Falana Eulogises Ooni of Ife at 43

By Emma Ella

 

A Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has eulogised the Ooni of Ife, Oba Babatunde Enitan Ogunwusi, at the celebration of his 43rd birthday anniversary.

Falana said that he has rallied the Yoruba people to demand and fight for their rights in a united Nigeria.

Speaking on Tuesday at the public lecture in honour of Ooni, which was held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Falana stated that though young, the Ooni of Ife has continued to  demonstrate Solomonic wisdom on the throne.

Falana recalled that the Ooni personally led the cream de la cream of Obas to the recent Summit at Ibadan where the Yorubas political leaders demanded for restructuring.

“Since Obas are closer to the people than politicians they should ensure that the economy is structured to ensure that the socioeconomic needs of the people are provided for  by the government.  Since traditional rulers are paid by the local governments they should ensure that all local governments are made to function in line with the provisions of the Constitution,” Falana said. 

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria noted that in Ooni’s several trips abroad, he linked up with Yoruba people, including the descendants of millions who were captured and enslaved.

“Scores of them have visited Ife since Oba Oyewusi ascended the throne. In order to restore the dignity of the throne the Ooni has rejected pressures to confer chieftaincy titles on people of dubious pedigree. He has also refused to join traditional rulers who are found in the corridors of power chasing contracts which are never executed and thereby exposing the traditional institution to public opium. The battle for supremacy among Yoruba Obas has not attracted his attention. Hence, upon ascending the throne Oba Oyewusi visited leading Yoruba Obas in their palaces and made a strong case for unity and collaboration. Through such display of maturity he has earned respect among Yoruba Obas,” Falana added. 

Falana charged Yoruba Obas to appreciate the dynamism of culture and the need to modernise and adapt culture to meet the challenges of a modern society.

According to him, in view of the leading roles played by prominent Yoruba women like Moremi of Ife, Tinubu of Lagos  and  Ransome-kuti of Abeokuta in the struggle of the Yoruba people for freedom, the Obas must  discard and ban backward cultural practices that discrimate against women.

 “Apart from promoting girl child education Yoruba Obas should lead the battle against female circumcision, oppression of widows and festivals which  impose curfew on women alone. As custodians of culture  jour Obas should ensure that all those who subject women to sexual assault including rape are made to face the full weight of the law,” Falana added. 

He urged modern traditional rulers must emulate King Jaja of Opobo, King Overam of Benin, Esugbagi Eleko and several others who challenged the illegal control of  coastal trade and the criminal annexation of several parcels of land by British land grabbers.

He recalled that for daring to resist the colonial intruders whose forefathers had engaged in enslaving Africans for 400 years some traditional rulers were deposed and sent on exile to remote islands where they died.

Falana also recalled that the British government recently condemned the prescription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), adding that the Information Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed ought to have reminded the British government of the cold murder of 21 coal miners in 1949 and the  the proscription of the Zikist Movement in 1950 by the colonial regime.