The Story of Oba CLEMENT ADESUYI HAASTRUP, OWA OBOKUN OF IJESHA LAND

The New Owa Obokun Of Ijesaland

It was his final day in Ipebi, his abode at the palace of the Ogboni of Ilesa.

For 90 days, he was in seclusion, as he underwent the mandatory traditional tutelage on the functions of his office, as the Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland.

On his last day at Ipebi, last Easter Sunday, Owa Haastrup sang his heart out, as he reeled out testimonies of how God has lifted him.

He then sat with veteran Journalist, SHOLA OSHUNKEYE, the Chairman, Media and Publicity Sub-Committee of his grand coronation and fielded questions on diverse issues.

Below are excerpts, culled from the Coronation Brochure.

LIFE AT IPEBI

My final day in Ipebi (traditional seclusion) was a day of big relief for me, considering being confined to a place for 90 days. It is a special day for somebody like me that is very busy, always moving up and down only to be confined for three months. It’s really a great. I believe our great grandfathers who put this in place just wanted to test our endurance and discipline, although it can be challenging. You go through the system in practical terms. Being under a tutelage enhances your knowledge of the traditions of Ijesaland and the kingdom. The confinement for 90 days is a difficult thing and you can’t run around for your daily businesses and so on. But it is a good learning curve for me.

INITIAL CONFUSION

There was no confusion. I came to be a traditional ruler and that is the religion of our people. Before the white people came to introduce their own religion, there was more seriousness and honesty in our own traditional religion. When I was very young, if you were on your way to the farm, you will see a lot of foodstuffs put up for sale by the roadside with no attendants. People will pick what they want and drop the exact money and the owner will come back to pick the money and the remaining foodstuff. If you do that now, you are in trouble, (laughs). This is Nigeria. Nigeria has the highest cultism issues in the world and even the practices from so called pastors are discouraging. For example, people are ready to swear with the Bible anytime, any day for either serious or not serious issue but because God is so kind to us, He is patient. But you just go and swear with Ogun and see what would happen.

You are gone.

So, there is that fear for people not to swear in a traditional manner. They practice sharp practices in the name of adultery, fornication, but you didn’t see it in those days. The Ifa priests are very honest whereas there are many fake pastors everywhere. And you can see, from their attitude to life, that they are not better than those they are leading. Like I said, people swear with the Bible any day, even with God, but you dare not swear by Sango or Oya in vain, it will create problems. However, having said that, there are good and respectable pastors.

VISITORS & IPEBI

True, I was receiving visitors and even holding Christian worship while in Ipebi. But I did not break any code. The process was like tutelage.

People were coming. I was listening to their problems, and trying to solve them. It’s a learning process that helps you when you finally get to the palace.

I NEVER DREAMT OF THE THRONE

That is the truth. I never planned it, partly because of the fact that it is a sharp contrast to Christianity, and so on. But with a lot of enquiries, I got to realize that it is European religion versus Traditional religion. Then, from my analogy, I realized that there is more truth and fear of God in this our traditional religion than modern Christianity.

Again, I restate that I never nursed any ambition to be King.

As a matter of fact, I wanted to support a nephew.

Even at the time that they were getting applications and forms, I didn’t get mine. And there were questions from everybody, even from outside Ijesaland, that it is better to save my lineage from losing the throne to stronger candidates; that it is better I come in. They said from all they have seen; I was the best they thought can revive and build the economy of Ijesaland. That particular day, they struck a chord in me. I began to think that truly, with my experience in business worldwide that I can contribute a lot to the development of Ijesaland.

Again, I saw that if I don’t come out, we may lose to other lineage, including my Nephew that I was supporting. He, himself, told me that everywhere he went, he was told to encourage your industrial brother in your family to come out. That he is the one that can march and beat other candidates.

SILVER SPOON

No, I was not with silverspoon, despite being born into royalty. Royalty in Africa is not affluence. Royalty only means a life of affluence when you talk of royalty in Britain, Spain, parts of Europe and other places. In my own case, in spite of royalty, my parents struggled like any other parents to put me and the other children through.

Yes, my parents were average. My father was a building contractor, while Mama was into supplies. But by the standard of those days, we were comfortable but not rich. They were able to pay their bills. But you are wrong to say they were rich because I studied in America. We thank God for His mercies but I say to you, I was born with a wooden spoon.

LESSONS PAPA & MAMA TAUGHT ME

They taught me to be humble, to be generous, and kind to lesser ones; to struggle hard, work hard and pray hard. On the religion aspect, we do morning and night devotion without fail. I was born into the Methodist Church. When I grew up, I changed my path and ended up in CMS (Anglican). Later, I join the Pentecostal movement.

