It is a misnomer for a king who holds the custodian of Oodua cultures to install a chief which has no historical background, traditional value & cultural relevance to equal himself to or compare himself with any king in Yoruba land, no matter how small the domain of such king is.
There is popular saying by Yoruba elders that say;" Omode lo lorin agba loni itan, bi omode ba binu kọyán alẹ́ àgbà a fi itan balẹ̀" meaning: children are custodian of poetry, while elders are custodian of history when a child refuses to eat a fortnight pounded-yam, the elders begin to tell him history". Tracing the historical background surrounding the chieftaincy of MAYEGUN, there wasn't nowhere in the history of Oyo Alaafin where an Aláàfin installed someone as Mayegun of Yorubaland.
Therefore I will remind my readers about the story of Mayegun Oodua and how the chieftaincy came to being.
Làgelu was the founder and progenitor of Ibadan City, he was the son of Orunto Jaojo the prime minister of ile-ife. Làgelu migrated from Ile Ife because his father sent him out of the town for his troublesome attitude. Làgelu moved out with his own army and settled by a road side he called it Eba-Odan. After Làgelu and his son Lugboosa were recognized by Ooni Gbegbaje who conferred Baale chieftancy on Làgelu but during his installation Ooni Gbegbaje told Lugboosa's son Làgelu that he has been made a village head from that day on and that he Lugboosa should make life easier for people around him. "Mu aye gun fun awon eniyan re o" Hence this statement became chieftaincy title since then and the people started calling him Baba oloye mayegun. Even though Mayegun was later shortened to Maye.
The problem of Mayegun began from the Oyo refugees who fled from the fulani's war and came to Mayegun to allow them live with him. Mayegun accommodated them but the Oyo refugees plotted to snatch the town away from him. They invited kunrunmi ijaye to invade the town and assassinate Maye. Kunrunmi carried out the assignment on Friday a day forbidden for Maye the Baale to fight with anybody. Maye tried his best in the battle but he was eventually being killed at a place called Gbanamu, a village near ijebu. Before his death Maye cursed Kurunmi that he will also die in the hands of the same Oyo refugees and the death will ruin him leaving no child behind.
When Alaafin Adelu crowned after Alaafin Atiba, Kunrunmi refused to recognize him because he wanted him to buried with his father according to Oyo tradition but When Kurunmi invaded Okeho, Alaafin sent Etu Ota and Edan ògbóni to him but Kunrunmi took Etu and Ota instead. Aláàfin then sent Basorun Ogunmola to him who fought with him and killed Kurunmi in a serious battle.
Olumokun was the second Mayegun Oodua. He was installed by Ooni Wunmọníjẹ̀. And Olumokun came from Aka Arogundabi compound in Ife. My great grandfather was the third Mayegun. The fourth and current Mayegun Oodua is Dr Rahamoni Adegoke Adedoyin he was installed by Ooni Arole Oodua Sijuwade Okunade. Now am posting this question to Alaafin Oyo kabiesi Adéyemí to tell us whoever crowned the chieftaincy title before installation of Wasiu Ayinde k1 as Mayegun of Yoruba land? There is no where to be found in tradition or history of Oyo Alaafin.
But what is the reason why Aláàfin deliberately attempted to disrespect the stool of Ooni. Has Baba forgotten that Oranmiyan who founded Oyo was a prince in Ile Ife and he returned to Ife to become Ooni before he becoming an idol.
There is no controversy in Ile-ife at all because Ile-ife is the cradle of Yorubaland. May be Aláàfin has another history of Yorubaland because Oodua was the first Ooni of Ile-ife while Oranmiyan was the first Alaafin Oyo and sixth Ooni of Ife,
It is not today that Aláàfin of ọ̀yọ́ started fighting the stool of Ooni but he has to contend supremacy with the stool. Alaafin Ajaka requested for tribute from Ife people he sent tax collectors to Ife because when Oranmiyan was in Oyo Ife people were taking gifts to him in his domain as a mark of respect but when he Oranmiyan returned to Ile-ife and mounted the throne of Ooni Ile Ife people stopped bringing tribute to Oyo because their prince had returned home. When Sango became an idol and Oyo sent for Ajaka in exile to return home and become fourth Alaafin, he Ajaka re demanded for the tribute from Ife people but Odi one of Ife priests turned down the request. Odi was a young ifa priest who followed his father to the deliberation at Enuwa when the elders were busy thinking of what to do, Odi came in and gave them a good advice as a solution. Hence this incident became proverb till today that; Omode gbon agba gbon, lafi da ile ife" this story is in ifa verse of Odi meji; "
Odi agbalagba ife
Awo ilé Olofin
A díá fún Olófin
Tio paroko ranṣẹ sí Ajaka
Nigbati awọn ara ife
Ko asingba fún Oyo
Won wa lo ba odi
Pe ki o gba awọn ni imọran
Odi niki won o ru agbon merindinlogun
Ati igba ẹrú igi kan
Ki wọn o pèsè sí lára
Ki wọn o gbe ranṣẹ sí Ajaka
Pe ifa odun naa tio da
Agbon merindinlogun ni o fi se ikin
Ati wipe ọmọ rẹ ọkunrin ti o bimo
Ki o máa fi ẹrú igi yana
Nigbati Alaafin ri o pe Osa ki o wa tumo re
Osa wa wifun Ajaka pe
Ara ife ko asingba
Eewo ni baba o gbudọ̀ sope
O d'owo ọmọ òun lọrùn
Alaafin fún ọ tun gbodo
San aso buruku bee soro mo
Since then no Alaafin ever dares the throne of Ooni. During the colonial era when the British leader invited Ooni Adelekan Olubuse to Lagos to settle a dispute between two Obas, all the Yoruba Obas including Aláàfin Olodigbolu the first left their palace and lived behind the walls of their palaces to convene the meeting with him. But this present Aláàfin rancoured with Ooni Tadenikawo Adesoji Aderemi. Also he fought with Ooni Okunade sijuwade and he has started fighting with Ooni Ogunwusi now.
This is my appeal to Oodua elders, maybe they should call a meeting of all Oodua sons and discuss how the stool of Ooni of Oodua race will be occupied by all first class oba in Oodua communities so that Alaafin Oyo and other Obas will feel the sense of belonging.
Aye o gbudo tọjú eyín agba baje.
By Ismaila Alaayan
Obalaayan compound Ife
Edited: #CustodianofYorubaTraditionandCulture
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