At a time the Obaship stool in yoruba land is getting more attractive and tussles for it in two neighbouring communities in Ikorodu division – namely Ipakodo (Ebute) and Ijede, have lasted about twenty (20) years and ten years respectively, Barrister Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali ascended the Adeboruwa throne in Igbogbo as the smoothest succession ever in this division and parts of Lagos State in recent history.
Without struggle, without opposition, without any litigation or violence, HRH Semiudeen was chosen to succeed the Late Oba Johnson Fatola as the (Emugoriade I), Adeboruwa of Igbogbo kingdom few months after the demise of the past kabiyesi. He granted Oriwu Sun this interview prior to his full coronation, which held on Wednesday, November 2, 2016.
Enjoy this report by Monzor Olowosago, Chuma Adichie and Wale Kolawole.
Oriwu Sun first asked the new king how he felt on hearing that he had been chosen as the new monarch of his kingdom. The young kabiyesi confessed that he was excited the same way every normal being would be when lifted high in position.
He confessed that many thoughts were going on in his mind, especially the doubt that it be a reality given the many issues that usually go with Obaship appointments – the intrigue, politics and protracted battles. But by the grace of the Almighty Allah, the whole process turned out very peaceful and smooth.
To ascend a kingdom as rich as Igbogbo on a platter of gold makes Oba Kasali a very lucky man. So, we asked if in his childhood days or years, it ever occurred to him that he would become a king.
He said it never occurred to him that he will ever wear the crown of his community, and no one ever mentioned to him that he would one day become an Oba. But whenever this kind of thing happens, someone usually remembers something, especially those who were around when one was born, to mention one or two suggestive things that happened then.
In his case, Oba Kasali said it was after his choice of Obaship that someone remembered that it was for that his middle name was given as Orimadegun (meaning someone ordained to be king).
Even when we reminded the new Oba that the fact that he has a royal blood from birth a royal blood makes a prince in one of the royal families, it automatically qualifies him to become an Oba in the future, Kasali said he never thought of it. Though our parents could have known such, it never occurred to us the children; he said, hence we lived our normal lives like other citizens of our community. I was living at Ebute Metta when I was young but when I came back to Igbogbo to settle, it began to occur to me that my family is linked to royalty.
So how was Kasali chosen as the new King? Was he nominated by someone or was it a pronouncement by the oracle or the gods, especially when it was certain that many people in the royal lineage are qualified and are interested in that position?
The new kabiyesi attributed his emergence as the candidate for that position to divine arrangement. As soon as someone dropped my name, (suggested it) to my family circle, (Orimadegun branch of Ija-Olu royal family). There was no counter nomination or any form of opposition. That is why I said we had a smooth process.
Oriwu Sun reminded the new kabiyesi that in the past, educated people shunned Obaship position, but today, the story is different. Why did you accept this position?
The kabiyesi mused and said what the people, around me were praying for was for me to be a judge from the chosen legal career I had undertaken. Along the line, when I was notified about my choice for this Obaship, one of the persons I consulted was Alhaji Busari Oladunjoye. He is a senior colleague in the legal profession, who has taken me as his son. His prayer for me was to be a judge in Lagos State, but when I informed him about this new development, he called me to his house and advised me not to reject the position. In his words, I should not even think over it any longer; I should just go and tell them that I have accepted.
I asked him why and he said I should know we had been together for long and that he would never deceive me. He is an elderly person; well versed in Islamic religion.
Oba Kasali said he came back from the senior lawyer’s place to tell his uncle, Olatunji Odusanya (mni), who later made him realise that one of his sons had also consulted him and mentioned Kasali’s name. Today, all is now history I have never had any deep feeling about the traditional institution from the onset Kingship is a position equally recognized by God in all the scriptures (religions). I saw it also as a clarion call to serve the community on another capacity.
Not done with this background question, Oriwu Sun drew the attention of the new Oba to the fact that the new Oba of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi, is an Engineer; the Oba of Imota, Fatai Agoro, is a chartered accountant and now, for Igbogbo is him, a lawyer; wanted to know what the attraction is for these professionals to trade their freedom for the throne. Is it because of the power and influence of Obaship or because of monetary rewards and other perquisites of office?
The Oba responded, “Like I said, after all the consultations with those people, I still considered it as an opportunity to serve my community in another capacity, using the privilege God has given me to be trained as a lawyer and to have risen to the position where I worked.
