INTERVIEW: Oluode Ogbomoso South seeks govt assistance in combating bandits in Yorubaland, gives reasons hunters are best for the job
Femi OGUNLANA
Advertisement
In recent days fear is mounting that terrorists and bandits are fleeing southwest from the north in the face of renewed military onslaught against them; the Army chief has raised the concern and the Oyo state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, also convened an expanded security meeting last week on the issue. Previously, there were insinuations that the Yoruba land was surrounded by the bandits thus the threat is real. Against this backdrop, the head of traditional hunters (Oluode) in Ogbomoso South local governrnment area of Oyo state, Chief Adebayo Amos Abiade, has made an urgent call to the Oyo state governor to assist the organization in terms of funding, asserting that hunters under the banner of Nigerian Local Hunters, are best suited to tackle the menace posed by the fleeing terrorists, who perpetrated so much evil in the north. Chief Abiade, a young man in his 40s and who said he studied to the NCE level, noted that local hunters as the father of all security agents have the wherewithal to face the menace in terms of experience, capability and supernatural powers. “We have the powers to render bombs inactive, to make bandits immobile and their weapons generally useless,” he boasts. He contends that if hunters fight gnomes (iwin and anjannu), wild animals, thieves (armed robbers) and other criminals every day, neutralizing bandits will be a piece of meat. He however emphasizes that a little assistance from the government will go a long way in upping their readiness – he wants government to provide them vehicles and motorcycles for patrols and to effect quick responses to emergencies, and stipends during such operations; in addition, he wants the matter taken up by the Oyo State House of Assembly for legislative consideration.
The Oluode also recalls some of his encounters during hunting adventures, how his father killed a mounted gnome, among others.
Read excerpts of the interview originally conducted in Yourba language, it’s an interesting read.
Introduce yourself Oluode, where are you from?
I am Adebayo Amos Abiade. Oluode of Ogbomoso South local government under Oba Sunday Oyediran Lagbami Osekun III, the Onpetu of Ijeruland. I am from Ile Abo Akinsola in Ijeru, a lineage of hunters. Our family house produced the first Oluode. I was taken to hunting expeditions from childhood, they would put me in the shoulder and animal’s blood would splatter in my face.
How did you become Oluode?
They sent to our family to present a nominee. On three previous occasions when they made representations to us, our fathers declined. They now sent to us again, meanwhile, my father had been having dreams that we had lost something in the family and would continue to deprive us of valuable things unless we retrace our steps. When my predecessor passed away, I didn’t know, but I had a dream that one of my ancestors did come to enrobe me in hunter’s dress (gberi ode), fully decked in charms, to the extent that I wouldn’t be able to lift my leg after I put it on, it made no meaning to me, until the issue of the chieftaincy broke, that’s when I recalled my dreams about being decked in aso gberi. They approached the family and I was nominated. Most of the youths in the family are in the diaspora, only two of us I can say are still at home, myself and my elder brother but he has no flair for such thing, that’s why I was selected.
You were not afraid?
Hmmm, I was not afraid at all at the time I was to be installed, but during the time of installation when they put the calabash on my head I became emotional, overwhelmed with the thought that as a youth, I am stepping into a shoe of an elder…
You bearing Amos one will think what are you doing with such title as Oluode? Do you go to church?
Yes, I go to church
In the past?
Up till now?
And they don’t run away from you?
When I was to be installed I told my pastor. He only was worried I would be spending my money and I said there is a little stipend in it. He now said if I am convinced, no problem.
But I went to school up till NCE.
It is learnt wild animals have reduced in number in the jungle
True, wild animals have reduced in number but hunters still go far to hunt and they make it. But such hunters always return to assist when they are summoned in the event of Fulani invasions we regularly record in this part of the world. They do join up to combine forces with conventional security agents and others to face such threats from bandits and terrorists.
Are hunters still spiritually formidable to square up to wild beasts in the jungle, face off with thieves, armed robbers like in the past?
