The Obaship crisis rocking Yoruba Community in the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT) is showing no sign of abating. In fact,
it got to a level that the traditional ruler of Yoruba in the
territory, Oba (Dr) Olusegun Salau, warned those he accused
of sowing seeds of discord among members of the
community for selfish interests, to desist from such. He even
threatened that henceforth, anybody caught in the act would
be handed over to security agencies for appropriate
sanction.
The major contention is over who the authentic Oba of
Yoruba in Abuja is. Salau had insisted that he remained the
only recognised Oba and advised the contenders to embrace
peace in the interest of the Yoruba race.
Oba Salau recently summoned an emergency meeting with
chiefs and elders of the Yoruba community at his Kado’s
place in Life Camp to find solution to the crisis. He told them
that the meeting was summoned to find a way of redeeming
the image of the community which he noted had been badly
damaged through incessant crises and indiscipline among
residents.
The Oba expressed dissatisfaction that the main reasons for
the formation of the community were yet to be fully realised
many years after the community was formed. ”During this
period, it has been one form of crisis, mistrust, bickering,
blackmail and all these have largely affected our progress
and image as a community in FCT,” he told them.
According to him, “going down memory lane, you will recall
that the birth of Yoruba Community, FCT came into being
following my installation as the Oba Yoruba of Abuja at an
event which was widely publicised and which was attended
by all prominent Yoruba sons and daughters residing in
Abuja.”
Oba Salau, who highlighted most of the steps taken earlier
to ensure peace within the community as well as in other
ethnic groups within the FCT, including the emergence of Six
Area Councils’ chairmen with the appointment of an Oba as
the chairman to coordinate the activities of the Yorubas in
each Area Council who should report back to him, said that
it was unfortunate that some members went ahead and
sabotaged the efforts for selfish reasons.
He told them: “It is time to put an end to all this nonsense.
Our teeming brothers and sisters resident in the FCT are
looking up to us for what will benefit them just as their
neighbours are benefitting from their own tribal
communities. In this new era of change, we cannot continue
this way; it is unacceptable to me.”
Oba Salau insisted that there was no leadership problem in
Yoruba community in the FCT and said: “I am the only
person so chosen by the Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba
Yunusa as the paramount traditional ruler and leader of
Yoruba Community. I am quite aware of my enormous
power
“The fact that I allowed everybody to operate freely does not
mean I am weak. Henceforth, I have resolved to put an end
to this disgrace and embarrassments. My actions to some
extend are to bring sanity and honour to the Yoruba
community, FCT where it will earn us greater peace and
progress,” he stated.
Oba Salau, certainly, did not stop there as he announced the
prohibition of proliferation of Obaship titles in the FCT,
saying that the action was in line with the authority
conferred on him by the Ona Abaji and chairman, Council of
Traditional Rulers in FCT, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa.
According to him, “Henceforth, there is only one Obaship
title in the whole of FCT, which is my own: the Oba of Yoruba
Abuja, while the rest will be known and addressed as Chief
of Yoruba in the respective villages as my representatives in
all the satellite towns and villages and they are expected to
report back to me the activities of the Yorubas in the council
areas
“Anybody or group of persons that move about parading
themselves as leaders of Yoruba Community in Abuja,
without my knowledge, for instance, the so-called Egbe
Omo-Odua Yoruba in FCT, will henceforth be dealt with and
treated as fraudsters.”
“Any Chief without my approval that moves around parading
himself as Chief of Yoruba in any part of the FCT, for
instance, those whose certificates as Yoruba leaders do not
emanate from my office, will be dealt with and treated as
fraudsters,” he added.
No comments:
Post a Comment