Oba Rilwan Akiolu
Apart from a few tyrannical monarchies, good records were kept centuries ago of the traditional institution as the bastion of hope for the hopeless. It never was a partial system, more so believed to have been ordained by God to administer the people by ensuring peaceful coexistence through justice delivery.
As a result, the Obas, Emirs or Igwes as it were have always represented the father-figure and carried on as such in dealing with people and seeing to their very needs. They protected the weak in the society; ensured justice for the vulnerable and provided safe mechanism for the strong and influential in the society as a balance of the different strata of the kingdom.
As crude and backward as societies were centuries ago, it was not without form. Life then was good with the traditional institution creating a level playing field. A common saying then was that a prince was given birth to the same way as a slave and for this reason, decent tradition institutions abhorred inequality, injustice and lack of fairness. The difference, perhaps, was in the privileged status of the prince/princess because of their noble birth.
Unfortunately, the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, fouled these expectations penultimate Thursday when at a public function, he openly endorsed a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on the grounds that the “Lagos Elders” had spoken.
Obviously a proud police officer, the Oba of Lagos surprised not many people when he went to town unguarded, proclaiming an anointed successor to Governor Babatunde Fashola. He did this without recourse to the feelings of other stakeholders in the polity, especially the incumbent governor and the opposition parties in the state. He, perhaps, sent a message to the opposition that since he was made the Lagos Oba by the ruling party, others can as well go to blazes.
Akiolu did not just endorse Ambode in an unfatherly manner, he further seized the opportunity to send a subliminal message to certain interests he supposedly has scores to settle with. This aspect, many thought, was not only immature but unbefitting of the Oba of Lagos who should have been father to all.
For the records, below are some of his words during the endorsement set-up: “It is true that we are launching a book, but we know why we are here. I won’t lie to you. The party will choose the governorship candidate. But, I Osuolale Aremu Akiolu will not lie. Some aspirants have sent delegations to me. But, I strongly believe that only God can choose a leader. The elders of Lagos have said that Ambode will be governor.
“You will still meet in your party and take a decision on who will be governor. But, in my capacity and in accordance with the wish of God and the elders around, I will make my position clear on this matter. When you see someone that is dancing upstairs, you should know that some people are beating the drums downstairs for him.
“The elders have been meeting. I have not for once gone out of my way without giving due respect to whom it is due. We review things regularly. My father, Senator Fashinro, who will be 95 in September, and Dr. Adeniyi Coker, who will be celebrating 89 next on his birthday, usually come to my palace.
“The elders have said Ambode should be the next governor of Lagos State. Other aspirants have the right to aspire too. But, I will not open my eyes and allow the son of the Oba of Ewekoro to be the governor. But all things are in the hand of God Almighty,” he said in a passing reference to the alleged ambition of the Commissioner for Works, Femi Hamzat, whose father, Olatunji Hamzat is an Oba in Ogun State. He went on to pray God to endow Ambode with wisdom to triumph over his rivals.
“God will help you. You will triumph. God will give you wisdom. Nobody can predict any human being, until he finds himself in a position of authority. God will stand by you. The alfas and bishops will stand by you. Whoever gangs up against you will not triumph over you. Before I became the Oba of Lagos, many things were said against me. In respect of my son, Fashola, you can see the level of his achievement in Lagos. You will surpass his achievements”.
While urging other aspirants to exercise patience and understanding when Ambode becomes the candidate, Akiolu said he was confident that they would work for his success. “Those of you that are annoyed, you should be patient. He (Ambode) is not from Ilaje. He is a Lagosian and he will be governor.”
Ambode, a 51-year old chartered accountant and financial expert from Epe, is an aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He reportedly retired voluntarily from the civil service a couple of years ago at 49. Although his retirement was said to be forced following alleged disagreement with Fashola, opposition within the APC has also claimed he was not from Lagos but Ilaje in Ondo State, in a wave of opposition that greeted his choice.
