For The Records...


SPEECH BY OTUNBA (DR.) GANI ADAMS AT HIS INSTALLATION AS THE 15TH AARE ONA KAKANFO OF YORUBALAND BY THE ALAAFIN OF OYO, IKU BABA YEYE, HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, OBA LAMIDI OLAYIWOLA ADEYEMI III.

Date: Saturday, January 13, 2018
Venue: Dunbar Stadium, Oyo town.
Time: 11am


PROTOCOLS

Mo juba awon Aare Ona Kakanfo to siwaju mi:

1. Kokoro Gangan of Iwoye

2. Oyapote of Iwoye

3. Oyabi of Ajase

4. Adeta of Jabata

5. Oku of Jabata

6. Afonja of Ilorin

7. Toyeje of Ogbomoso

8. Edun of Gbogun

9. Amepo of Abemo

10. Kurumi of Ijaiye

11. Ojo Aburumaku of Ogbomoso (son of Toyeje of Ogbomosho)

12. Latoosa of Ibadan

13. Ladoke Akintola of Ogbomoso

14. M.K.O. Abiola of Abeokuta


There cannot be a more humbling occasion for me as the one we are in today.
Against the backdrop of the size of the office the Iku Baba Yeye, His Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi III, has bestowed on me and the larger than life image of my predecessors, my installation as the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo is a challenge that has made all past challenges seem like a child’s play.

Though I am just stepping into the office, past occupants of the seat, especially the 13th and 14th occupants - Aare Samuel Ladoke Akintola and Aare Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola - brought so much power and glamour to the office that it is obvious I have a lot of work to do. As astute businessmen and politicians of note, they raised the profile of the office.

There is no doubt from the reactions that followed my pronouncement by the Alaafin of Oyo as the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo that the power and prestige of the office has not waned since it was created centuries ago by Alaafin Ajagbo.

In fact, the epoch-making event of today is symbolic as 2018 marks the 558th anniversary of the installation of the first Aare Ona Kakanfo – Kokoro Gangan of Iwoye.

It is of interest to note that the military, political, traditional and cultural symbolism of the title to the Yoruba Empire, about 600 years ago, is still of strategic importance in the 21st Century.

This attribute reveals the uniqueness of the Yoruba race and shows that so much is still expected of the occupant of the post, despite the fact that physical and armed wars are no longer the order of the day.

In fact, despite the fact that I am an holder of 52 traditional titles, none has drawn as much comments and commendation by way of letters and visits.

The import of the Office still stands: protection of the interests of Yoruba race, both within the country and everywhere else people of the race exist.

While it is estimated that there are 60 million Yoruba within Nigeria and about 200 million others scattered all over the world, as a starting point, the preservation of the culture of the race will occupy my attention.

Pitiably, as a race, we are gradually losing our culture. In fact, from my travels around the world, it has become obvious that people of other races are taking more interest in our culture than we the owners of the culture, with Americans, Europeans and Asians now earning Degrees in the study of our culture, beliefs and what they have come to term Doctrine. We need to preserve our culture to fully realize the potential of the Yoruba.

Though with an activist background, it is now clear that I have to do more as a bridge builder with this new responsibility.

In as much as the focus of my struggle has changed over the years from the heady days of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) to the spread of our culture through the formation of the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU), which is now in 79 countries, the Olokun Festival Foundation, Gani Adams Foundation and many others, this new responsibility, despite my age, has unwittingly forced the stature of a statesman on me.

I promise to live up to that calling.

In this regard, I will work with our traditional rulers, grassroots leaders and have good rapport with all stakeholders, no matt

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