Aside from that, you will see that it is the in thing now that most communities will want somebody that is educated to assume that office.
I never thought about the monetary aspect or such rewards as power, influence or pecuniaries.
The editors could not help but ask about Oba Kasali’s career and his background checks.
He said he attended United Native African Church School, Ebute Meta. “I attended Denton Grammar School and finished in 1985 before heading to St. Gregory, College, Obalende for my Higher School Certificate (A – level). I was attendance prefect and finished in 1988.” Oba Kasali went to University of Ibadan to study law.
He stayed in Melanby Hall (also known as Hall of Great Men) and graduated 1997. There was a delay due to the crisis in the nation’s universities at that time.
After University of Ibadan, I went to the Law School and was called to bar in 1998. I also had the LLM degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife in 2001.
Was it all about reading, reading and no work experience for the new Oba? No, he said. “I served in Balyelsa State for my NYSC in Law firm, Isele Eseimo & Co, located in Yenogoa in 1999. Upon my return from Bayelsa, I joined the Law firm of Pinhero & Oguntade, formerly at Ade Akinsanya Street, Ilupeju, Lagos, (the two partners have since separated peacefully and are both Senior Advocates of Nigeria each heading his separate chambers).
What about your Civil Service experience, we asked the new king. I joined the Ministry of Justice in late 2001, I as a state counsel and was ‘knocking the door’ of Assistant Director as a Chief State Counsel before I voluntarily retired to take this Obaship position.
We tried to find out how the oba’s colleagues in the Ministry of Justice, that is, fellow lawyers, reacted when he told them he had been appointed the Oba of his town.
Some of my colleagues found it difficult to believe. What was going on in the minds of those close to me was the fact that they would miss me in their midst. We were very close as I had a beautiful working relationship with almost everyone in my ministry.
We tried to know who was Kasali’s boss at that time and he said it was Mrs. Kehinde Taiwo, who was his immediate boss. She was Director (Legal), Ministry of Physical Planning while I was attached to the Lagos State Building Control Agency as a top legal officer. That agency was under the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development. But the overall boss then was the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Funmilayo Ogunlana while Prince Kazeem Adeniji, the present Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, had been a father and mentor to me, and was very supportive and always there to assist in whatever capacity he can.
We took the Kabiyesi back to his kingdom and asked him his relationship with the palace chiefs. He answered that it is cordial. “We work together harmoniously. Virtually all of them are my brothers, my uncles and my fathers before I assumed this office. So, now in office, I just continued with the same relationship to give them their due respects, and ask for their positions on any issue before I finally stamp it as the palace position.
Having come out from Ipebi, has the work started in full force? Yes the work has started, though not as fully as some people would want it to be. But I am beginning to feel like I have started fully because there is no restriction. It is a 24 hours attention now.
We know we had an interlude and we had a period when we had papa on the throne (the late Oba) whose old age restricted certain things from happening. But this time, the excitement is pushing so many things and people to come out, and want to be seen with the king; wanting the king to do this or that and it is really tasking.
The question was fired at Kasali on what his vision is for Igbogbo as the Oba. He said it is further to lift Igbogbo from where Papa Fatola left it. I want to see improved infrastructural development in Igbogbo and improved security situation. The vision is to bring industrial and commercial activities to Igbogbo to engage the youths by way of empowerment, which goes with the vision of security. The situation we found ourselves in the division as a whole in terms of cultism and gangsterism must be addressed.
The vision is also to promote the cultural values of our community in collaboration with other Obas in the division, and to see how the division as a whole would be taken to the next level in terms of what other divisions are enjoying and we are lacking here.
When an Oba is young, handsome, educated and comfortable (financially), he is most likely to be sought after desperately by ladies or women, who believe that a king can marry as many wives as he chooses and have as many concubines as he desires. So we asked Oba Kasali his disposition in this direction, whether he would add to the wife (wives) he presently has.
His answer was cunny. If such a thing is happening, it is particularly a common thing in the traditional institution. As a Muslim, I am not saying I will have four wives because it is not even compulsory. That was why I said, I pray for Allah’s guidance as to that. And because we are here today, nobody knows what could happen in the next few hours.
