NUMBER SEVEN (7), IFE – OOYE AND 1
TEXT OF ACCEPTANCE SPEECH DELIVERED BY OLOYE ’LEKAN ALABI, D.Litt (h.c) AGBA AKIN
OLUBADAN OF IBADANLAND AT HIS INVESTITURE AS THE CULTURAL AMBASSADOR OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM, ILE-IFE, STATE OF OSUN, NIGERIA, ON FRIDAY, 7/7/17 AT 2:00PM IN THE PALACE OF OONI OF IFE, HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, OBA BABATUNDE ENITAN ADEYEYE OGUNWUSI, OJAJA II.
Protocols
It is with thanks to God Almighty, appreciation to Kabiyesi OOni of Ife and the Management of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Ile-Ife State of Osun, Nigeria that I deliver this acceptance speech moments after my investiture as the Cultural Ambassador of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments Ile-Ife, right here in the palace of the Ooni of Ife, this seventh (7th) day of the seventh (7th) month of year 2017.
I have titled my speech “NUMBER 7, IFE-OOYE AND 1” the kernel of which is centered on Number 7 for reasons which I shall explain shortly. I received a letter dated 29th March, 2017, signed by the Curator of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Ile-Ife, for appointing me the Cultural Ambassador.
In my letter of acceptance of the kind offer/appointment by the NCMM, Ile-Ife, I described my appointment as a great honour and call to service.
The Curator, Mr. Joseph Olusegun Ogundele, offered to travel from Ile-Ife to Ibadan my beloved hometown and base, to perform my investiture and presentation of insignia of office. In my reply, I thanked him and his team for the second honour, if my appointment is regarded as the first honour by the NCMM, Ile-Ife, but politely rejected his kind offer of decorating me with my insignia of office in Ibadan. Rather, I politely demanded that the Curator please approach Kabiyesi Ooni Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on my behalf and convey my humble request that Kabiyesi please host me and my guests here in his palace. The rest as they say, is history. Kabiyesi the Ooni of Ife added to my honour by graciously giving me the opinion of choosing this date for my investiture. I remain eternally grateful, Kabiyesi for this honour.
Your Excellency, Kabiyesi, distinguished guests and gentlemen of the Press, this is the nexus of figure 7, Ife – Ooye and my humble self.
Oduduwa, Yoruba ancestral father, gave birth to seven children. They were:
- Oranmiyan Alaafin of Oyo
- Orangun Ile-Ila
- Olowu of Owu
- Owa Ijesa
- Alaketu in Benin Republic
- Onipo of Popo in Benin Republic
- Oni Sabe of Sabe in Benin RepublicOduduwa is a seven – letter word and name. The three Oonis that God has made me cross their royal paths had/has seven-letter names. (1) OONI ADESOJI ADEREMI (2) OONI OKUNADE OLUBUSE II, and our revered incumbent, OONI OJAJA II, Oba Adeyeye.The late Ooni, Oba Adesoji Aderemi, was on the throne. On the day of our visit to him in this same palace, he told us about Nigeria’s struggle for Independence, our political leaders etc. I remember Kabiyesi asking how many of us wanted to become political leaders such as Prime Minister, Premier, Ministers etc I raised up my hand when Kabiyesi mentioned the position of Premier.1. ODUDUWA – (7 LETTERS) 3. IFE OOYE – 7 5. OLADOSU – MY LATE FATHER’S MIDDLE NAME (7)7. AJENGBE – MY PATERNAL GRANDFATHER’S FAMILY TITLE IN IBADAN (7)9. OYEYEMI – MY MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER’S NAME (7) 11. AROWOLO – MY PET NAME FROM FAMILY HOUSEWIVESThis is my seventh significant visit to this palace 2. 1970 – As a guest of my friend, Prince Popoola Aderemi, a son of Kabiyesi Ooni Aderemi who invited me to Kabiyesi Aderemi’s 40th anniversary on the throne.4. 2005 – To thank Ooni Olubuse II for the 22 karat gold/diamond-set of cutleries that Kabiyesi Oba Sijuade presented to me for my performance as the MC at the launch of Chief Ebenezer Babatope’s autobiography at the NIIA, Vic Island, Lagos.6. 2017 – To thank Kabiyesi Ojaja II for accepting to host today’s event The promotion of our time – honoured culture and tradition is a duty that I have been committed to since birth. I was born into the pure Yoruba/Ibadan/Ekiti aristocracy. I was groomed deeply in the tradition and culture of the Yoruba. I continue to learn, observe and imbibe the cultures of other tribes / races which have affinity with Yoruba.
- What is Culture? This is my usual answer to this question.
- In accepting this great appointment as the Cultural Ambassador of NCMM, Ile-Ife, I belief that with the blessing and divine direction of God Almighty and support of sincere people, my tenure and performance will not only be easy, it will God willing, be creative, beautiful, purposeful, progressive, remarkable, profitable and enviable. Amen.
- 7. 7/7/17 – Here we are – to receive my insignia of office as the Cultural Ambassador.
- 5. 2016 – A member of Olubadan Ajeogungunniso I team on a thank you visit to Ooni Ojaja II for attending Olubadan Coronation in Ibadan.
- 3. 1981 – To interview late Ooni Olubuse II on his first anniversary on the throne.
