Ogun Traditional Rulers And Politics Of Endorsement, By Tunde Abatan
Ordinarily, traditional rulers are supposed to be above board and father to all politicians and political aspirants in their domain. They are supposed to be fathers to all.
Indeed, during the first republic, the institution is as reverted as the British monarchy as the Royalty is immune to controversy on critical political issues of the day.
When they take positions, it is normally done surreptitiously since they are supposed to be fathers to all.
Since their subjects belong to all the political parties, an endorsement for one is seen as a rejection to others who by right are also children and subjects of traditional rulers whose nomination and selection is done in turn by established traditional and monarchial authorities.
At a period during the second republic, precisely in 1979,late elder statesman, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, then Presidential candidate of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, at a campaign rally held at Ake Palace square euphemistically made reference to a royal father said to go out in the night to campaign for a particular political party.
Though, the late sage, Chief Awolowo fell short of naming the said traditional rulers, that statement belittle and removed age long culturally conferred respect ,dignity and royalty on the monarch.
It was during the tenure of the late Alake of Egbaland, Oba Oyebade Lipede, whose notable sons and daughters belong to one of the leading parties, the National Party of Nigeria, NPN.
At the end of the day, during the general elections of same year, the party was worsted as it was rejected by voters of the ancient city.
It was not only a loss for the party, it was for royalty as it already got painted with tar brush of partisanship.
Since the end of the first and second republics when traditional rulers used the cover of the night to campaign for candidates and parties, things have since changed as royal fathers have since become ‘card’ carrying members of choice parties.
By so doing, they have thrown royalty and dignity to the dogs and little referred by their non partisan subjects.
Last week in Abeokuta, 53 royal fathers from the Egba traditional council, threw non- partisanship to the dog and openly ask their citizenry to return incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun into office in 2023.
According to them, he has performed creditably well in terms of projects delivered to get a second term.
In other words, to the royal fathers, their sons and daughters in other parties should forget the election.
The Egba traditional council in their ‘wisdom’ praise the governor for doing what he is elected to do in their kingdom like provision of health facilities and Dry port in Wasinmi and others but failed to mention the several abandon projects in other parts of their territory like the abandoned 32- kilometre Ijoko-Alagbole road which sorry state has continued to cause untold hardship to their kits and kin living in the most economically strategic area of the state as it harbours Ifo local government .
Ifo local government is the biggest in the state in terms of population, land mass and abandoned projects despite it’s closeness to Lagos.
The rulers also failed to mention the non- payment of compensation to their kits who own houses in this area demolished over ten years ago.
Most of them have passed on in agony having lost their means of surviving at old age.
Yes, government cannot solve all it’s problems but since it is a continuum, one wonders why the royal fathers cannot lend a voice to the yearnings of their citizens who cry daily to the utter neglect of this most densely populated settlement of the state with it’s economic benefits to the citizens and state in particular in terms of derivable revenue and social benefits of closeness to Lagos.
It is instructive that three weeks before the Egba councils resolution, the 52 member Ijebu traditional council also met in Ijebu Ode their political capital under leadership of Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona ,and equally endorsed Abiodun for second term.
Secretary of the council, Obiri of Aiyepe, Oba Rosiji Okubanjo said Abiodun positively reformed the installation and burial rites of traditional rulers in the state and other projects.
Hence,for satisfying their interest they endorsed him.
Only last week, Governor Abiodun renamed Tai Solarin College of Education, Oba Sikiru Adetona College of Education and Technology.
While one is not questioning the eminence of the first class monarch, it’s politicisation sort of diminish his deserving of such honour as one of the longest reigning monarch in the country.
But then, actions has their intent and purpose.
Since politics is about interest, the traditional rulers are using their position to further their interest not minding their limited voting power which may not be beyond their 52 membership and perhaps their immediate families and palace attendants.
They probably forgot that Abiodun only defeated his opponent by 19,000 votes in 2019 elections.
Ironically, both the Allied Progressive Movement, APM, floated by former governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun(SIA) and the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP are battling for their lives.
Had Amosun strengthened the APM rather than asking his followers to return to APC where he has been worsted by Abiodun’s seizure of party structure, the difference would have been the case today in the state as the party would have provided a strong opposition.