No, we weren’t hopping from church to church, it was for good reasons. One, the choice depends on the closeness of these churches to where I live at any given time. Relationship is another factor.

Prophet Fakeye of C&S Ayo Ni O was from Ilesa, my home town. He also encouraged me to be coming to their church which was close to my house in FESTAC.

CHILDHOOD PRANKS

I didn’t play pranks while I was growing up. I was a serious student, focusing majorly on my studies. Fortunately, I had very little activities outside being a chorister and a student. I was a chorister at Methodist Church. But I often do go to clubs like younger people did. Yet, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke.

Pressures from girls? To be candid, there were. But I tried to manage it. I think that right from my youth, God has been guiding my path up to this level. Like any young man, there were relationships but I don’t mess around. I never took sex as pranks.

I went to Eko Boys High School. Even when I was in Federal School of Science, I hated hurting feelings.

That’s why if I’m in a relationship, and we have to part ways, you can’t fault me for breaking such a

relationship. It is usually from the other side. I don’t like those who hurts others. We could not play any pranks in Eko Boys High School because we had Reverend Akin Adeshola as the principal. He was a strict disciplinarian and most students behaved well.

COMING TO AMERICA

I went to the Federal School of Science first in Lagos before going to Howard University in the US. I was planning. You know in the US, before you do medicine, you must have a first degree.

So, I thought going into pharmacy will make my medical testing easier but fortunately, I have an uncle who came during my second year and seeing my performance, he decided to be responsible for my school fees all through the pharmaceutical programme and then the day after, he encouraged me to come and join politics, and which I did. This was in 1980.

ROTATIONAL PRESIDENCY

Yes, I participated in General Babangida’s endless transitions.

That there is no longer monopoly in Nigeria and you can see a lot of stability. That’s what I saw as a gain to the rotational presidency issue. And that’s what also brought Buhari to second term.

Despite the issue of herdsmen, killings, banditry and so on, no Southerner came out during the second term to oppose him.

So, he had a second term and that’s why President Tinubu was also able to make it. It’s because Northerners with conscience believed that rotational presidency must be adopted, and that was what brought President Tinubu to power and after him. I expect southerners to give the Northerners a chance and gradually, we will get there.

Reviewing the 13% derivation was another clincher in the struggle for equity, fairness and justice. When you are enjoying a monopoly, you believe you can do and undo. So, you don’t care how much others feel in the country. But when you now know that you need their votes, you can’t monopolize power. There is no more issue of monopoly. There is rotation of power, and hopefully equitable distribution of resources.

INSURGENCY & INSECURITY

The rash of banditry, kidnappings an unnecessary bloodshed are part of our inherited problem, and this has its foundation on religion.

The Muslims in the North have more faith in the Islamic studies and Islamic programmes than Western education. That is how the Boko Haram people came up with the strange philosophy that western education is evil. It is haram. That strange doctrine caught on because the vast majority of them are illiterates, extremely poor with little or no opportunities. They became idle hand for the devil. So, if you see the almagiris, you will be pitiful for our youths in that region.

Jonathan, as a President, tried to establish special schools and did other things to address that, but it still didn’t work well. It was not allowed to work by those who wanted to keep their people in perpetual poverty and servitude.

So, all we can do is intensify the efforts of making sure every youth in Nigeria has free, and compulsory education. Leaders, particularly those in government, local government chairmen, etc., should put emphasis on education for their youths especially now that there is increase in revenue allocation for all the three strata of government. Kudos to President Tinubu and the Attorney General, and the Supreme Court that made the local government autonomous by making them to get their grants directly.

MY AGENDA FOR IJESAS

I agree with you that the stool of the Owa Obokun Adimula is a powerful stool. And I do not take that for granted. I thank God Almighty for this day. I never knew it would come. Since God has made it happen, I will not disappoint. I will do my best to uplift the economies and standard of living of our people in all the 6 local government areas that Ijesaland occupy.

During my coronation, I will launch an agric and agro-industrial project because we have very fertile and arable soil. With our vast land in our 6 local governments, the only way is to utilize those land. We intend to work with a farm in Nasarawa State. They are being supported by Israeli experts. We have started by selecting at least four from each local government area to be trained by this agric company. And they will be coming to Ijesaland to check on our soil and advise us on appropriate crops that can be grown in a particular location. Those who are trained will be the forerunners in executing the project.

REGRETS? NEVER

Regrets? None. I never regretted any part of my life. I have always been very modest right from my youth and at the same time, very hard working.

*Citypeople*