On Tuesday, the Founder of the First City Monument Group and the Olori Omo Oba of Ijebuland, Otunba Subomi Balogun, threw open the gate of the Otunba Tuwase Court, his palatial residence in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, to invited guests and other members of the public who were willing to join him and his family for a New Year Prayer and Thanksgiving Service.
The event, which is an annual ritual, was attended by the high and mighty in Ijebu society, including former Governor Gbenga Daniel; Afenifere chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; the Lamodi of Isiwo, Oba Sikiru Salisu; the Balogun of Ijebuland, Alhaji Agboola Alausa; the Dagburewa of Idowa, Oba Yinusa Adekoya; the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ijebu-Ode Area, Rev Richard Oladele; Otunba Balogun’s sister, Chief Aderonke Atere; the Chairman of First City Monument Bank, Otunba Olutola Senbore; and the Bishop of the Akoko Anglican Diocese, Prof. Olubayo Obijole, among others.
As expected, there was enough to eat and drink for the guests, Christians and Muslims alike, who had also come to join the octogenarian to pray for a peaceful and prosperous year.
Explaining why he was always directly involved in the annual event, Otunba Balogun said, “Why I get so much involved is not only because I am the President of the Laity. I also come from some of the most illustrious chieftaincy houses. I happen to be the Olori Omo Oba or the Head of Princes and Princesses in Ijebuland. Because of these pre-eminent positions, I get dragged in or I voluntarily offer myself to participate.
“Thanking God annually is very personal. When I look back and see what the Lord has done for me among myriads of Ijebu people, I think can just thank Him. I am opportune and I always want to show my appreciation to God. That is why I am very much involved with the annual prayers.”
Noting that attendance was open to all interested natives of Ijebuland, irrespective of religion and social status, he added, “It is not only the Christians that attend the event. My Muslim brothers and sisters are always invited, too.
“The Ijebu society is very unique. All of us are intertwined. There is no one who is a Christian and does not have a Muslim relation. And there is no Muslim that does not have a Christian relation.
“When my mother was alive, she was the Iyasuna or the most senior woman among the Muslims. So we don’t know any difference in Ijebu society. We are all together. There is hardly any Ijebu family you will trace and you won’t find a combination of Christians and Muslims. I am proud to be one of them.”
On his roles as the Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians (or President of the Laity) and a custodian of the culture and tradition of Ijebuland, he said that, being originally a part of the Ijebu royalty and a distinguished descendant of the legendary Ijebu king, Oba Tuwase, the roles were either hereditary or bestowed upon him by his people.
Digging into family history, Balogun described Oba Tuwase was the Ijebu king who signed a treaty with the Queen of England to allow the British to enter Ijebuland in 1892. He also allowed the preaching of the Christian Gospel in Ijebuland and donated the land on which the first church in Ijebuland was built.
“He also gave the land on which the Central Mosque was built. He occupies a cardinal position in the history of Ijebuland. And I happen to be one of his distinguished descendants. My mother happened to be a great-grandchild of that king. More than this, I have a very strong lineage to most of the important chieftaincy houses in Ijebuland,” he said.
Asked what he missed most as a retired businessman, Balogun replied, “I cannot be in any retirement. Through the grace of God, I still have my faculties around me. At 85 years, not many people are as mentally alert as younger Nigerians. Certainly not many people of my age can walk around without using a walking stick. I am still agile. I am not retired.
“Although it is true that I don’t go to my office every now and then, whenever I have the opportunity, I just pop in to see what is going on.
There are certain things that I do, which make people to wonder. For example, I still remember things that happened to me about 70 years ago in detail. I still write long theses and I still prepare speeches and do many things.”
