Alaafin: I consulted Ifa in presence of Oyo Mesis - Prof. Abimbola
A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Professor Wande Abimbola, has said that the kingmakers of Oyo town in Oyo State, popularly known as Oyo Mesa, were present when he did his Ifs divination that that threw up Price Akeem Owoade as the Alaafin of Oyo.
The Awise Awo Agbaye, installed in 1981 at Ile Ife, made the revelation in an interview with top Editors of the Nigerian Tribune.
When asked about the divination, which was said to have been carried out following the invitation of the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Professor Abimbola said: “Well, someone interviewed me yesterday or day before and it has gone viral.
“I don’t regret what I said, but I don’t want to say too much anymore; only to let you know that for the first time in modern times in Yorubaland, Ifa played a key role in the selection of a prominent oba.
“I said for the first time because in the past, in the entire Yorubaland, that is how it was always done.
“Ifa used to be the one who would pick the successor to the king who died.
“And any time they did that, it was not done with the influence of money or position.
“The choice of Ifa was always respected.
“But in recent times, they don’t do that anymore; it is now usually done with the influence of money.
“So, I was happy and surprised, too, that we could find a governor who says that we should consult Ifa.
“A year or two ago, we divined and it was so easy to pick someone, anyone — I didn’t want to know the person.
“That was how Ifa selected a person.
“We did it and for a long time, we didn’t hear anything again.
“Actually, I came home for the marriage of one of my sons in Lagos.
“When the governor heard that I was around, he said he was just about to send for me again because he was ready, and the kingmakers were fighting among themselves.”
Professor Abimbola equally confirmed the viral report that some of the kingmakers were questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the allegation of having received bribes.
He further told the Nigerian Tribune: “Some of them were questioned by the EFCC because it was allegations galore; some of them received money, plenty of money.
“Two days ago, they summoned me again and he (Makinde) said they presented names to me last year so, which one?
“I said the one Ifa picked remained the choice of Ifa.
“Fortunately, when they screened him, that number one, they didn’t find anything wrong; he hadn’t committed any crime.
“They know how they do their own screening.
“That was the person whose name was announced.
Even in modern times, culture demands that they would ask Ifa also.
“That may not be the primary method of selection, but they would ask Ifa, and that is our own tradition.
“Now, it is not the case that the kingmakers were bypassed; they were there while we consulted Ifa to choose the best.
“The Oyo Mesi were there only they had split into two.
“And one section took the governor to court; that he must take the candidate they presented.
“There were five kingmakers.
“They used to be seven.
“Two of them had died, remaining five.
“Two of the five went to government to complain that from the bribe that was given to them, what they gave to them was small.
“So, the EFCC invited all of them and they confessed: ‘Well, we are very sorry that we are involved in this. This is the money that we got. Please, forgive us.’
“But the others, instead of that, took the government to court, saying that the candidate that they chose through the influence of money must be installed.
“The case is still in court.
“So, the two kingmakers who relented were part of the process.
“The governor also picked another two as warrant chiefs in the process of selecting the Alaafin.
“Which is the normal way it is done. If things are like this and the kingmakers split, if they don’t agree among themselves, they would use warrant chiefs; they (government) find other minor kings or chiefs in the town and they make them warrant chiefs to participate.
“You can’t use somebody who took the government to court anymore.
“In any case, those ones are adamant on their own choice which the government didn’t want to use.
“So, it’s not that the choice of Ifa was not acted upon by the kingmakers.
“They (four of them) were there and they agreed.
“It’s the kingmakers who chose the person selected by Ifa.”
When asked by the Editors of the highly revered newspaper if Ifa was not capable of making mistakes, Professor Abimbola responded: “Ifa does not make mistakes.
“It does not.”
When further probed if he did not take a bribe to influence his choice, he said: “I, Ogunwande Ifagbemi Sangodahunsi, did not collect a kobo from anyone.
“I turned 92 in December.
“I am satisfied with where I am.
“I was Vice Chancellor for eight years without blemish.
“Some people were saying it was charm that Baba employed.
“What charm?
“They knew I was father to them.
“As Senate Leader, I never took what did not legally belong to me.
“How did I become Senate Leader?
“When we got to the Senate, there was a fight over who would be the leader and I just sat by and watched.
“One day to our swearing-in, we were asked to meet at our party, SDP, secretariat, where (former) Governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife of Anambra State was made the chairman.
“Then they had divided the party into zones with the position that would go to each zone alloted.
“We would have clinched the position of the Senate President, but because it was clear that (late Bashorun M.K.O.) Abiola was going to be president, it was considered unfair to give us the President and Senate President.
“That was the reason why we were given the Senate Majority Leader.
“Two people fought over the position.
“The first person that was first nominated was removed.
“They said they didn’t want him anymore.
“He was not around when the removal was done.
“There were appeals that a man’s head should not be shaved in his absence; that he should be allowed to be present for his removal, but all the entreaties were ignored.
“A day to the swearing in, it was announced that the principal positions had been shared among six zones. ‘North Central, who is your choice of Senate President?’
“They mentioned (Iyorchia) Ayu’s name. ‘South West, who have you chosen as the Senate Majority Leader?’
“Different names were mentioned and then a disagreement ensued.
“All the while, I was wondering what I was doing at a place where all they did was fight.
“After about an hour of stalemate, the chairman, Ezeife, said: ‘You, West, go into that house over there (the secretariat was a big compound) and resolve your matter.’
“Governor Segun Osoba (of Ogun State) was made the chairman.
“SDP had four governors in the South West then, the fifth governor in Lagos was not SDP.
“Ekiti State had not been created.
“At about 12 midnight, they went into a closed-door session with the contending senators, where more fighting was done.
“I was filled with doubt as to the kind of company I was with.
“People had told me: ‘Having been Vice Chancellor, what is your business with politics? It is beneath you.’
“At about 2am, Osoba led the three other governors out of the session as he asked us: ‘You, South West senators, is this what you will be doing at the Senate? Did you not hear that those people were close to coming to blows? One defeated the other with one vote, but there was no compromise between the two. Is there no other nominee?’
“Somebody said: ‘Professor Abimbola!’
“Then they all raised their hand with shouts of: ‘Yes! Baba.’
“Then they carried me.
“After I was made the Senate Majority Leader, I was daily inundated with requests to submit a bill to the Senate proposing how much they were going to be collecting.
“I told them: ‘You have been given accommodation in Hilton Hotel. You all have big rooms, and even parlours. We enjoy free meals. Let Abiola be elected president first. Our salary will only be fixed after Abiola gets elected and his salary, the salary of his ministers is fixed.’
“They said no. ‘You know it’s the Majority Leader that sees to that sort of thing in the Senate. It’s going to three weeks…it’s almost a month that you have been there. Are we no going to get paid?’
“Then I invited all of them.
“It is God that prevented them from beating me.
“They could have beaten me but for who I am.
“O si ye, o bo, eegun o gbodo na babalawo (a masquerade must not beat a babalawo).”
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