OLUBADAN, A STOOL NOT FOR BOYS, ...... BUT MEN.

YoruByte: - OLUBADAN, A STOOL NOT FOR BOYS, ...... BUT MEN.

25/03/2016

There is an adage in yoruba land that goes thus "Ti Olubadan ba wo nika, o mo egbe baba eni ti n se". it means "Even if the Olubadan adorns a mere knicker, he definitely knows those who his contemporaries are ". It may better be appreciated as, "Though the Olubadan may adorn just a knicker, he definitely is not a contemporary/mate of many people's fathers". Indeed, it is true both literarily and metaphorically.

The Olubadan stool is a very unique monarchical stool such that no other kingdom in the whole of the world has such advanced succession plan. i stand to be corrected. The system of ascension unto the Olubadan stool is so unique that it is worthy to be given some special study by a university someday.

Becoming an Olubadan is not moin-moin o. To become an Olubadan, you must escape infant mortality at birth. You must dribble mortal diseases in your early childhood. As you reach puberty, your hiding skill must be greater than Death's seeking skill. As you play whot with life in your university days, and death hums around you, you must be able to give "Death" pick two, pick three, general market and suspension while you serve your semi last card in 300 level, last card in 400 level and checkup as you graduate, without meeting death. Sorry, you are not qualified yet to be Olubadan. As you go for NYSC, you must be able to "gbe'kude". when you come back from service and start proper life, you are required to be able to do leg-over for Death. you must win death both at the Emirate and Campnou. You must serve death with the salo service and consistently do an Hussain Bolt against death for a long time in your life. what all these simply means is that ..... you must have a long life span.

You may want to ask why one needs to have a long lifespan before he can become an Olubadan. the simple reason is that the Olubadan stool is the only kingship stool that you attain by promotion. The traditional chieftaincy system that produces the Olubadan of Ibadanland essentially consists of two approved lines - Otun and Balogun lines. . The Balogun line is a military career line to the kingship stool, while the Otun line is a civilian route to the Kingship stool. Now, the Balogun line has a 23-step rung, while the Otun line is 22-step rung before the eventual emergence as Olubadan in a promotional system that abhors supersession unless there is an exceptionally grave circumstance.

The promotion in the line of Balogun follows this pattern: From Jagun – Ajia – Bada – Are-Onibon – Gbonnka – Aare Egbe Omo – Oota – Lagunna – Are-Ago – Ayingun – Asaju – Ikolaba – Aare-Alasa – Agba-Akin – Ekefa – Maye –Abese – Ekarun Balogun – Ekerin Balogun – Ashipa Balogun – Osi Balogun – Otun Balogun and eventually to Balogun. The journey from Jagun to Balogun will take a prospective candidate through a 23-rung ladder, and, having reached the top of the ladder, he becomes Balogun and would, therefore, wait for his turn to emerge the Olubadan of Ibadanland.

The promotion in the line of Olubadan follows the same pattern, but is 22 rungs : From Jagun – Ajia – Bada – Aare Onibon – Gbonnka – Aare-Egbe Omo – Oota – Lagunna – Are-Ago – Ayingun – Asaju – Ikolaba – Aare-Alasa – Agba-Akin – Ekefa – Maye – Abese – Ekarun Olubadan – Ekerin Olubadan – Ashipa Olubadan – Osi Olubadan and finally to Otun Olubadan. The nomenclature looks the same with that of Balogun, until when the prospective candidate finally gets to the Ekarun Olubadan. Upon emergence as the Otun Olubadan, the candidate is set to emerge the next Olubadan of Ibadan land on his turn.

Here is the catch, promotion is not by performance, promotion is by DEATH! A promotion happens only when someone ahead of a candidate dies! Now you see why the youngest ever Olubadan was said to be 72 years (i am not able to independently confirm the age). The current Olubadan is over 80 years.
There is a proverb in yoruba land that says "No matter how you promote a chief, you cant promote him to the extent of becoming a king". Usually, we add "Except the Olubadan".

May God bless the reign of the new Olubadan, Oba Saliu Akanji Adetunji. Kabiyesi, may your days be long like that of Methusellah and may you rule with the wisdom of Sulaiman. May you achieve great accomplishments like Obatala and may your reign be peaceful for all and sundry in Ibadan. Postrating on flat on my chest, I say KAABIYESI ooo!!!

Indeed, even if the Olubadan adorns a mere knicker, he definitely knows those who his contemporaries are.
- Till Next Week Friday

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Yorubyte Tour
The Yorubyte tour to Igboho would take off tomorrow with Friends and Fans of Yorubyte who have signified interest. Igbo-ora , Sepeteri, Shaki, Iseyin, Igboho and Igbeti. Special thanks to the great Alaafin of Oyo. Baba has graciously accepted to receive us in his palace on our way back. can't wait to take a selfie with the Kabiyesi.