"Reason l'm different from other Obas' - Soun, reveals why his installation was 'rushed'

“Reason l’m different from other Obas’ – Soun, reveals why his installation was ‘rushed’

Khalid ABRAHAM

Culled from BBC Yoruba

The Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III has highlighted the reason he felt he is different from other traditional rulers.

He also disclosed the reason his installation was rushed by the kingmakers.

Oba Ghandi made these disclosure in an interview he granted BBC Yoruba recently at his palace. He had made allusion to why he should be set apart while responding to a question on the problems he had encountered after becoming Oba on September 2, 2023.

“I am not an Oba that will be selling land or snatching wives or engages in such malfeasances,” he began. “I am not that kind of a King. I have faced a lot of challenges since assuming this throne. However, l do not see them as problematic challenges because when you want to direct people towards an uncharted path such things are bound to happen because most of the things we do are not what a king does.”

Oba Olaoye who disclosed he served as a teacher for five years in the past maintained his purpose is to ignite development in his domain.

“We want our town to witness progress, to have infrastructure, that will bring relief to the residents. The things we wrought l know are detestable to some, but my style is to focus on my goal with unwavering determination, so, we press on. We had education and economic summits this year. These things we are doing aren’t what a typical Oba does. As for me l see the position of an Oba as a position of leadership, this is the major basis for my progressive-mindedness.”

The monarch meanwhile said it wasn’t in his wildest imagination that he would become an Oba, moreover his mother, he revealed, used to make jest of him that he never had tribal mark.

Oba Olaoye now recalled that his installation as the Soun had to be hurried because of an impending court ruling they became privy to.

“The day l was installed was a memorable day, l was installed the second day l came from America. I came in an helicopter and immediately l landed l drove to the palace. We had been told that one of the contestants was seeking to thwart the process with a court injunction, so, immediately l landed at Ogbomoso Grammar School, they had to rush me to the palace. If we didn’t perform the rite that day, perhaps we will still be stuck.”

The former pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God also said, “I never thought I would be Oba, l knew my father was a Prince, Prince Oladunni Olaoye, funningly, my mother would mock me saying, ‘you wouldn’t be able to become an Oba because you do not have tribal mark.’ So, l never saw myself as someone that will be king.”

On insecurity he urged inhabitants of every community to assist the law enforcement agents by furnishing them with intelligence report on shady characters in their neighbourhoods, averring, “If we do this, kidnapping and banditry will be a thing of the past within two to three months. We should cooperate with law enforcement agents.”