* Yoruba Oba, from Oyo appears to be carrying his sycophancy too far
By Abankula Olowoeko
Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, the Alaafin of Oyo, in Oyo state and chairman of the state traditional council, was in the news recently when he appeared at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, head bowed, to welcome President Goodluck Jonathan into Lagos.
Several commentators did not believe that the Alaafin’s behaviour dignified his position as a prominent traditional ruler in Yorubaland.
Flashback July 25: Oba Lamidi Adeyemi of Oyo welcomed President Goodluck Jonathan to Lagos .State House Photo
Today, the Oba went a notch higher, taking a newspaper page, to sing the praises of President Goodluck Jonathan, using superlative words. The songs of praise were contained in a personal letter dated 29 September which he addressed to Jonathan, and which he chose to advertise in the Nigerian Tribune.
Oba Adeyemi found Jonathan’s speeches at the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council meeting last September commendable. According to Adeyemi, Jonathan’s speech at the UN Security Council meeting “is perhaps one of the most authoritative confirmations of your arrival as the quintessential African leader of this generation”
He did not stop there. Oba Adeyemi wrote lyrically, like the Akewis of the palace will do: “For rather too long, the West and its counterparts elsewhere have looked down on Africa from an Olympian height with very scant regard for what Africa represents in the global discourse. The simplicity, poignancy and decisiveness of your speech leave nobody in doubt of your mastery of politics among nations in a globalized world, where every country deserves its own voice
“Your speech gave Nigeria a voice and created a platform for its future greatness as a major factor in international politics and the undisputed leader of Africa. You called world attention to the menace of terrorism as not only a peculiarly Nigerian problem by referencing the beheading by the Islamic State of the two American journalists and one British aid worker. The point came out boldly, that terrorism has gone viral and what is now required are concerted efforts to arrest the ugly development.
“You have done well. You have demonstrated your uncanny ability to impress and to convince others of the genuineness of your intentions and politics. I commend the language, persuasiveness, conviction, forthrightness and clarity of your speeches, which are no doubt clear indication of your suave, non obstructive, honest and sincere personality. Indeed, you have arrived as the much expected leader Africa has been waiting for”.
“The high point of the discussion on terrorism was the exposition of your home-grown holistic responses to terrorism in Nigeria, such as the Presidential Initiative in the North East and the Victim Support Fund. This is yet another attestation of the brilliance of the idea and the strategic reasoning behind them.
“Mr. President, you made us ever so proud by taking centre stage as the voice of Africa in a troubled world. You stood shoulder taller than other African leaders as renascent Africa’s man of the moment when you declared that ‘Africa has moved away from the ear of dictatorship to a new dawn where the ideals of good governance and an emphasis on human rights and justice are beginning to drive state-society relations…Our continent stands ready to continue to engage the rest of the world as a partner in formulating a global agenda that will guarantee peace, security and stability.
“You have done well. You have demonstrated your uncanny ability to impress and to convince others of the genuineness of your intentions and politics. I commend the language, persuasiveness, conviction, forthrightness and clarity of your speeches, which are no doubt clear indication of your suave, non obstructive, honest and sincere personality. Indeed, you have arrived as the much expected leader Africa has been waiting for”.
I am sure, Mr. Jonathan, a very humble leader, will blush reading this panegyrics from the septuagenarian monarch from the heart of Yorubaland.
In Yorubaland, what the Alaafin has done is the first of its kind, similar only to the infamous gaffe the Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuwade made in 1993, after General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the June 12 presidential election, won freely and fairly by Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.
This time around, the Alaafin appears fully subscribed to the Jonathan presidency and its continuation, a love affair that began after one of the houses in his palace was burnt. Jonathan not only came visiting, he ‘dropped’ something to rebuild it. Oba Adeyemi also reciprocated by visiting Jonathan in Abuja, along with a young wife of his.
In the Tribune advert, Oba Adeyemi revealed how he had been a victim of propaganda, perhaps of the APC governors that surround him,in misreading, misjudging and misperceiving President Jonathan. He now appears to have seen the light in his effusive praise-singing: “For sometime, the ill-winds of political permutations, manipulations and especially the distraction created by the thinly disguised disapproval of your presidency by certain sections of the civil society beclouded judgements about your political sagacity and diplomatic astuteness as a forthright goal getter and leader. However, recent revelations have produced positive reviews of your leadership and have taken the wind off the sail of your detractors”.
We hope Governor Abiola Ajumobi is reading this stuff, by one of the monarchs in his state, who brazenly in this advert has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan, a rival to the candidate Ajumobi’s APC would produce in December.
Jonathan surely knows he has a fan in Oba Adeyemi, and today he also sent a message of congratulations to the Oba, who will clock 76 years on 15 October. He too was full of praise for Alaafin.
The President wrote, “On behalf of my family, the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I write to convey warm felicitations to Your Highness on the occasion of your 76th birthday anniversary.
“You have not only continued to use your exalted throne to promote peace, harmony and progress in your kingdom and Oyo State, you have also continued to provide unwavering support for our Administration in our determined quest to reposition our dear nation for enduring stability and sustained growth and development. For this, I thank Your Highness.”
Jonathan’s spokesman, Reuben Abati said the president personally signed the message. Well, a clear case of you rub my back, I rub yours too.