Fassy Adetokunboh Yusuf
BUT for the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) currently ravaging the entire universe, the fourth Annual lecture series of the Professorial Chair on Governance endowed by the inimitable monarch of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona would have held Sunday, May 10, 2020 to coincide with his 86th birthday. This had been the tradition since the formal institution of the billion naira endowment five years ago. Now put on hold, Professor Ayo Olukotun, the occupier of the Professorial Chair was to examine State Weaknesses and Governance Deficits in Contemporary Nigeria.
The 86th birthday of Oba Adetona who recently marked sixty years on the throne as Awujale presents us with an opportunity to peep into some of his governance exploits as captured in Awujale: The autobiography of Alaiyeluwa, Oba S. K. Adetona, Ogbagba II.
Less than four days after he was crowned the Awujale of Ijebuland Saturday, April 2, 1960, Oba Adetona took his seat as a permanent member of the Western Region House of Chiefs, and giving his potentials as a charismatic and suave leader, he was appointed a Minister without Portfolio and member of the Western Region government led by the second Premier, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, along with four other monarchs. He was to witness and play a prominent role in the regions political crisis that blew open in 1962 and pitted Akintola against his leader, Awolowo. A State of Emergency was subsequently declared on May 29, 1962 throughout Western Region and Dr. Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi was appointed by the countrys Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as the Administrator. A Golden fish, Awujale Adetona was also appointed to serve in the six months emergency administration of Majekodunmi. He embarked on strategic diplomatic shuttles and missions to stem the imploding political crisis that later consumed the first republic.
A man of destiny and an indefatigable leader imbued with uncommon capacity for excellence and service, several other ad hoc national assignments came the way of Oba Adetona. With the imbroglio brewing after the two bloody military coups in 1966, he was made a member of the Traditional Rulers delegation raised by the then Federal Military Government of Yakubu Gowon to appeal to the Governor of Eastern Region, Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and the Military Governor of Northern Region, Major Hassan Usman Katsina to sheath their swords and embrace détente and rapprochement. Unfortunately, the delegation could not achieve much because of the intransigence of one of the parties.
Early in 1989, Oba Adetona was appointed as the Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Yola for a five-year tenure. He presided over all meetings of the universitys convocation held for the conferment of degrees and gave the university his spectacular mastery of affairs of men. He equally served as the Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, and Chancellor of Hallmark University, Itele-Ijebu. Many tertiary institutions including Federal University of Technology, Yola; Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye; University of Lagos, Akoka; and Crescent University, Abeokuta conferred him with their doctorate degrees honoris causa in acknowledgement of his immense contributions to their growth and development. He was also awarded the Fellowship of the Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu Igbo.
The Federal Military Government on November 12, 1990 appointed him Special Envoy vide a letter of assignment dated Ref. No. CD.59/s. 111, to broker peace between the African National Congress (ANC) led by the sage, Nelson Mandela and the Zulu dominated Inkatha Movement led by the Chief Minister of KwaZulu and the traditional head of Zulu of South Africa, Chief Mongosuthu Buthelezi. An appreciative nation later conferred on Oba Adetona the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR), the highest national honour for paramount rulers. In 1999, he was turbaned as the President General of the Ogun State Muslim Council. These are no mean achievements for a traditional ruler who mounted the throne before he was twenty six years old.
Coming back home, the Traditional Age Grade system (Regberegbe) was rejuvenated by Oba Adetona as a catalyst for socio-economic development of Ijebuland. In his own words the Age group is a systemic welder of people and talents, an organ of growth and development for the community. The world class Royal castle and the pavilion for hosting the Annual cultural extravaganza, Ojude Oba are two more testimonies of the accomplishments and giant strides of the unique monarch.
Of the greatest impact to Ijebu people is the poverty alleviation programme embraced by Kabiyesi for the economic and development benefits of his people. Professor Akin Mabogunje, a development expert had sold the idea to Kabiyesi. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the World Bank and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlement established an Urban Management Programme (UMP) to address urban poverty. After detailed planning, the City Consultation and Action Plan proposed the creation of the Ijebu Ode Development Board. The initiative which took off with just N500,000 seed money now has over three billion naira worth of assets. It has become a model being adopted in the country.
Now renamed Ijebu Development Board on Poverty Reduction, the scheme has substantially reduced poverty in Ijebuland. The success so far recorded is attributable to the sagacity, tenacity, ingenuity, resourcefulness and transparency of Oba Adetona.
Another spectacular issue addressed by Awujale and his people with tremendous wisdom and in line with modernisation was the issue of burial rites for a deceased monarch. In the time past, when a king died, his corpse was ‘anachronistically disposed of’, as his servants took charge of the corpse, vented their anger and bitterness on the carcass and mutilated the body. Although the Ijebu Traditional Council led by Oba Adetona resolved on May 28, 1980 that henceforth, Obas in Ijebuland should be buried according to their religious beliefs, but without prejudice to the rights of any Chief, groups, and associations that may be entitled to any customary gifts.
However, it was not until March 31, 1997 that the entire Ijebu nation ratified this decision. This is novel in Yorubaland. Indeed, the Ogun State House of Assembly is on the verge of giving legal effect to the decision for the entire State.
Finally, back to the endowment that is now in the region of one billion naira, Oba Adetona has provided a standard, a benchmark for the endowment of Professorial Chairs in the countrys tertiary institutions. For an Oba whose involvement in governance predated the countrys October 1, 1960 independence, the endowment was a natural project. At the Olabisi Onabanjo University, the donor has built an all-purpose Governance Building complex incorporating office/operations complex for the occupier of the professorial chair and his support staff, lodge for the occupier of the chair, a modern guest house for visiting researchers and scholars, boys quarters, and information and data services facilities, among others.
The Awujale Adetona Professorial Chair in Governance at Olabisi Onabanjo University has gone further to sponsor the establishment of the Centre for Post-graduate Governance Studies for the award of postgraduate diploma, masters degree and doctoral degree studies in Governance.
Age is not slowing down this quintessential monarch in the service of his people and in his continued relevance to the nation, especially in its quest for the institutionalisation of good governance.
May the king continue to reign.
*Chief Fassy Adetokunboh Yusuf, Ph.D., is a Lawyer, Communication & Development expert, former Ogun State Commissioner for Information, Sports & Culture and the Baagbimo of Ijebuland. E-mail: drcfassyaoyusuf@gmail.com. Mobile: 08096158530.
