Gani Adams Will Be A Social Aare Ona Kakanfo If He Fails To Visit Igbajo – Lejoka
By Shina Abubakar
There is a new development ahead of the formal installation of the National Coordinator of Odua People’s Congress (OPC), Chief Gani Adams, as Aare Ona Kakanfo in Yoruba land (Yoruba Generalissimo), scheduled to hold at Oyo town in January.
A Yoruba High Chief, Chief Sunday Akerele, the Lejoka of Igbajo, an historical town in Osun State, has said that the final rite for Gani Adams as Yoruba generalissimo would be completed only at Igbajo, which was popular in Yoruba history as the theatre of war during the 16-year Yoruba war of 19th century and not Oyo, else he would only be a social Aare Ona Kakanfo, like his predecessor.
Akerele made the disclosure while taking members of the Osun NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel round the historical war site, as part of the activities to mark the 2017 Press Week.
He said all the past Aare Ona Kakanfos, including the former Premier of the Western Region, Chief Ladoke Akintola were in the ancient town for their final rites.
Akerele added that the late business mogul turned politician, Chief Moshood Abiola, who was the last Aare Ona Kakanfo was the only one that did not visit the town for his final rite.
“Historically, this is the domain for the final rite of any Aare Ona Kakanfo(Yoruba Generalassimo) because the traditional regalia of that office is here in Igbajo.
“You know, Aare Latoosa, who was the generalissimo during the Kiriji war, and the 12th Aare Ona Kakanfo died here after the end of the war, and left the regalia behind for future Aare Ona Kakanfos.
“Gani Adams can only be a real and authentic generalissimo only if he comes here to perform his final rite”, he said.
In the same vein, the former Commissioner for Information in the state, Mr Sunday
Akere, who hailed from the town, opined that the town played a significant role in the advancement of Yoruba society.
He called on government to develop the war tourist site the way sites of that nature in Cuba, South America, were turned around and made viable for economic development.
Akere also called on the Yoruba nation to shun politics of bitterness and focus on issues that could foster development in the region as well as bind the nation together rather than separating the folks.
He added that it is time for the state government to acquire the site from both Boluwaduro and Obokun Local Governments, who rather than using the site as an element of unity, has been involved in acrimonies to divide the unity of the communities.
