Monarchs slam Gani Adams for opposing coronation of Yoruba traditional rulers in Diaspora

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Monarchs slam Gani Adams for opposing coronation of Yoruba traditional rulers in Diaspora

 

The Council of Yoruba Obas in Diaspora has queried the basis for opposition to the endorsement of some kings in Diaspora by the Olugbo of Ugbo kingdom, Oba Obateru Akinruntan.

Akinruntan had recently in his palace in Ugbo community, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, crowned three Diaspora-based Nigerians as Yoruba Obas.

The three crowned traditional rulers are the Oriade of Georgia, United States, Oba Bernard Shola Akinrimisi; the traditional ruler of Yoruba in the Republic of Ireland, Oba Saheed Ibrahim Adufe, and the traditional ruler of Yoruba in Liberia, Oba Omobolaji Ogunkoya.

However, Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams and his supporters had criticised the action of the monarch.

But the Secretary, Council of Yoruba Obas in Diaspora, Mr. Olukunle Akanbi, in a statement yesterday, said a campaign of calumny against the royal father would not stand.

Rather, he hailed the action of the Olugbo of Ugbo kingdom as a proactive sign of his commitment to the preservation of the Yoruba culture, both at home and in the Diaspora.

In its statement, the council said, “We, Oba Yoruba in Diaspora, appreciate Olugbo and Paramount Ruler of Ugbo Kingdom. The proscribed authority for the affirmation honour and formal recognition bestowed on us on April 22 in his palace, we are so grateful to Olodumare for His mercy on us.

“It is apposite to say that it is sacrilegious in Yorubaland for a chief like Adams to start querying or denigrating the office of any Yoruba king, talk more of a highly revered monarch like Olugbo.

“How can a subject be attacking a king over a legitimate installation that will protect our culture in a vast changing society. The question we want to ask Adams, who is only a traditional chief in Oyo kingdom, is, What right or authority does he has to denigrate the yearnings of Yoruba sons and daughters in the Diaspora who demanded for the endorsement of these authentic royal emissaries as kings over Yoruba communities in the Diaspora?

“Is he more Yoruba than those of us in the Diaspora or is it a crime to be in the Diaspora as a Yoruba son? Did he contribute anything to our relocation to the Diaspora for him to be acting like our caregiver?

“While it is not difficult to fetch Adams critical motives against the installation of the worthy ambassadors in the Diaspora, it will suffice to refresh his memories that Olugbo, who has a deep record of Yoruba history, has never and would never do anything undermine or compromise the Yoruba culture.

“Going forward, the council cease to be distracted by the needless antics of Adams and his ilk, but to continue to see how to preserve and protect our highly revered culture and our people in the Diaspora.

“We urge Adams to look for means of settling his differences with legions of notable Yoruba sons and daughters including members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).”

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