February 12, 2023

Jagun Olubadan Bags Omoluabi Ibadan Award

It was a galore of encomiums as Jagun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oloye Abiola Iyiola, was conferred with the coveted award of Omoluabi Ibadan by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes.

The Award Ceremony took place at Ibadan House, Oke Aremo, Ibadan on Sunday, 12th February, 2023, and the event had in attendance the creme de la crème of CCII. The award event was part of the activities marking the forthcoming 2023 Ibadan Cultural Festival Week.

While explaining the essence of the Omoluabi Ibadan Award, Engineer Sunday Gbenjo, Chairman, Planning Committee of 2023 Ibadan Cultural Festival Week, expressed that the Award was instituted to recognise and celebrate notable Ibadan sons and daughters who have proven records of excellent characters and exemplary moral values. He stated that it was not an accident that Oloye Abiola Iyiola was counted worthier of the Award as he has been seen to be of good moral standards and a great ambassador of Ibadan land not only in Nigeria but also in the Diaspora.

The Master of Ceremony of the event, Chief Adeola Oloko, who is the Secretary of the 2023 Ibadan Cultural Festival Week, said there was no monetary motive behind the Omoluabi Ibadan Award and what was considered were Oloye Abiola Iyiola’s wonderful antecedents, past successes and his passion for developmental contributions to Ibadan in particular and the society in general.

In his address, the President-General of CCII, Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga lauded Jagun Olubadan for upholding the Omoluabi values and ethos that Ibadan is famous for.

The event began with opening prayer rendered by Alhaja Simiat Adeleke Larodo and introduction of guests followed by recitation of Ibadan Anthem. The highlights of the award event included the presentation of Award Certificate, Gangan Drum and Stick which are symbols of goodness and merriment to Oloye Abiola Iyiola by the President-General of CCII.

Jagun Olubadan, looking resplendent in his shades of Blue flowing Agbada, native top and trousers made from exquisite wool materials, his neck bedecked with Blue royal beads, took time to individually appreciate the organisers of the Award event and other guests who graced the event despite their busy schedules. Oloye Iyiola emphasized that the Omoluabi Ibadan Award he graciously received threw more challenges to him to keep being a model ambassador to Ibadan and especially to the youths.

The event was attended by all the executive members of the CCII led by the President-General, Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga, and the 2023 Ibadan Cultural Festival Week Planning Committee led by Engineer Sunday Gbenjo. Others in attendance included Alhaji Abiola Alli, President, Omo Ajorosun Club; Honorable Demola Alalade; Alhaji Olaide Adewuyi, Pastor Olugbenga Adesokan, the former President of IDU, USA; Alhaja Simiat Adeleke Larodo, first vice chairman of 2023 Ibadan Cultural Festival Week; Bar Oludare Adewale, Financial Secretary, CCII; Chief Gbadegesin Adelabu, Treasurer, CCII; Mogaji Kunle Sodeinde and Mr Adekunle Adebisi, Auditor, CCII.

Jagun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oloye Abiola Iyiola is currently the National President of Ibadan Descendants’ Union, USA

Being the Speech of the Incoming President, Jagun Olubadan Suraj Abiola Iyiola, to the General Assembly During His Inauguration!

The Chairman, Board of Trustees, the Elders, our Patrons, Patronesses, all the outgoing NEC Members, and all the Members of the General Assembly.

I would like to thank you all for placing your confidence and trust in me to serve as your next President. It is an honour for me to be present here tonight to accept the position of National President, Ibadan Descendants Union – USA, an organization with a proud past and a more exciting future we will be prouder of.

And, as I refer to IDU’s proud pasts, I wish to specially acknowledge the achievements of our outgoing President, Dr. Mrs. Olubunmi Afonja. Madam President, we have benefitted so much from your sterling tenures as president. Your leadership of the organization was steady, assured, and pragmatic, and most of all, it bequeathed a clear vision for the changes that the IDU National needed. It is a vision and strategy that are right, that are necessary and that befit the IDU and by extension, the City of Ibadan.

Madam President, thank you so much for your endearing service to us, and to Ibadan.

And so, to the futures…! This is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. Choosing me as the president-servant throws me into a chaos of challenges that I have started steeling myself to tackle and succeed. I will endeavour to represent IDU’s best interest. Over the next two years, we will continue to build on our strengths, not losing sight of our weaknesses, as we also take on new directions.

We will continue our programs that strengthen our commitments to the advancements of Ibadan through the Ibadan Initiative Program’s (IIP) 3 core areas: Community Development, Education, and Health.

We will also retain and renew our commitments:
* To encourage and deliberate on all issues affecting and paramount to Ibadanland;
* To promote the cultural heritage of Ibadanland;
* To support such charitable objectives as may be deemed fit by the Union;
* To foster the economic growth and development of Ibadanland; and
* To promote the growth and attainment of a higher academic standard in education
and more opportunities and assistance for our youths, among others.

We cannot accomplish these noble objectives by only convincing one another; instead, we have to reach out and enter into other communities, network and make necessary contact.

Ladies and gentlemen, as I round off this address, it’s essential that I remind us that we have a global organization – united by our values and rich with talents. If each of us puts in what we can, we will find that we can get what we need – and also achieve so much more beyond our expectations. So, now is the auspicious time to MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Everyone, no matter who you are, has the power to do something that improves lives.

