Otunba Rotimi Paseda (ORP), a two-time governorship candidate in Ogun State and an indigene of Ijebu Ode, has raised serious concerns over what he described as growing disregard for traditional and spiritual processes in the selection of the next Awujale of Ijebuland.
In a strongly worded intervention on Tuesday, rooted in Ijebu history, culture and spirituality, Paseda warned that any attempt to ascend the Awujale stool without due oracle consultation and ancestral sanction amounts to a grave abomination with far-reaching consequences for both the individual and the land.
According to him, the Awujale stool is not a mere political or ceremonial position but a sacred covenant linking the living, the ancestors and Ijebuland itself.
“Among the Ijebu people, the Awujale stool is not an ordinary seat of authority but a sacred covenant binding the living, the ancestors and the land”, he stated.
Citing age-long Yoruba wisdom, Paseda noted that kingship in Ijebuland is revealed by destiny and validated by the oracle, not seized through influence, money or political maneuvering.
“A kì í jókòó lórí àga ẹ̀mí bí a kò bá pè é – one does not sit on a spiritual throne without being summoned”, he said.
He stressed that the oracle represents the final authority of divine and ancestral will, warning that any occupant of the throne without such approval sits “under a curse rather than a crown”.
“Ẹni tí orí rẹ̀ kò gbà á, àga ò ní gbà á – the throne cannot accept him whom destiny rejects”, he added.
Paseda recalled Ijebu oral traditions that document reigns marked by instability, dishonour and early collapse, noting that such rulers are remembered only as cautionary tales rather than celebrated monarchs.
He further warned that the implications of an illegitimate ascension extend beyond the individual to the entire land, describing the Awujale as the spiritual pillar of Ijebuland.
“Tí ọba bá jẹ́ arufin, ilẹ̀ á di aláìlera – when a king is unlawful, the land becomes sick”, he cautioned.
Expressing concern that monetary and political interests may be influencing kingmakers and traditional institutions, Paseda warned that silencing the oracle in favour of expediency could invite communal unrest, misfortune and ancestral condemnation.
“A man may deceive people, but he cannot deceive the oracle or silence the ancestors. Authority without divine approval remains hollow and unstable”, he said.
In his concluding remarks, the Ijebu-born politician and philanthropist urged chiefs, kingmakers and stakeholders to adhere strictly to established cultural and spiritual procedures in selecting the next Awujale.
“True kingship is revealed, not seized. A throne taken without authority will ultimately take its sitter in return”, he warned.
Paseda, who hails from Omu-Elenin in Odoogbolu Local Government Area, emphasized that his intervention was driven by concern for the preservation of Ijebu heritage, peace and spiritual balance, rather than personal or political ambition.
Oba Sikiru Adetona
