Obaship dispute rocks Yoruba community in FCT
The Obaship crisis rocking Yoruba Community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is showing no sign of abating. In fact, it got to a level that the traditional ruler of Yoruba in the territory, Oba (Dr) Olusegun Salau, warned those he accused of sowing seeds of discord among members of the community for selfish interests, to desist from such. He even threatened that henceforth, anybody caught in the act would be handed over to security agencies for appropriate sanction.
The major contention is over who the authentic Oba of Yoruba in Abuja is. Salau had insisted that he remained the only recognised Oba and advised the contenders to embrace peace in the interest of the Yoruba race.
Oba Salau recently summoned an emergency meeting with chiefs and elders of the Yoruba community at his Kado’s place in Life Camp to find solution to the crisis. He told them that the meeting was summoned to find a way of redeeming the image of the community which he noted had been badly damaged through incessant crises and indiscipline among residents.
The Oba expressed dissatisfaction that the main reasons for the formation of the community were yet to be fully realised many years after the community was formed. ”During this period, it has been one form of crisis, mistrust, bickering, blackmail and all these have largely affected our progress and image as a community in FCT,” he told them.
According to him, “going down memory lane, you will recall that the birth of Yoruba Community, FCT came into being following my installation as the Oba Yoruba of Abuja at an event which was widely publicised and which was attended by all prominent Yoruba sons and daughters residing in Abuja.”
Oba Salau, who highlighted most of the steps taken earlier to ensure peace within the community as well as in other ethnic groups within the FCT, including the emergence of Six Area Councils’ chairmen with the appointment of an Oba as the chairman to coordinate the activities of the Yorubas in each Area Council who should report back to him, said that it was unfortunate that some members went ahead and sabotaged the efforts for selfish reasons.
He told them: “It is time to put an end to all this nonsense. Our teeming brothers and sisters resident in the FCT are looking up to us for what will benefit them just as their neighbours are benefitting from their own tribal communities. In this new era of change, we cannot continue this way; it is unacceptable to me.”
Oba Salau insisted that there was no leadership problem in Yoruba community in the FCT and said: “I am the only person so chosen by the Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa as the paramount traditional ruler and leader of Yoruba Community. I am quite aware of my enormous power
“The fact that I allowed everybody to operate freely does not mean I am weak. Henceforth, I have resolved to put an end to this disgrace and embarrassments. My actions to some extend are to bring sanity and honour to the Yoruba community, FCT where it will earn us greater peace and progress,” he stated.
Oba Salau, certainly, did not stop there as he announced the prohibition of proliferation of Obaship titles in the FCT, saying that the action was in line with the authority conferred on him by the Ona Abaji and chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers in FCT, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa.
According to him, “Henceforth, there is only one Obaship title in the whole of FCT, which is my own: the Oba of Yoruba Abuja, while the rest will be known and addressed as Chief of Yoruba in the respective villages as my representatives in all the satellite towns and villages and they are expected to report back to me the activities of the Yorubas in the council areas
“Anybody or group of persons that move about parading themselves as leaders of Yoruba Community in Abuja, without my knowledge, for instance, the so-called Egbe Omo-Odua Yoruba in FCT, will henceforth be dealt with and treated as fraudsters.”
“Any Chief without my approval that moves around parading himself as Chief of Yoruba in any part of the FCT, for instance, those whose certificates as Yoruba leaders do not emanate from my office, will be dealt with and treated as fraudsters,” he added.
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