FORMER Oyo state Military Administrator, Colonel Ahmed Usman (rtd),at the weekend, lauded the supremacy of the Alaafin of Oyo in Yorubaland, describing the call for the rotation of his chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs as uncalled for.In the same vein, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola Alao, has blamed westernisation for the manner some obas were trying to equate themselves with the Alaafin.The two personalities gave the remarks at the Alaafin's palace in Oyo during the 41st coronation anniversary of the traditional ruler, which was also attended by the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Honourable Monsurat Sunmonu.Usman, who was former military administrator between 19996-1997, said he had a very robust relationship with the Alaafin as a paramount ruler in Yorubaland.Lamenting that some sons and daughters of Yorubaland were not according the Alaafin his deserved honour, Usman said that many of them who hailed from outside Oyo knew the royal importance of the monarchUsman, who based his roots to the Yoruba race, expressed surprise that some people were agitating for the rotation of chairmanship of the state Council of Obas and chiefs.His words: 'There is one thing I want to give impression of. Why is it that some of us will come to Yorubaland and adore people like the Alaafin and some Yoruba sons and daughters don't give him that respect' I was so ashamed that his position as the chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and chiefs should be rotated. I said no to the demand while I was in saddles. 'I was on the sick bed in Jos and I said no way! I called those I should call in Ibadan and other places that they should stop this craziness. Alaafin is the head of obas in Yorubaland. There is no hiding the fact. He was and will be the leader that all Yoruba should follow. If there is any other thing, otherwise, so to say, that will be a total disaster for the race.'I am proud to be associated with the Alaafin and the Oyo people for your warm reception given to me as military administrator here. I came from Ondo State, but I got the best of my life here.Alaafin did so much for me,' said Usman.In his remark, Alhaji Arisekola eulogised Alaafin, saying that 'he is not just a Yoruba obas but had his reign up to Dahomey before they were cut away. Alaafin is not an oba that anybody will just call without reverence. When the Alaafin was reigning over all other obas in Yorubaland, if he stood up, all other obas must face down, but westernisation has changed things,' Arisekola said, while paying for peaceful development in Oyo under the 73-year-old monarch.Governor Ajimobi and the Honourable Sunmonu praised the Alaafin for his sagacity and ability to reign with humility.Present also at the anniversary were other obas including the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Samuel Osunbade; Osolo of Isolo, Oba Agbabiaka; Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Lawal Laminsa1; Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Ganiy Adekunle Ologunebi; Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola; Onpetu Ijeru, Oba Sunday Oladapo Oyediran; Senator Ayo Adeseun; Hon. Kamil Akinlabi; Iyalode of Yoruba land, Chief Alaba Lawson; Chief Akinade Fijabi, Chief Francis Adedayo Taiwo; the Oyomesi, the Ayabas, chairmen of Oyo local government councils, among others.
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