- 1. 1960 – As a ten- year old primary school visitor
- 12. OY 1777 BD– THE REGISTRATION NO OF MY PEUGEOT 505 (SR) SALOON CAR BOUGHT IN 1980
- 10. ADENIYI – ONE OF MY SUNAH (7)
- 8. ODUNOLA – MY PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER’S NAME (7)
- 6. OSHOTUN – MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER’S FAMILY NAME IN EMURE EKITI, EKITI STATE (7)
- 4. IBADAN, MY BELOVED HOMETOWN SPRANG FROM ITS ORIGINAL NAME OF EBA – ODAN (7)
- 2. ODUDUWA’S CHILDREN – 7
- I have been asked why I chose today, Friday the 7th day of the 7th month of Year 2017. My answer is always that 7 is a powerful, special, divine figure in numerology and astrology etc. All over the world, number 7 is revered. Talk less in Yorubaland. Here are some powerful points to do with my selection of today, 7/7/17 for today’s event.
- I first stepped on the soil of Ile-Ife sometime in 1960, as a ten-year old primary III pupil of Seventh Day Adventist Primary School, Oke-Foko, Ibadan on an excursion to the cradle of the Yorubas. The 7th – Day Adventist Mission in the 1950s – 1960s used to organize annual “Camp Meetings” for pupils of the mission schools in the defunct Western Region of Nigeria. Today’s NYSC programme is much akin to 7th Day Adventist’s “Camp Meetings”. Our parents paid for our 2-week boarding, while SDA camped us in schools outside Ibadan, the capital city of WRN. We undertook endurance, etiquette, religious, cultural, social programmes and tests in the course of the Meetings. While in primary 1 in 1958, my first Camp Meeting attendance was in Ede, where we went to by train. As I said, I came to the Ile-Ife Camp Meeting in 1960, as a 10-year old primary III pupil of SDA, Oke-Foko, Ibadan.
- LANGUAGE – The channel of communication (oral & written) of a race or tribe. Never must we subjugate our mother-tongue or feel inferior. In this particular environment, Yoruba, a very rich language full of idioms, anecdotes etc whereby the speaker can convey a message of 100 words with just a proverb or quip of just one or two sentences and still pass his/her message across in full. Although, it will take a deep receiver writer or listener to perceive. Speak your mother-tongue always.
- TRADITION – The customary acts of a people, be they Germans, Americans, Indians, Kenyans, Japanese, Arabs etc Examples of Halloweens in Europe, breaking of bottles of champagne / wine on a new ship about to make a maiden sail. The white turkeys in the USA for Thanksgiving Day, the idolation of cows by Indians, the reverence of dead ancestors by Yoruba known as Egungun Festival etc. The observance of Saint George’s Day in the United Kingdom. The month of January is dedicated to a Greek god, Janus.
- DRESSES – At first sight, you will identify a Scot, Chinese, Yoruba, Igbo, Red-Indian, Arab, British Lady etc through their native wears. A well dressed – Yoruba lady and gentleman are delightful sights, as a Nupe, Ebira, Urhobo and Fanti would also.
- FOOD – Our indigenous foods such as olele and eko, akamu, fura de nunu, tuwo, oka and gbegiri, ekuru, iyan and efo, apu, isi-ewu, etc are far richer in nutrients than the cancer-inducing foods of foreign lands, appropriately called fast or junk foods.
- MUSIC – If great attention is paid to traditional music such as dundun & sekere, sakara, apala, fuji, juju, highlife, listeners will derive knowledge from their philosophical lyrics, joy from the sensible lyrics and more pleasures from the sweet melody. Compare and contrast that with the profanities and ear-splitting noise called Western music with the immoral dressing and dances to boot. Some classical Western music such as jazz and country music make sense though. But, the general genre being copied sheepishly by our youth and so-called adults are what they are – nonsense.
- NAMES –Our traditional names convey meanings and messages of the bearer’s parents of givers of such names, and a well thought out and relevant name is a life pilot. Nobody must, for whatever reason(s) change his/her meaningful names for strange, irrelevant and meaningless ones. Another craze is the “Angliscised” spelling of our beautiful names by some misguided bearers e.g Adebayo spelt wrongly as “Herdebayor” or Olukemi as “Whole ‘U’ Kemmy”.
- PHILOSOPHY/BELIEFS – The Yoruba and Japanese are good examples of practitioners of their ancestral philosophy/beliefs. The Yoruba under the canopy of “Omoluabi” mode. The Japanese will courtesy at every opportunity. The Yoruba “Omoluabi” module encapsulates godliness, respect, honesty, dignity, of labour, charity, equity, kindness, cleanliness, modesty, courage, relaxation, thrift respect etc.CONCLUSION
- Your Excellencies, Kabiyesis, distinguished guests, gentlemen of the Press, may I conclude this acceptance speech by, once again, thanking God Almighty, Kabiyesi Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogungwusi, Ojaja II, their Imperial Majesties, the Olubadan, Alaafin, Awujale, Elemure – and other royal fathers, NCMM, my family, friends, well-wishers, the NUJ, NIPR, Omo Ajorosun Club, CCII and affiliates for your love and kind wishes. I am the Cultural Ambassador of NCMM, Ile-Ife. But, all Yoruba and our true friends are co-directors of this divine task. May God continue to assist us in promoting one of His divine assignments to mankind. Amen.
