The Ife Succession Crisis: Yoruba Ronu

Ooni Olubuse II and Governor Aregbeshola

It is with dismay that every serious student of history and pride in origin should view the present tussle going on with the installation of a new Ooni of Ife. Why is it difficult for kaaro ojire to close ranks and resolve their problems without egregious rancour? Obviously, it is more important to prove what we are worth than behaving how we ought. The truth, however, is that we only act tough and uncompromising amongst each other, but become doves or act intelligent, when relating with other Nigerians. With our propensity for bickering, feathering individual nests, and ruinous rivalry; history has judged us harshly through loss of territory, political power and reduction to supporting roles in the sad drama called Nigeria.

Based on a 1980 Oyo state government memorandum, there are four ruling houses in Ile Ife, namely; Lafogido, Giese, Ogboru and Oshikola. The government declaration on the Ooni chieftaincy title of 1977 instituted the rotational regency of the ruling houses in the following order: (1) Osinkola (2) Ogboru (3) Giesi and (4) Lafogido.  According to extant agreements, the Giese are next in line to produce the Ooni of Ife after the demise of Olubuse II from the Ogboru ruling house. The problem is that other ruling houses [including the Ogborus] are insisting on presenting a candidate for the Ooni stool with various claims of clandestine agreements, spurious conjectures and outright falsehood trailing the exercise.

A case is currently in court to determine who becomes the next head of the Yoruba 'spiritual' throne first occupied by Oduduwa. The Lafogido ruling house took the rather testy step of naming the incumbent governor of Osun state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Obalufe of Ile-Ife, Oba Solomon Folorunsho Omisakin and Lowa of Ife, Chief Joseph Ijaodola as defendants in a case to prevent the Giesi ruling house from producing the next Ooni of Ife. Though it is difficult to separate traditional institutions from politics these days, it appears that in the current Ife case, the kingmakers and the state government had reached an agreement. If this is the case, it is only proper that other ruling houses forget their grievances and help anyone appointed to succeed.  

With the crisis potential of our ego trips, it is perplexing that we, as a people, have not noticed that the big picture is not pretty. Compared with northern [Hausa-Fulani] traditions, Yoruba traditional succession is fraught with potential disagreements that could turn quite deadly. For example, the powerful Sultanate of Sokoto does not witness the open crisis of succession inherent in the kingships and politics of Yorubaland.  During the recent succession struggle to succeed the late Emir of Kano, and despite the obvious preference of the Federal Government, there were no court cases against SLS [incumbent Emir] despite localized skirmishes. The new Emir's rivals accepted the will of the kingmakers who were obviously working closely with the state governor. 

The Yoruba appear to be the epitome of the 'do-or-die' concept when it comes to politics and kingship successions. Other parts of the country exploit our lack of unity or deliberate non-cooperation among ourselves to the fullest. In the 1960s, while the north [who indirectly instigated the crisis] was at peace, operation 'wetie' was going on in Yorubaland resulting in untold destruction of lives and property.  A similar crisis occurred during the second republic, to a lesser extent, in Ondo state during the Omoboriowo saga. The lingering Ife-Modakeke crisis was only brought to an end during the reign of the last Ooni after many years of intermittent bloodshed. A cold war, between the Alaafin of Oyo and the late Ooni of Ife, that was predicated on who was superior, continued until the latter's demise.

 With a cultured intelligentsia and urbanity that is second to none, the Ife crisis of succession is a sad reminder that much learning and idealism does not translate to a well-adjusted society when individualism precludes cooperation. The disease affects our artists, businessmen, leaders of thought and politicians. 

We must get our acts together and allow succession to the ancient Ife stool take its normal course without undue manoeuvring that belittles our integrity. The Ife throne's influence goes way beyond the shores of the country and must be cherished. We must not allow pettiness destroy a tradition that no single individual can recreate - Yoruba, e ronu.

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