You see, when we talk of wild animals in the jungle, we will talk of alijannu (gnomes); if a hunter can hold his own in the jungle, overcoming formidable adversaries, if he employs such supernatural powers to wage war within the city several towns will be laid desolate. God has ensured our fathers did not go without leaving some powers behind for us, they didn’t die and go with all forms of powers, we still have some left.
Between the olden generation and the contemporary one, which generation is more powerful supernaturally? Or perhaps it varies, in that we may be good in some aspects and they in others?
The olden generation no doubt. You see, the people of the olden generation, God Himself created them mysteriously, in the olden day, a six year-old may be found teaching his father charms (it happened in our family). I was informed that at a time in our family there were a twin brothers, but one died before reaching three years old, the second one, anytime he’s being taken on hunting expeditions or to do anything in the forest he would tell his father, “Laniya, do you have knowledge of this herb?” And he would go ahead to name the herb and teach its use, he showed that our father a lot of things though it was said he didn’t live long too. So, the people of the olden generation were more powerful. The present generation is rather caught up in the rat race for illict wealth.
So, we don’t have such mysterious children again?
No, moreover, when you don’t have anjannus, iwins, such powers will be rare.
So, iwins and anjannus did dole out charms to the ancestors?
Yes.
Today, as traditional hunters in the contemporary time, what roles do you play?
Thank you. They are many. Security agents including soldiers, Civil Defence operatives, Amotekun Corps and so on, conducted a search at Igbeti area recently, and our group, the Nigerian Local Hunters, was invited and in fact, we led the team from the front;, local hunters were deployed from each local government, from Ogbomoso South, we supllied ten hunters, recognized brave men.
Was it for special hunting of animals?
No. There was intel that some bandits and terrorists were hiding in a forest kidnapping people, so, the special force was created to investigate and flush them out.
And what was the outcome?
Ah, God did wonders.
But we learned that these terrorists use very sophisticated guns
Hmmm but you know before the advent of maize, chickens ate something.
So, all manners of guns succumb to charms?
The modern guns even more easily succumb, they listen to us as long as you are not perfidious. It is our traditional gun that more normally resists charms. Even bombs! God has given us antidote for it. If bombs or landmines are planted anywhere, and a true hunter who never betrayed Ogun deity gets there, the bomb will not detonate at the time. Mind you, we also possess local bombs, if we hurl it at someone such a person will be engulfed in fire, no firefighter can quench the fire.
I even heard ordinary broom stick can ignite fire in a targeted house
Yes! And if you have the power and you urinate in a house it will sink.
There is still such power?
Yes, I have seen it, it is not hearsay! So, if government can assist us these bandits are nothing.
But you have no antidote against a flying bomb, one thrown from the sky?
If it hits the ground, it will remain undetonated, it will not explode. It is within God’s realm. The Yoruba says, “oromodie o ki ngbe inu eyin ko gbonpa” (A growing baby chick will not be in the egg and flap wings). It is a taboo against the gods. The bomb will not explode. And if bandits penetrate a community we have the power to make their vehicles immobile.
Some users of traditional guns, you see them tying red cloth to their guns, what does that mean?
Yes, but it connotes little understanding of power. I don’t have to tie anything to my gun to mow down a wild animal or anjannu. There are chants, chants of Ife we can conjure, that we conjure when you come across iwin after which you shoot it down.
Have you ever seen iwin?
Nothing less than three times.
In our area here?
No, my father went on an hunting expedition to a far place when we encountered it.
Tell us about the encounter
I think my father and the gnome were familiar, I think he used to drive animals away from my father, so, that day, my father was prepared for it. And this particular iwin was riding a horse …
Iwin mounted on a horse?
Yes, we heard the sound of a horse hoof receeding, uwata, uwata … and then the light on its head showed it had a horse underneath. It was about to cross paths with my father, we had seen its light about five poles away, it was coming and we were approaching and then my father began to make chants, we were about to come face to face when it took a detour to escape and my father shot his gun at him, and we traced its spilt blood into a river, which confirmed to us it’s dead.
So, an iwin is mortal, it can die?
Yes, if you kill it, you will see blood.
We also hear of egbere, another specie of gnome, have you ever encountered one?
No, but our fathers said they encountered it. But I never saw it.
