AMILOADED MEDIA HUB NEWS UPDATE
In my elementary days, there were multiple paths that led to my school – Okebadan Nursery and Primary School in Ibadan. Depending on the flow of traffic, my father would choose either the Odejayi or AROMOLARAN junction to drop us off, driving his white Volkswagen Beetle, marked OY 2325 LES. Once we were safely dropped at school, he would continue his journey to his office nestled in the bustling heart of markets at First Bank of Nigeria PLC, Amunigun branch.
As sure as the sun rises, whenever we travelled via the Aromolaran route, a story must follow, one rooted in the rich culture and traditions of the Ijesha people and it will always end with pounded yam and egusi. It wasn’t until I reached primary three or four that I came to understand deeper reasons why my father always shared those stories. Just a very short drive down Aromolaran junction on Old Ife road, after Loyola College into the street lay a vast expanse of land, towered by a grand gate with the inscription, “Aromolaran Publishing House.” My father later revealed that these buildings belonged to none other than the king of our ancient hometown, Ilesa.
One morning, as fate would have it, we encountered royalty. Kabiesi, His Imperial Majesty, the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijeshaland, Oba Dr. Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, PhD, CFR, was emerging from the publishing house in all his royal splendour. Onlookers, passersby, and residents alike, both young and old, paid their respects, as my father pulled over and hurriedly led me to greet the king. We prostrated in the traditional manner, and my father greeted Kabiesi in the Ijesha dialect, depicting that sons of the soil had come to pay homage. I remember vividly the sight of Kabiesi, sitting regally in his Peugeot saloon car, the horsetail in his hand swaying gently.
That was my first encounter with a Yoruba monarch, and the memory remains etched in my heart. Since my school shared a boundary with the publishing house, I became a frequent observer of the goings-on there, and on two more occasions before I left primary school, I was fortunate enough to catch sight of Kabiesi once again. Those memories remain indelible.
Time marched on, and by 2014, I found myself drawn into the world of Osun politics as a trainee. May God Almighty bless all those who held my head and hands, firmly and tightly: whose platforms we used politically. In the thick of it, I managed and smuggled to slip into the palace of Owa when the then ACN candidate, Former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, was seeking Kabiesi’s blessings for his reelection before his campaign rally in Ilesa. The moment was electric for me, for there Kabiesi sat on the throne, the same royal figure I had glimpsed as a child. Adorned in his majestic regalia, Kabiesi spoke in a cascade of proverbs, each one a pearl of wisdom. The experience took me back to those childhood days, a reminder of the Yoruba saying, “Where an elder sits, if a child waits long enough, he will surely meet him there.”
Since that day, I have had the privilege of seeing Kabiesi countless times, whether in his palace or private residence, I often accompany various dignitaries. His wisdom runs deep, and his words, carefully chosen, resonate with profound insight. Kabiesi is a man of great intellect and grit, commanding the respect of all who enter his court. Yet, as the saying goes, “The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools pours out folly.” My observation of the palace unwritten code is that if you find yourself in his disfavour, Kabiesi will address you through a palace chief. Secondly, if you dare speak unwisely, he will respond with a sharpness that leaves no room for doubt, discerning to his listeners.” One day, I saw Kabiesi more happier ever was the day the newly built ultramodern palace was commissioned. Even in his old age, his dancing steps to the beautiful songs of Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey were royale and “royaling.”
Under his reign, Ijeshaland has flourished, much like a garden under the care of a diligent gardener. Kabiesi, a warrior in heart and spirit like his ancestors before him, has upheld the honour and traditions of the Ijesha people. As the revered custodian of our culture, his impact is undeniable. Now, as we offer prayers for his peaceful rest in the embrace of Olodumare, we reflect on his legacy, a legacy that, like the tallest of trees, casts an enduring shadow. May his return to his ancestors be serene. Asèè!!!
Samson Owoyokun writes from Plot AY40A, Isokun Street of Ilesa West LG, Osun State.
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