Had the reverse been the case, Abiodun’s reluctance to complete the abandoned projects in the state especially the 32 kilometre Ijoko-Alagbole boundary road projects and it’s adjoining roads which housed many small scale industries and collapsed the macro- economy of this bustling Lagos next neighbourhood would not have been the case.
The axis undeniably housed millions of residents and it’s utter neglect is emboldened by the weak opposition in the state.
Had Amosun’s APM which lost by only 19,000 votes to APC in 2019, teamed up with the PDP to give APC a run for it’s money next year, Abiodun would have done the needful by putting his acts together.
Sadly, PDP which till date is yet to have a candidate and not likely to have until after the Court of Appeal ruling on Jimi Lawal’s case in December 1,had weakened it’s propensity to pose any serious threat to APC tenuous hold on the state in spite of it’s glaring failures.
Not wanting to be left out, Ogun west traditional rulers also in September under the aegis of Trusted Royals made up of 45 out of 57 monarchs from the senatorial zone, also gave a blanket endorsement for Abiodun’s second term.
When they met in Joga Orile, Yewa North local government on September 14,they not only endorsed Abiodun, they wanted him to replicate Ilisan Cargo airport which he built to abort Amosun’s Wasinmi airport project, in the senatorial zone.
It all appears, the Royals from Yewa who spoke through Eselu of Iselu, Oba Akintunde Akinyanju did what they do apparently to cajole Abiodun to concede power to one of their sons in 2027 .
They may be clever by half as their target may actually be aimed at rooting for home bound Senator Olamilekan Adeola who came from Lagos to fly his third term senatorial flag from his Yewa ‘homestead’ preparatory to his 2027 gubernatorial ambition.
Hence, though Yewa rulers knew they are not being economical with the truth in terms of development of their area especially in the last two decades, yet it is all a ploy to prevent another Ijebu from PDP like suspended Ladi Adebutu from getting elected thereby making them to wait for another eight years to have a taste of governorship which has eluded them since the states creation in 1976.
But if the 45 monarchs from Yewa capitulated to local politics of 2027 by endorsing Abiodun for a second term, one of them, Oba Adewale Olaifa, the Alase of Ilase in Ipokia local government is today paying the price by joining other 11’rebel’ monarchs who refused to emulate the 45 to endorse Abiodun.
On November 24,the day he choose to dedicate a new house and take a new wife, he had a taste of the bitter pill of opposition as he had the celebration disrupted.
The venue of the double celebration, Local government primary school, Ilase, was sealed up and chairs, table and canopies erected, disrupted by alleged ‘unknown’ government agents.
With the decision of the compliant monarchs from the three senatorial zones to jump into the boat of partisanship, they have refused to learn from history by jettisoning their subjects in other parties despite the fact that their partisanship is not much of electoral value.
Indeed, coming out to openly endorse the governor may even embolden the opposition and recalcitrant citizens who feel the pains of government negligence in their areas.
This is aside civil servants waiting till eternity to have their entitlements settled thus living from hand to mouth after serving their states for decades.
The incumbent himself, if he is enamored by the ‘global’ endorsement of monarchs with limited electoral value, should not be deceived.
The monarchs may have failed to realise that politicians are closer to the people than the traditional rulers whose direct influence on their subjects beyond the gates of their walled Palaces is diminishing by the day.
He should go and ask former President Goodluck Jonathan who in 2015 in spite of kneeling down to receive royal endorsement from traditional rulers in South West got a rude shock, as results of the election portray the electoral value or otherwise of the monarchs despite parting with mouth watering gifts.
Today, GEJ knows where the power of votes resides in the South West.
He also know that the power in the staffs of office pointed at him in prayers may not go beyond the confines of the monarchs palaces.
To think that the royal endorsement is key to his re-election is act of imprudence.
As for our referred royal father’s, they should accept the truism that their jettisoning their children who belong to other parties may one day boomerang.
Yes, the governors holds power over their approval but they should be reminded that ultimate relevance rests with the people their subjects.
As for the opposition, their success or otherwise lies in their closing ranks and building a strong power base which is dependent on their resilience, doggedness and organisational ability towards acquiring power to provide better alternative for the people they crave to serve.
A strong opposition is a requirement for responsive and good leadership in any clime.