Whilst Tinubu had recently denied pushing for Ambode’s candidacy following allegation by a group, Visioners for New Lagos (VNL), the outcome of the book launch where Akiolu announced the public endorsement has lent credence to the speculations that Tinubu and Akiolu were behind his candidacy, allegedly to have their business interests protected.
Expectedly, Akiolu did not get away with the controversial endorsement. While some agreed to the allegation of business interests being protected in the state as the reason for picking just anybody for the job, there were those who alleged monetary inducement for carrying out such a filthy errand.
VNL, while reacting to the development, insisted the Lagos monarch did not have the kind of powers he arrogated to himself but merely relished in grand illusion.
Claiming it has been vindicated by the disposition of the “phantom Lagos elders” as represented by Akiolu for which it raised the alarm some weeks ago, the group said Akiolu had only veered off his brief by arrogating to himself, the right and power to determine who governs Lagos.
Leader of the group, Mr. Bambo Akin-Johnson said when the group drew the attention of the public to the fact that “Tinubu and his business partner, Akiolu had endorsed Ambode as Fashola’s successor some weeks ago, Tinubu had denied in a press statement, forcing many undiscerning to think it was a typical political ranting.
“But today, that would no longer be an issue. That they have come out of their hiding is good for us. It has vindicated us and exposed them. It shows there is more to this satanic endorsement than meets the eye. Unfortunately for them, they have made their antics known early enough and the better for the challenge ahead,” he said.
The group which insisted it had no problem with Ambode aspiring to be governor of the state, but must emerge through a credible process added that “if Akiolu could stoop so low as to jettisoning every known decency and honour attributable to monarchical institutions, then he should be ready to live with the consequences of his actions.
“The monarch has clearly out-stepped his bounds; he has bitten more than he can chew and has taken more than he really can contain. He has stepped on the sensibilities of the electorate by usurping their rights to choose through their votes, their choice governor.
“If Akiolu wants to play politics, he should take off his royal robe and prepare for a dog fight by stepping on the arena? To think it is part of his role as a traditional ruler to determine the choice of a democratic governor because he and his business partner want to appropriate the state is a dream that will never be reified, not in 2015 or thereafter.
“It is particularly shameful that a Lagos Oba of his level would come down to such a level to run errands for phantom elders all in the name of economic survival. Has God not been good enough to a man who was not originally from any of the royal families in the state to be made the Oba of Lagos? But now, it is obvious they want to make this state a haven for non-indigenes and milk her resources and even bequeath it to their cronies.
“Need we say that we have had it full and that this is the final straw to this embarrassment called the Lagos Oba and his co-travellers, who now see Lagos as their enterprise? Since Ambode merits the job because he is the best accountant they have ever seen, why not redeploy him to Alpha Beta, where he could help manage the extension of Lagos wealth which is being diverted.
“We will fight this monster of a leadership and Lagos elders and put a final stop to their extremism. Since they have chosen to step out naked in the cold, we would not honour them by offering a covering. At their level and status, they should be left to face the consequences of their greed typified by palpable inanity. We insist, Lagos is not the property of anyone person or group but a collective heritage that we will all protect with our very last. Let Akiolu and his partners be warned.”
Of course, it was Akiolu who called for this embarrassment, unfortunately not only for himself but a stain extended to the traditional stool and the chiefs-in-council. His lack of regards for a non-partisan mediation in the political arena is believed to have brought more dishonour to the traditional stool than good in the history of the state. His unfatherly mien and insensitivity typified by incendiary utterances are unbefitting of his status and have cast on his reign, the stigma of a life time.
Even if offered an opportunity to make up for his intentioned inadequacies, Akiolu has inadvertently created for himself, the problem of credibility and trust and this, for whatever it is worth, would form part of the legacies of a tawdry and poorly inspired leadership.
He is supposed to be the Oba of Lagos, but Oba Rilwan Akiolu does not pretend about his political standing. His recent outburst over the succession battle in the state has exposed his rather un-fatherly disposition, writes Akinbami Faloye as published in ThisDay