Now, as you said, your members assist Yorubaland in combating terrorists, bandits, kidnappers etc? Do you think you are adequately recognized?
Yes, including thieves. I want to say we highly compliment the massive efforts of the Oyo state governor His Excellency Engr Seyi Makinde in curtailing the infiltration of bandits and kidnappers into the state. But as per recognition, no.
So, a lot are happening we don’t know about?
Yeah, as long as your effort is not crowned the world will not know of it. Moreover, through proactive measures taken these criminals are not able to overwhelm the land, if they have and we are running helter-skelter to push them back, people would have known. But His Excellency is doing a lot of underground works to control breach of security by these criminals. I want to emphasize without being immodest that the Nigerian Local Hunters are working untiringly to ensure peace pervades the land at this time.
So, you are saying government has not really accorded you adequate recognition?
No, compared to our contributions to the society.
What exactly do you want government to do?
We want government to assist us the same way other security agents are assisted like giving us patrol vans, motorcycles, gun powder, funding etc, we want them to include us so our work can be easier. As an instance, when we are invited to join other security forces for special assignments in the forests, we might spend up to two months, our families suffer at home as per upkeep, and we will return home empty-handed since it’s a community service. Our wives will confront us with mounting debts. That is why we appeal to government to come to our aid, they should assist us, the local councils too.
But you said the other time you get salary
The palace takes care of that and not government.
Perhaps government feels it’s your profession
Yes, but what we do is more than that. They need to take care of us, we are often in the frontline of tackling armed robbers and other security menace. And if truth be said, local hunters are the father of all security agencies in Nigeria. Secondly, it is only hunters that are adequately primed to apprehend criminals alive to have the opportunity of interogating them to divulge information about their sponsors, modus operandi and so on, only hunters can operate furtively to arrest anyone alive, no other security agent can operate undercover like a hunter will do because a hunter’s inheritance is different. If someone is sitting, we hunters can sneak on him without him being alerted and we would catch him alive, God gives us such wisdom.
As a hunter, did you ever encounter a thief?
More than 15 times.
So, a thief no matter how powerful can never overcome a hunter?
An armed robber may be more powerful but we always have the backing of God, the creator, and so, we usually triumph.
We are reading that these criminal elements are running away from the north in droves and coming down south, as Oluode, are you not concerned?
This is the basis of this interview, we want our governor, His Excellency Govenor Seyi Makinde, to saddle us with the task, and empower us to turn away these marauders targeting southwest. And by the grace of God we will thwart their plan. They should contract us to compliment the conventional security agents.
Let me ask this, we talk of bandits and so on tormenting northern communities, don’t we have local hunters in the north too? Why are these criminals recording successes there all these years?
Iyalode Ibadan may be a follower in Lagos. Hunters are superior to one another. You can’t compare a hunter in Yorubaland to a hunter in the north.
Why?
We are quite different. God’s gift to each creation or ethnic group is different. God grants we Yoruba exceptional wisdom, superior to other people. If you look at us, Yoruba people don’t get angry easily, but once we become angry, it is terrible, that’s how God made us.
So, you are assured that the scale at which they kill, maim, kidnap in the north cannot replicated in Yorubaland!
Never, as long as they involve hunters adequately.
Between a hunter and a warrior, who is more powerful?
To me, a warrior is weak, because a warrior fights occasionally but a hunter fights everyday, eevryday he goes on hunting, he encounters various things in the jungle. But peradventure, someone of a hunter lineage may veer off into becoming a warrior and you will see it easily in his exploits.
What is the difference between a medicine man (ologun) and a powerful man (alagbara)?
Very wide difference. Alagbara is superior to ologun. A medicine man labours a lot before he gets things accomplished but a powerful man will not. As an instance, a powerful man will just give you something such as sand and say put it in your pocket this is what will happen tomorrow and it will be so, but a medine man will first be looking for different charms, herbs to combine to make his conjuration efficacious. A powerful man acts swiftly than a medicine man.
Where does a powerful man get his power?
