Image caption: Oba Ghandi
We’ll appoint for palace too chaplain, traditional priest if – Soun, as cleric craves emergence of heroic Obas
Khalid ABRAHAM
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Soun of Ogbomosoland Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III has further highlighted his vision for his domain disclosing the palace would now have a chaplain to conduct Christian service and a priest to lead prayer in the traditional way.
Oba Olaoye who made this declaration at the palace on Sunday during a prayer session to commemorate his 63rd birthday anniversary organized by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Ogbomoso zone chapter emphasized the importance of prayer in driving his Year 2025 – 2050 Development Plan for Ogbomoso zone.
The monarch said having appointed an Imam for the palace and Soun Ruling Dynasty it becomes imperative for the appointment of a chaplain too adding the traditional worshipers too would have a priest who will conduct prayer in the palace.
“Last Friday, we turbaned an Imam for the palace, we will also choose a chaplain for the palace,” he said.
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He re-affirmed the need for religious harmony saying, “We will treat all religions equally.”
To further emphasize this, the Oba averred, “The sky is wide enough for all birds to fly without gliding into one another. If all inhabitants of Ogbomoso decide they will attend church will all the available church auditoriums contain everyone? So also if everyone chooses to be going to mosque will all the mosques on ground accommodate everyone? There is enough space for everyone. Faith is a matter of the mind. God alone knows who is serving him.”
This is as he reiterated, “We will have a chaplain too, and we will choose a day, when you will come for your service,” charging, “Continue to pray for me and for the town, if it is well with the Oba, it will be well for the town. A gathering like this should be regular, monthly or bi-monthly. Let’s pray together regularly, it is going to be an inter-denominational prayer. Prayer is never too much. The African Traditional Religion adherents too if they want we will schedule a prayer session. If Muslims, Christians and traditional religion adherents pray together we will change the narrative.”
The paramount ruler also used the opportunity to speak on his development vision especially after the preacher at the occasion Rev’d Niyi Adebayo, lead pastor of True Worshipers Church, bemoaned the economic state of, and infrastructural deficits in Ogbomoso with the Oba stressing that the day the indigenes resolved to change the narrative of the town for the better “that is when the turnaround will begin. The moment we are fed up with our present situation and we are determined to rebuild our community, it is that day the process will begin. Our determination will ignite the change. ”
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Emphasizing on unity and cooperation, he informed, “We are encouraging our people who are investors to replicate their investments at home,” assuring there would be turnaround in the areas of electricity and roads and other infrastructures to stimulate economic activities. “If we all decide to change the narrative things will change for the better,” he reechoed, submitting a lot will be accomplished through communal efforts, “Nehemiah was supported by the people, they contributed resources, they gave of themselves to rebuild the temple, when we start to devote ourselves to something like this, our country will be better. If we wait for the government, know that government is also waiting for us, God will make everything possible.”
Earlier in his exhortation Rev’d Adebayo observed Ogbomoso is far from realizing its potential, lamenting many amenities and infrastructures are either lacking or inadequate. He particularly expressed disgust over the spate of abandonment of federal government projects in the town such as the Ogbomoso-Oyo section of the new Ibadan-Ilorin expressway and the ubiquitous intra-city bad roads, the 132kv substation, industrial atrophy that assailed many previously thriving industries like the Alata Flour Mill, Vaughan Thomas Cork Industry etc.
He consequently declared, “Kabiyesi you will discover we are struggling in Ogbomoso. In fact, many do ask how we survive in this town. If you invite men of God for special programmes in Ogbomoso, they are reluctant to come because of the condition of the Ogbomoso-Oyo road infested with trailers (articulated vehicles) and they will express preference for zoom participation. It is a serious problem.”
Against this background, he urged the indigenes to be borne by the love of the town, submitting that the task of developing the community lies with them as witnessed elsewhere. “Our people are rich but they refuse to bring what will bring economic values. If you go to Ogun state, you will see the impact of (Chief Mike) Adenuga, Subomi (Balogun, as they invest in Lagos they also invest in their towns. It is indigenes of a town that turns it into a commercial centre and not government. How we will get our rich people to invest in the town is important so that our teeming youths will not all have to leave the town.”
The cleric who spoke passionately also appealed to the traditional rulers in the zone to forge unity and cooperation, underlining their rivalries is counterproductive.
He stressed the imperative of unity and jettisoning of the aspects of histories that spark animosities, positing that people rather than history make a town.
He underscored however that enormous price will be paid to achieve the elusive peace beseeching the Soun to put in everything for the attainment of peace and unity in the zone.
“Our royal fathers should realize that history does not make a town it is the people that make a town. Rivalry among our royal fathers has set us back. Our plea to our royal fathers is to de-emphasize aspects of our histories that create crises; let us set them aside, history does not make a town it is the people who make history, any part of our history that has brought us stagnation this long, let us put it away. Ditto for titles, we are not interested in celebrating titles, but the impact made, it is achievement we want to celebrate. What is the benefit of the title that has stagnated Ogbomoso too long?”
He further asserted, “What we need rather are people, we need Obas with heroic character. Obas who will play the role of a hero, who will be ready to swallow shame, mockery because of peace. Let me emphasize that peace is costly, if you think otherwise go and ask Jesus. Peace cannot be attained without losing something.”
He pointed out Obas in the Bible are not fondly remembered because of their titles but on account of the impact they made, noting, “As mantle is superior to title (in the ministry) so is impact superior to title. It is irrelevant.”
He therefore pleaded with Oba Olaoye to help in appealing to the other Obas, restating, “The aspects of our histories that create tension should be acknowledged for what they are, but not be allowed to set us back. Where we are is where history can take us to, we must know the history of the community is not the way we want it, it is how we met it and there is nothing we can do to it. We should jettison controversial histories and be borne by the thought of the legacy we will bequeath.”
He called on the Soun to assume the mission of finding peace but to be prepared to pay the enormous price just as he appealed to everyone close to the different Obas to preach peace and unity.
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Adebayo, who is also the proprietor of Zoe Group of Schools affirmed strong belief that the monarch will succeed on the throne while encouraging everyone to intensify prayer for his success.
The man of God, who last week released a short video calling attention to the deplorable condition of road infrastructures in Ogbomoso and environs, then prophesized that the Oba will make success of the assignment ahead of him, ”since your mission is to rebuild and regenerate this town.”
The CAN chairman in the zone Venerable Dr. J.S. Adegoke congratulating Oba Ghandi assured him the body will continue to pray for his success “and your majesty will succeed in Jesus name.”
ogbomosoinsightonline.com recalls that on Friday the Muslim community also had a birthday commemorative prayer session for the Oba tagged “Glorification prayer,” coinciding with the usual Friday Muslim prayers at the palace, during which an Imam was installed to lead prayers in the abode of the king and perform other spiritual functions.
