The history of mankind is filled with stories of kingdoms rising and falling, as well as kingdoms fighting wars, especially on what would have been settled on a table…..CONTINUE READING...CONTINUE READING
This immediately brings to mind the story of the Trojan horse, brought about by the fight for the soul of Helen of Troy, who though was married to a king in one of the Isles of Greece, found love with a prince of Troy.
One history says the prince fell in love with Helen at the first sight, out of pity for how her king husband treated her like a whore and made her perform the roles of a whore.
Along the line, years of unsuccessful attempts by the allied forces of the other isles of Greece went by until they proposed to broker a truce and handed Troy with a built horse which was a trap in disguise. Troy accepted their ‘offer of settlement’ and brought in their ‘horse’, which later brought Troy to his kneels before its enemies.
History is also replete with men including the highly placed, the mighty and the very low, clashing over the female gender.
In an history, Ile Ife, having been saved from invasion by Moremi, praises and honours her till date as a woman with an unequalled beauty and intelligence, while the kingdom of Ugbo in Ilaje, led by the great Olugbo himself, led us to believe that Moremi was a wife of an Olugbo, who betrayed her husband in favour of the people of Ile Ife.
In fact a kneeling statue representing Moremi apologizing to Olugbo, which adorns the palace of Olugbo was made to counter the story of Moremi as told unto us for ages.
A story went out some 24 hours ago that Olugbo signifies an intention to marry Naomi for one of his sons, and the internet went red. It is unclear whether or not she has accepted the proposal or whether or not she is already in the family way in relation to the Ugbo Prince.
Some spoke for the move, others spoke against it, and some spoke in awe, not taking a side. I shall attempt to do some analysis here for proper consideration by all parties involved.
The story of Olori Naomi at hand is one which concerns our immediate society, and which may affect four of the Yoruba ancient towns.
The first is Ondo town, from where Olori Naomi hails, Akure, where she lives and has a great support base, Ile Ife, where she was married and has become the mother of a future king, and Ode Ugbo, or the entire Ilaje isles.
The position of a woman as the wife of a king, is one of dignity and honour, and our mother, Naomi has lived up to every standard expected of a king’s wife. For this cause, it would not be surprising if another king wants her after she divorced her first husband, the great Ooni of Ile Ife.
As we have been led by our fathers to know, ‘Ago ti eegun ba bo sile, eegun miran, iru re nikan, lo le woo’ Meaning, the costume cloak of a masquerade can only be worn by another masquerade of his kind. Let me not over flog the issue here, we all know any woman crossed by a king would not be crossed by any other man who is not a king without some rites, else the consequences shall be grave.
I, as a Yoruba lady born and raised in Yoruba land, from 2 royal families in Akure and Oda, urge Olori Naomi to give this proposal a second thought, no matter what she has gone through, and no matter how unpleasant her experience is in the House of Oduduwa.
Olori Naomi, in case you ever get to read this, no matter how you will disagree with my language, please rethink this proposal, it may NOT be in good faith. Why am I saying this?
1. ARCH RIVAL STATUS
When Olugbo would counter history of Moremi as told by Ile Ife, he did not approach the throne of Ife as expected. His utterances came as a lash, highly confrontational, and even after then, he set himself up as an adversary, as a rival against the Ooni, and said he would not make himself available for a settlement with Ooni, whose stool has ever been regarded as the most revered in Yoruba land.
In his words Olugbo said the Ooni must accept against history and against the age long position of Ile Ife as well as the entire Yoruba race that he ‘Olugbo is the owner of Ile Ife land’ and as such, higher than Ooni in hierarchy. We all know that even if the history is considered right that Ugbo people lived Ile Ife before being dislodged by Ife people, having lived in that land for centuries, Ugbo people cannot claim to be the owner of a land after a conquest of over a millennium. Who does that?
That fact of haughty language and disposition, clearly set out the Olugbo against Ile Ife as an arch rival. Olugbo simply reignited the fire of crisis between Ugbo and Ile Ife. As such, no matter how much your husband offended you, no matter how bad your ex husband is, as a woman, even if there is a scarcity of men on the surface of the planet, you are NOT EXPECTED TO GO FOR HIS RIVAL. That is what Olugbo alleged Moremi of, and that is why he had to make a statue of her, demystifying the goddess status assigned her by Ile Ife.
2. PRINCE TADENIKAWO
Look as a woman, you have the duty to protect your child. Raising up Prince TADENIKAWO in the territory and in the home of an arch rival king is a No•No• for the Yoruba nation. I don’t want to over flog this. Please ascribe every meaning associated with the word ‘arch rival’ to this. May the prince live long. Amen.
3. PRINCE OF OLUGBO
Meanwhile the real gist of the story is that Olugbo wanted Naomi for his son… I smile here. You want to take the ex wife of your rival and give to your son? Mo rerin. But let me plead here, except they both struck a chemistry, and led themselves to you, do not try it Your Majesty Olugbo. If this is borne out of a vendetta of a kind, your son may not be the right specimen for such a vendetta move. I plead. Why would the throne of Ode Ugbo want to involve a prince in this manner?
MESSAGE
Olori Naomi, come to think about this , if the move to marry you is for reasons of vendetta of the Olugbo, do you not think a new set of drama may begin from there? May we not be witnesses to a bad drama. What if that throne decides to treat you as a conquered or a savage? Have you thought of that? Then would you leave and involve the social media as well? Think twice My lady.
I have observed both kingdoms of Ilaje and Ile Ife and I respect them both. There is a lot of difference with the way each prefers to honour their wives.
Olori Naomi, I do not know how far the relationship you have with Ugbo throne has gone, but I know it would be better if you would tread with caution with respect to Prince TADENIKAWO over your involvement with an arch rival territory…..CONTINUE READING