It is God that gives him. Unless, God creates him specially, you first become ologun before you become alagbara. You upgrade to alagbara from your constant efforts to amass charms. It is based on graduation. A powerful man will just command – ”rain, begin to fall,” but a medicine man will first begin to pick herbs and other things to conjure rain.
Things will have gone wrong before a medicine man finishes his preparation!
Exactly!
Do you have any nicknames?
Yes, some call me Alabo! Some Ewenje. Someone like Alabede will call me “Amos Ewenje!”
Why Alabo?
Because I am from Abo Akinsola family.
Alabede Oosa, OPC leader? Are you familiar?
Yes, he assisted me when I was to be installed. We have become close even before he became OPC leader.
Is Alabede a man of strength?
Ha, he is a man. Tunde is a strong man in the real sense, omo Alabede. He is a descendant of hunters too but he is humble.
What is the relationship between you and Oluodes in other local governments?
We are one based on the proverb, “Igbo kan ni ode nde!” (Hunters hunt in one jungle), we are immune to the misunderstanding among our traditional rulers. We cooperate. I am close to Oluode Baba Soun even before he became Oluode, we have been having dealings since about 15 years ago.
Are you seeing signs some of your children may take after you?
Only God makes it manifest. I didn’t aspire to be what I am today, it is God. What l learned from my fathers I was using it for myself and those close to me. But when God says he has a plan for me I couldn’t resist. I had had dreams, people have told me a chieftaincy awaited me.
What is your take on inheriting heaven?
I believe in it. The Bible itself says “First seek the good of Jerusalem,” so, we are after seeking and entrenching peace in our communities. If we capture a bandit intending to kill 100 people, God will not condemn us for that.
What about offering sacrifices and so on?
The same Ogun you see is an heavenly angel, reverencing God. In the olden days, they would give birth to a new child and they would see in his hand, a gun. A baby just coming from heaven, is God not aware he is holding a gun? God makes us whatever He likes.
Advertisement
So, can we then say the white people actually de-articulated us, to make us see evil in our heritage and start to malign those heritage?
They manipulated our thinking. Such a baby born clasping a gun, if he ends up in a profession related to Ogun deity, he will be highly successful. But today, if such child is born, they will snatch the object he is holding and throw it away quickly and such child will grow up and be labouring aimlessly and in vain without success. Our fathers do sing, “Igbagbo o pe n ma sode, bi n ba ti church de ma gbe ibon mi, igbagbo o pe n masode.” (Christianity does not preclude me from being a hunter, after I come back from church I pick my gun, Christianity doesn’t prevent me from hunting). God says He makes us the head of all creatures, so, what the hunter does is for the security of the town, protecting the town from danger, so its people can live in peace and see to their daily activities. If a pastor is in the church and he is not at peace over insecurity will he be able to lead service and say what God asks him to say? But if there is peace the pastor will be able to say what God sends him to say. An evangelist or morning crier will be confident to propagate the gospel without fear. So, we are to maintain security, it has nothing to do with Aljannah (gaining heaven).
What is gberi ode?
It is a cloth.
Fitted with charms!
Like you read Psalm into your body or rub yourself with anointing oil, that is what gberi ode is.
The lawmaker representing Ogbomoso South state constituency, Hon. Sanjo Adedoyin, does he recognize your contribution?
He recognizes our contributions. He accommodates us, he reverence us.
How do you want him to push your case in reference to what you said earlier?
I plead with him to take the matter up in the Oyo State House of Assembly for legislative discussion, so that the state government and local councils can assist us, to boost security in our communities. We can’t allow breach of security under Governor Makinde because he is leaving a good legacy, breakdown in security cannot be allowed to taint his good works.
Does Kabiyesi Onpetu, HRM Oba Sunday Oladapo Oyediran Lagbami Osekun III, know your worth?
Kabiyesi knows our worth and accords us recognition. Kabiyesi Onpetu is a good Oba. I hold a security meeting of a group in his palace. He invites us to join other security agents to ward off security threats. Recently at Antorun area, our members were called when they noticed some Fulani suspects hibernating in a jungle. Our members caught them after making them unable to move, but we handed them over to the police, that is why people don’t get to see our efforts, we have no power of prosecution.
