Not a few Nigerians, especially those of Yoruba extraction, were shocked and miffed by the two-minute clip that went viral early last week wherein a Yoruba Oba, the Olorile of Orile Ifo, Abdusemiu Ogunjobi, made the kind of justice served at a typical motor park a child’s play. The Oba in full public glare caused a 73-year-old man to go on his knees while he rained curses on him and his children. One of the Oba’s aides removed the old man’s cap and slapped his cheek from the back. These two significant actions are an abomination in Yorubaland, especially when they happen in the presence of the custodian of the people’s culture. You don’t remove the cap of an elderly man, assault or treat him with disrespect. And not done yet, another thug coerced the old man to lay down flat on his stomach to pay obeisance to the Oba. The humiliation was total and there was even some adds-on by way of verbal assault and threat to send him to jail or get him killed and buried without consequences because, as the Oba claimed, he had the Nigerian police in his pocket.

It was conduct expected from a lout, but never from a traditional ruler. And the revelation that the Oba is a retired policeman who should be aware of the illegality of self-help makes the horrible incident really embarrassing and unpardonable. Meanwhile, the man the Oba chose to humiliate is one of his subjects, and his offence, according to his oppressor, was that he was conspiring against him, a flimsy charge that the old man denied vehemently even as he was being harangued and victimised. The Oba portrayed his former employers, the police, in bad light both by his indecent conduct and the outlandish and erroneous claim that the police would always do his bidding. The force has reportedly charged him to court and he is currently being remanded in the Ilaro Correctional Centre because he has yet to meet his bail conditions.

It is gladdening to know that the Ogun State government has waded into the matter and Oba Abdusemiu has been suspended for six months. This is the way to go. The traditional institution is a highly revered institution in the South-West and the occupants of traditional thrones are supposed to be honourable people. We commend the Ogun State government and the police for their swift action against the traditional ruler. Traditional rulers as the custodians of culture are expected to play fatherly roles to every person within their domains. Conduct akin to that found among miscreants and thugs are an anathema to the elevated position they occupy. Indeed, traditional rulers are supposed to be standard-bearers in terms of character and conduct, which should be nothing short of impeccable. And the fact that their subjects take issues to them for mediation makes it imperative for calmness, good temperament and discipline to be prominent among their numerous virtues. Indeed, in Yoruba mythology, the kings are second in command to the gods, and it can be really disappointing and embarrassing to find any of them behaving like a hoodlum.

It is trite that a revered stool does not automatically make the occupier worthy of reverence except the character he takes into office matches the requirements. Thus, it is not totally strange that this Oba has retained his vile behaviour in his exalted position. It is, nonetheless, disappointing that he didn’t make any effort to refine his character or aspire to become really worthy of the exalted position. Apparently, Oba Abdusemiu could not be bothered to stay within the precincts of decency and decorum. Neither did what his subjects, the majority of whom are honourable and law-abiding persons, would say nor what his former employers, the police, would think of him as an ambassador could sway the Oba to behave himself. He seems to have been set in his ways and couldn’t care a hoot about people’s perception of him. However, the law does not give the latitude to anyone to do just what he likes. Thus, beyond the realms of morality and decency tests which the Oba has failed abysmally by refusing to provide quality and exemplary leadership, he will have to contend with the law of the land regarding oppressive and violent conduct.

It is tragic for anyone who holds such an exalted position in the society to behave the way the Oba did. What message is he passing to the society by putting up such wicked and oppressive behaviour? Is he trying to demonstrate that might is right? Or that self-help is an acceptable means of redressing wrongs, real or imagined? There is no way to describe the Oba’s behaviour other than despicable and repulsive. How can you say you own the police and can send anyone to jail? It even turns out that he was being overly boastful because someone who belonged to the rank and file throughout his stay in the police cannot possess the kind of leverage he ascribes to himself within the force. This Oba breached the law and he was still threatening to escalate the breach to dimensions that could cause lives to be lost without trace or repercussion! A retired law enforcement agent who could have latched onto his experience to maintain law and order in his domain was caught engaging in public affray, as it were. And he even caused the incident to be filmed, apparently for sadistic pleasure. It is really sickening, especially against the backdrop of some other Obas who had also engaged in similar distasteful and dastardly acts in the past. An Oba was captured on video warming up for illicit drug use. Another was caught engaging his estranged wife in fisticuffs on the street of a state capital! These are unconscionable acts that ordinary citizens should not be associated with, let alone the custodians of the people’s culture.

Perhaps the compromised process leading to the emergence of some traditional rulers is largely responsible for the anomalous behaviour of some Obas. The employment of traditional divination method to select the most appropriate Oba for a community is allegedly being gradually jettisoned. And the huge involvement of the Ifa Corpus in the selection process is allegedly fast-yielding ground to the war chest of the princes who are interested in a throne. And in such circumstances, it is highly likely that a person who is bereft of high standards of character and conduct could ascend the throne provided he is rich and corrupt. In the traditional parlance, they say, because the traditional and customary processes have been abridged, a rat no longer squeaks as a rat and a bird no longer chirps as one. It is really saddening.

We urge the relevant stakeholders in the traditional setting to swiftly push for the right things to be done traditionally so that normalcy can return. The current situation is unbearable. (Nigerian Tribune Editorial)