I hope you are as enthusiastic as I am to see what kinds of changes we can make together from 2022 to 2024. YOU! Make a Difference.

Thank you, all, for this honour. It’s my fervent hope that you all will walk with me to tackle this chaos of challenges headlong so we can take IDU to higher grounds.

August 2, 2022

“Had a congenial tête-à-tête with the number one citizen of Ibadanland, Oba Dr. Mohood Olalekan Balogun, Oba ton gba idobale oba!

Let me share a little story about how we greet and relate with the Kings in Ibadanland….

Bashorun Gaa of old Oyo was renowned for obsessive power, yet when he was greeted ‘Kabiyesi’, he objected and shouted, “No! K’araole laa k’Osorun (‘May you be well’ is how the city greets Bashorun).”

When a kingmaker covets the throne, he invites trouble and disaster. He is no longer a watcher of the king; he has become an object in the range of the king’s binoculars. That is why those whose lot it is to put princes on the throne retreat after every coronation.

The Yoruba put it in this elegant way: move near the king in seven steps; stay far from the king in six steps (sunmo Oba ni igba emeje, sa fun Oba ni igba emefa).

Kabiyesi la n ki Oba Alade. Karaole la n ki awon ijoye. Loogun ofe la n ki jagun-jagun.

It is wisdom harvested from the facts of history that the blood of kingmakers paints the footmat of the throne.

So, wherever you meet me and need to greet me, just say “Karaole” or “Loogun ofe” 😀.

History was made on 24th of June 2022 as Ibadan was agog when Abiola Iyiola was installed as the first Jagun-Olubadan from Anlamole dynasty since 1829. Anlamole is a famous family, who was one of the 1st settlers in the ancient city of Ibadanland.

The Essence of Traditional Chieftaincy Titles: Jagun Example

During the precolonial era among the Yoruba people, the first natural traditional titles were Balogun and Jagun. Yorùbá land was characterized by wars as there were struggles to take over lands and to stamp authorities over others. These warriors were called Balogun or Jagun. These traditional title holders served as rulers of their domains, settling disputes, and running their political, social and economic affairs.

Before Ibadan came under district officers sent from Britain, Balogun or Jagun was the Baale. It means that only those who led wars became Baale of Ibadan. Later, those who didn’t go to wars began to be enthroned as Baale. This practice continued until Ibadan came under colonial rule. The point here is that Ibadan and other reputable towns in Yoruba land had traditional ways of ruling the towns, administering their affairs. The colonialists only came to improve on the different systems of traditional administration adopted by each town.

In Ibadan chieftaincy system, there are two lines of Balogun and Olubadan, with each line beginning from Jagun Olubadan and Jagun Balogun. This explains the uniqueness of Ibadan chieftaincy system. But before one is promoted to Jagun in either of the line, one must have been the Mogaji of one’s family compound. In the context of Ibadan chieftaincy system, Mogaji is the head of every family compound. Being a Mogaji comes with many important responsibilities. Same way that a state or country must be administered under modern democracy, family compounds must also be administered. In the case of Ibadan, each compound appoints Baálé who is naturally the oldest male in the family. Each family also appoints Baálè who rules over the family village. There’s a Mogaji under which there are Baálé (the ordest male member of the family) and Baálè (the head of the family village) and who stands to join Ibadan chieftaincy ladder, either from Balogun line or Olubadan line, towards the journey of ascending Olubadan throne in the future.

Before any prominent member of a family compound is accepted to become Mogaji, he must have rendered progressive services to Ibadanland. A Mogaji must be a leader in the real sense of service not only to his compound but also to Ibadan. For any Mogaji to get promoted to Jagun, he must have been seen to render exemplary services to the growth and development of Ibadanland. It’s on the basis of his consistent developmental strides and moral character that the reigning Olubadan counts him worthy of being promoted to Jagun since becoming a Jagun counts among other high traditional chieftaincy holders whose chances of becoming Olubadan are brighter.

Traditional government preceded modern democracy in Africa in general and Yorubaland in particular, and title holders like Jagun and Balogun play the roles of heads of towns or communities then. Even now that modern democracy is in permanent use in Africa, the roles of traditional chieftaincy holders are irreplaceable as they serve as a necessary link between people in modern government and members of the public.

After I was made the Mogaji of my family compound, Anlamole, as nominated by the members of my family, and as approved by the Olubadan who’s the consenting authority to approve and install lesser chiefs, I begin to shoulder more traditional, social and economic responsibilities to my family compound in particular and to Ibadanland in general. In Ibadan, traditional chieftaincy is not ascended for its sake or for fun but for the responsibilities that come with it to the society. Now, with my preparation to be installed as Jagun Olubadan of Ibadanland, come 24th of June, I have braced myself for the challenges ahead as more responsibilities will beckon while I move up the chieftaincy ladder.

Ori mi Dára, pe Ìbàdàn ni wọn bi mi ooo eeee. Ìbàdàn; ìlú alaafẹ́ ìlú olóyè ti wa ni, ori mi Dára, pe Ìbàdàn ni wọn bi mi oóooo eeeee. 🎵 🎶 🎶