions before forming an opinion on anything that has to do with Yoruba as a nation to avoid a hasty conclusion.
The monarch gave the advice on Monday on the outburst of Igboho against the chieftaincy titles that he conferred on the governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, and his wife Prof Hafsat Ganduje,
The paramount ruler of Ibadanland had on Saturday, June 18, conferred on Ganduje and his wife, the chieftaincy titles of Aare Fiwajoye of Ibadanland and Yeye Aare Fiwajoye of Ibadanland respectively, at the historic Mapo Hall in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Oba Balogun, who spoke through his media aide, Mr Oladele Ogunsola, said the attention of the palace was drawn to a trending video clip of Igboho, which condemned the Saturday’s conferment of chieftaincy titles on Ganduje and his wife.
In the statement issued by Ogunsola on behalf of the monarch read in part: “In the said video, shot at the palace of Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba, Francis Olusola Alao, Igboho was seen advising the monarch not to join the Yoruba Obas conferring chieftaincy titles on people that do no merit them and that Olugbon should advise his colleague Obas to desist from such.”
The outburst of Igboho was described by the palace as vituperation, which was made in the Yoruba language in the video clip. But the palace spokesperson, Ogunsola, said though, there was no particular mention of either the name or title of Olubadan in the said video, the fact that the Saturday occasion was being referenced was not hidden.
The statement read in part: “It is advisable that Igboho asks questions before forming an opinion on anything that has to do with Yoruba as a nation to avoid a hasty conclusion. The fact that some people from the Northern part of the country have taken to crimes and criminality doesn’t mean all Northerners are criminals. What’s even more, if and when the Yoruba nation project comes to be, are we saying there won’t be an interaction between the Yoruba people and others in the country again? I doubt it so much.
“As much as the Yoruba nation activist is entitled to his opinion as well as a conviction on the Yoruba nation project, he must concede to the fact that others too have the right to do certain things that in their wisdom are considered helpful to Yoruba cause.
“It must be placed on record that the present Olubadan is too refined to be seeking for who to honour with chieftaincy titles for whatever purpose. But, when a case was made for the Kano State first couple by the Yoruba community in the ancient Kano city through their head, Alhaji Muritala Alimi Otisese, and the adduced reasons were considered on their merits, Kabiyesi gave his consent.
“Even, as claimed in the video by Igboho that the Yoruba nation project remains on course, do we close our eyes to whatever may be the interest of our kith and kin in other parts of the country? Here is a man (Governor Ganduje) said to have been compassionate to the Yoruba people in his domain. Presently, Dr Ganduje is undertaking an auditorium project at the premier university, the University of Ibadan, where he bagged his doctorate degree.
“As Kabiyesi noted at the installation ceremony on Saturday, the Kano State helmsman has proved himself a peace loving person with the manner he flew down to douse tension at Sasa Market, here in Ibadan about two years ago when the crisis broke out at the market between Hausa traders and Sasa natives. We must not forget also that the Gandujes are Ibadan in-laws.