At 81 years, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi is as fit as fiddle, physically and mentally, spending hours in his library. He hosted ND’s BABATUNDE ODOFIN during which he spoke about different issues. This is an excerpt of the interview
Can you share with us what informs your strictness to time at public function?
What informed it is the kind of discipline I gave myself while growing up. I live with good example. What do I mean by good example? Because I am the Alaafin, I must be seen as an embodiment of culture and tradition. I must conform to the best practices with a view to positively influence the public. Have you observed the number of people in Oyo that wear ‘abeti aja’ cap? The cap is about promotion of our culture which I am known with and it became acceptable to many people. This is an example of leading by example I talked about. I should say my upbringing really shaped my discipline level, especially, in terms of punctuality you mentioned. I find it difficult to tolerate a late comer. I schedule appointment based strictly on time because doing so will enable me to organize myself very well. I think there is nothing special in it, only that it may look extraordinary where people burn away their time. Why are the white more developed? Their sense of organisation is one of the reasons. There is time for everything and my aides understand this perfectly. When it is time to read, time to engage in serious reading, you cannot see me receiving guests. It does not work that way. When it is time to write, you don’t distract me.
Where then do you derive the strength despite your advanced age?
(Smiling)The age you talk about is different from capacity. Leadership is the capacity to deliver, to meet the expectation of the people. Don’t forget that age goes with experience. But experience is also not enough but capacity to make the needed difference. General Charles De Gaulle was recalled when he was already 68 years old to fix France. Why do you think this happened? It was because of the French people‘s faith in De Gaulle’s capacity to turn the fortune of the country around. Also Winston Churchill of Britain also came back at 66. These are leaders who had the needed capacity to impact positively on their respective countries and generation. What is most important is the capacity, the vision and ability to see the potentials of a society and reach for them to transform the society. The secret of life is openness, hence I always insist on the rule of transparency.
Aren’t you worried about the current generation of youth in the society?
One should be worried, especially if you are a leader. You must think of what the future holds for these youths. Take for instance, when I talk and make reference to one or two sources, I expect our youths to dig further to confirm my claim or refuse it. But when you go to the social media, what they do is throw insult. They are intellectually lazy to engage in productive exercise. What concerns them more is how to quickly make money. But there are some who have shown seriousness and they are doing good in their respective ca
What is the way out of this prevalent problem of broken homes in the society?
The problem has effect on both family and the society as they have continued to place unnecessary tension, thereby constituting clogs in the wheels of national development and survival. Broken homes produce children deprived and denied of qualitative education, adequate parental care and wider opportunities, and consequently, most times turn out to be social deviants and delinquents with constitution of nuisance in the society as their major stock in trade. The child’s first place of contact to the world is parent. So, the child acquires initial education and socialisation from parents and other significant persons in the family. The family lays the psychological, moral and spiritual foundation in the overall development of the child. The way out as your question requested is that couples should allow trust, confidence, harmony and sincerity of purpose to be cornerstones of their lifestyles. When the child grows with these virtues, there is no way the child would derail and turn to social vices. It is important for parents to take note of this. To a large extent, you are the determinants of development of your children.
What is your take on public loss of confidence in public office holders?
Under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the public has every right to their feelings about those they elected through their votes. So, I have nothing against how the public feels about politicians. With my close observation, I have found out that many politicians have become very selfish and uncaring about their actions and their implications on their fellow human beings and society. We have become less than animals in our struggle for survival and quest for the good things of life. The end justifies the means, we say. And sometimes, the means can be as crass as downright dirty to downright evil. It is now a case of everyone for himself or herself and God for (the smart) us all. Nothing can be as demoralising, debasing and heartbreaking as for our politicians to brazenly betray trust and confidence reposed in them by the teeming impoverished populace, in a most callous manner. It is high time they had a change of heart and refocused their attention on how to improve the wellbeing of these people back home. They must remember that there is always life after political offices.
How significant is the justice administration in Yorubaland?
One cannot fully understand justice administration in Yorubaland without first understanding the elements of democracy that are featured in pre-colonial and traditional Yoruba social and political structures.Yoruba political and informal legal systems operated both as a segmented lineage groups and as a centralized kingdoms with elaborate, bureaucratic legal systems. Tthe Yoruba are known for their tremendous use of idioms, proverbs and anecdotes in dispute resolution. Prior to the colonial era, the Yoruba practiced a democratic system of government where leadership was by choice and the kingdom was democratically structured with a three-tier government made up of the executive, legislative and judicial branches. The Oba was the supreme head of the government and a representative of Olodumare (God Almighty).The Oba ruled in conjunction with his Igbimo (council of chiefs), and they made up the executive arm of government. The Igbimo is also referred to as the Oyo Mesi (a body of wisemen )”
You just clocked 81 years. How do you feel attaining that age?
Attaining 81 years is not by my power. No. I give credit of every phase of my life to God, for without Him, I am nobody. I am read and knowledgeable enough to know that God is the supreme being over His creatures among of whom I am. So to Him be the glory because of the road I tread to have attained this age.
What is your birthday message, especially to the youths who seem to be impatient about life?
We should not keep quiet on the matter concerning the youths. Our youths should know today that one single most important quality they can ever develop to live a meaningful life is the value of integrity. Integrity is the core quality of a successful and happy life. Having integrity means being totally honest and truthful in every part of your life. By making the commitment to become a totally honest person, you will be doing more to ensure your success and happiness in life than anything else you can ever do. Integrity is a value, like persistence, courage, and intelligence. It is your choice of values and resolution to live by those values that form your character and personality. And it is integrity that enhances all your other values. The quality of person you are is determined by how well you live up to the values that are most important to you. Integrity is the quality that locks in your values and causes you to live consistent with them. It is not how far a journey but how well. And when you talk of wellness of a journey you talk of integrity with which you travel the rough road of life.
