Oba Olayode, Benjamin Adekunle: Why I didn’t visit Soun palace since 1969 – Evang Ade Omo Jesu, formerly Omo Awo
Femi OGUNLANA
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Rev’d Isaac Adediran Ade-Omo Jesu has revealed why he didn’t go to the Ogbomoso Palace at Oja’gbo since June 29, 1969. This is surprising to The Insight considering his status firstly as a former renowned African traditional power endowed man combined with immense magical power and Egungun custodianship, then as a world famed evangelist, which he transited into after jettisoning his old way.
People like him in each of those roles are often welcomed in a palace as association with them conveys some sense of security as they believably are able to commune with the higher powers to bring solutions to diverse problems.
As an Egungun practitioner he was terrible with his invincible Egungun – Omo Awo (whose real name was Alapasa Jigan Ekun, brought from his hometown, Ila, in Osun state); the Egungun struck terror into opponents and was precariously feared. He was also a magician of note who sourced copiously magical power from India, from which repertoire he drew from, to perform extraordinary feats like making women to lay eggs, removing human entrails while keeping the victim alive; he was unarguably a strong medicine man only few could encounter and survive unscathed.
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In 1978, he embraced Christianity, causing him to abandon his old ways – “old things are passed away behold all things are become new.” The spirit of evangelism took hold of him and he became a clergyman with fervour for crusades at which he dwells extensively on his escapades in the occultic world, revealing secrets, enlightening congregations. In either side of the spirit world, he carved remarkable niche for himself reaching position of eminence that makes him a magnetic individual.
But in over 55 years he never ventured into the palace, he said during a chat with The Insight recently. He now unveiled the reason.
“Do you know since the new Soun ascended the throne I never said anything in public concerning it, also when late Oba Oladunni (Oyewumi Ajagungbade III) was enthroned (in 1973), I didn’t attend the ceremony, and till he ended his journey on the throne I never went to the palace?” This is as he also steered clear of the palace during the installation and reign of Oba Oyewumi’s predecessor, Oba Ajiboye Salami Itabiyi III.
The chat was actually prompted by the 10th anniversary of late Brigadier Benjamin Adesanya Maja Adekunle, Nigeria’s Civil War hero and who was installed Asipa of Ogbomoso by late Oba Emmanuel Olajide Olayode II on June 29, 1969.
“When Adekunle was made the Asipa, I, Foyanmu and Akanni Babarinde performed at the old public playground at Takie (which became NITEL office and now partly used as Civil Defense station),” Ade Omo Jesu recalled.
“It was a memorable day, we all loved Adekunle for the honour he brought to Ogbomoso because of his prowess in the ongoing civil war then and everyone hailed Oba Olayode for his discretion in honouring Adekunle. But three days after, the Oba was gruesomely murdered. That sent a shock wave across the land, hosanna today, kill him tomorrow.”
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Though not part of the mob that perpetrated the mindless and unwarranted assassination, he was picked up by security agents as a suspect “though I never took part in it,” he asserted. “Perhaps I was arrested as a suspect because of my antecedent but I never was part of the mob. Security agents also arrested Rev Ige and the mother of Madam Akunko.”
He continued, “I was brutally maltreated despite my profession of innocence but the other two were not. I suffered severely before I was eventually released when they could not establish anything against me.”
That horrible experience was what made him avoid the palace since then. “Because of that nasty experience I resolved never to have anything to do with the palace again. Even as an Egungun I refrained from visiting the palace. During the special annual dance by selected Egunguns (itadogun – 15th day after the annual festival), at the town hall, I made sure to cut off the palace route while going to the itadogun venue at the town hall, Oja’gbo. I would see the Oba there but I made sure never to go to the palace. So, since 1969, l have refrained from going to the palace,” he disclosed.
