Ooni: How political interests will shape succession battle

In from Victor Ebimomi …
Take it or leave it. The battle for the throne of Ooni of Ife in Osun State, South-South-West, Nigeria, will be shaped by two things—politics and tradition. And from all indications, it will be more of politics and will be a two-horse race between All Progressive Congress (APC) and People Democratic Party (PDP).
The former Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuade, reportedly died last month in an hospital in London but his demise was not announced officially until Wednesday August 12. He was laid to rest on Friday.
Before the final burial rites, it appears that many underground scheming by stalwarts of both APC and PDP were already going on, all in a bid to ensure that their preferred candidate emerge the occupier of the exalted throne.
This belief was given credence by the utterances of some PDP leaders in the past days. In fact, early last week, a leader of the party in Lagos raised the alarm that plans were already afoot by a leader of APC in the South-West to foist an APC-inclined person on the throne.
Many people have however argued that the alarm could just be a pre-emptive tactics or at best a decoy to make the APC lower its guard while others said it must have been borne out of the concern of the PDP leaders that if this particular South-West leader wants anything he could always get it because he has a repertoire of political tact that stand him out among contemporaries in the region.
Besides, some analysts said the PDP leaders’ fear is equally not unconnected with the fact that the APC leader has a massive influence in the region and a network of friends and followers that could easily do his bidding when called to duty.

Read also: Intrigues to succeed Ooni begins

It is also believed that the PDP stalwarts in the South-West may have now reckoned that right from the inception of the current democratic dispensation, the same APC leader has strategically been positioning himself to take charge of the political future of the Western region as he parades himself in the progressive political mould of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the first premier of the Western Region.
But in a manner suggestive of combat readiness, the PDP leader in the South-West who spoke last week maintained that if this perceived APC leader attempts to manipulate the process, it would lead to a big problem that could easily set Yoruba land on fire and therefore warned that such action is better not contemplated.
“He will be making attempts to manipulate the process. They will do politics with it but it will blow up. They should allow the kingmakers to do their work. If he manipulates the process, he will create a huge problem in Yoruba land.
“Let him allow the kingmakers do their job. He should not set Yoruba land on fire. (Governor) Aregbesola should, instead, focus on paying salaries.”
“We need an experienced person. We want the person that the kingmakers will approve of. As the Atona Oodua, I know how these things are done,” Bode George, a leader of PDP in Lagos said last week during an interview with a national daily.
To many political watchers therefore, a battle line might have indeed been drawn by the two political parties which may even be a protracted one because the throne of Ooni is regarded in Yorubalnd as first among equals. Consequently whoever occupies it is revered, feared and to some extent worshipped. His words are laws and he exerts great influence in every aspects of Yoruba land, a reason during elections politicians troop to the palace for royal blessings. These and many other reasons might have informed the struggle along political divide for the throne.
And as a pointer that political influence could not be ruled out in the choice of who occupies it, Ife is considered a stronghold of PDP in Osun despite the fact that the state is ruled by APC.

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So many observers are of the opinion that the process would be a re-enactment of last year governorship election between Chief Iyiola Omisore who contested on the platform of PDP and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who was APC flagbearer. And since Omisore is from Ife, it is believed in many quarters that he would try as much as possible to ward off external influence, especially from those outside his party. Moreover, the former governorship aspirant may equally want to use the issue of who occupies the throne as an opportunity and platform to announce that he still remains a strong force in Ile-Ife in particular and Osun State in general.
So far, APC has not made any statement regarding the issue.

But then, many keen observers say that beyond every manoveuring, the bulk still stops at Aregbesola’s table as the governor of the state, who is entitled to give the staff of office to the selected person for the throne by the kingmakers.
In other words, he may not watch the game from a distance since he has the final say. So the process will in many ways be rooted in politics and how the scenario plays out at the end remains to be seen in the weeks ahead.

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