Ayodele Samuel in Lagos state
Have spoken with the Daily Times Reporter who wrote the story and its clear it was misinterpreted. The reporter only reported a trending info around palace quoting unconfirmed sources.
To me the alleged disappearance of the Abobaku of Oba Okunade Sijuwade is meant to be a comic relief.
Am disappointed that this Abobaku stuff, an ancient fiction, has painted our Yoruba tradition in black light.
For real, the Abobaku title has been abolished centuries ago in Yoruba land and the title has been converted to Obaluaye or Saarun- the traditional principal secretary to the King.
Its a shame and disgrace that many of Yoruba origin are fast spreading this myth of no existence. Am not from Ife but have read about the Yoruba race- the Ife never had in its history the title of 'Abobaku', Obaluaye (a simple google search will confirm this), in Ife it Saarun is the Traditional Chief Principal Secretary to the Ooni.
When Oba Aderemi Adesoji joined his ancestors in 1980, did his Abobaku also travel with him?
According to history, Oba Aderemi Adesoji used two Saarun and the last died 11 years after Oba Adesoji joined his ancestors. Therefore he was not buried along with him.
The Saarun are made to take certain oath that will ensure that they don't leak the dead Ooni's secret.
In present day Yoruba kingdom, can anyone point to those who owns the Abobaku title in his village?
I think this is a challenge to the custodians of Yoruba culture, the OPC's and Traditional groups- our people are fast forgetting its history in this digital age, a solution must be proffer-
Ours generation is fast becoming a lax and lazy generation. No commitment to history and research again. A lot of us don't know the distinction between sarcasm and real stuff; cannot differentiate fiction from reality and speculation from material evidence.
Ayodele Samuel is a Lagos based Journalist and Agro specialist
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