Apparently not done with the king on this subject, we asked him if he considers himself a ladies’ man. He said he is not too far from that. Well, they (ladies) are our mothers; some of them are very close to me not because they want to get married to me. A lot of them have ideas; especially the educated ones; I know them and so, there is no way one can run away from them. They want you to get them close to the throne and not because they want to marry me but because they want to be seen and want to be part of the vision that I have for the community.
Next was a question to determine the relationship between the new Oba of Igbogbo and other Obas in Ikorodu Division.
He said it is cordial. According to him, “I am beginning to get closer to all of them. The Ayangbure of Ikorodu, being the permanent Vice Chairman of Lagos Council of Obas and the Chairman of the Council of Obas/Chiefs in Ikorodu Division, there is no way one can say otherwise. It is presumed that I should be closer to him. He is a mentor. He has taken me as a son. He is very supportive and always there to share his experience with me whenever I call upon him for advice, particularly on matters that border on traditional rulers in the state.
Having dealt extensively on issues of leadership, we asked Oba Kasali what would be the expectations of the public on November 26, 2016, the coronation ceremony. He revealed that apart from the Aso Ilu (the uniform) for the community we are expecting so many dignitaries, particularly our amiable Governor, Mr. Ambode. We also expect his Deputy, Dr. Idiat, to be with us and other exco members, most particularly my mentor in the Justice Ministry, Prince Kazeem, the Honourable Attorney General of the state, because this is part of his making by the Grace of God.
We are also expecting some highly respected traditional rulers from other parts of Lagos State. We hope, by God’s grace, that the Ooni of Ife will be part of us on that day as well as the Olowu of Owu. We look forward to seeing them, apart from the fact that the most respected Oba in Lagos State, the Eleko of Eko, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, a learned colleague, will also be prominently present.
Because that day is Environmental Sanitation day, the program will start by 12 noon at Igbogbo Stadium.
Oriwu Sun reminded the Oba about the bad road to Igbogbo Stadium. He replied that the town had gotten assurance that the state will assist in giving it a palliative attention. We are equally making moves in collaboration with Igbogbo LCDA to fix the road and fix the surroundings of the road and stadium to make the place quite nice.
We took the kabiyesi to his professional constituency and reminded him that he is now the Chief Justice of his kingdom. But we wanted to know his take on the current national focus on the legal profession and the judiciary over corruption charges
He said, “Well, the position we find ourselves today in the country with regards to the judiciary is quite unfortunate. Much as one should not condone corruption in whatever form it may be existing, I still believe that if we are indeed practising democracy as we do now, the constitutional provisions should be our guidance at least until amended. Whatever we are doing by way of arresting the situation, (the phenomenon of corruption in every facet of our society), I believe we should ensure that the rule of law prevails.
The security agencies should be upright in whatever they are doing; hence, we remind them of the oath we have taken while assuming our positions. As for me, having to take a position on an issue brought to the palace, I have always had cause to tap from the experience that I have had over the years as a lawyer, both in private practice and in government circle.”
We asked Oba Kasali who his mentor is and he said it is Prince Kazeem, the Attorney General. We asked about his view on Governor Ambode and if he had worked with him before. He said, “I have a cousin the Governor had been very helpful to, and in doing that to him, that person had unlimitedly rendered assistance to those of us, who were in school then. So, I benefited from the scholarship safeguarded and awarded to me by Governor Ambode. He is a very hard working man; his approach is not to be compared at all.
He shares the same characteristic with the Attorney General, Kazeem, who is amiable and hardworking, very upright and very sincere in whatever he does”.
On what the state government can still do to develop Igbogbo, Oba Kasali said, “My people are looking forward to the completion of the abandoned road between Igbogbo and Ibeshe, and are also hopeful for the construction of other inner roads as Igbe road and others.”
He sent a message to Igbogbo people, telling them to steadfast in their resolve to support the palace as they believe in it, and to continue to support the state government in the area of tax payment because, “It is when you pay your tax the government would be able to carry out certain projects we yearn for.”
We rounded off the interview with some personal questions. The king said his favourite food is rice with vegetable and pap, especially in the morning.
On his impression about Oriwu Sun newspaper, he said he had been reading the paper. “Not because I see you sir; not because you are conducting this interview (referring to the Publisher, Monzor). I am proud to be associated with the paper. It is on record that a lecturer once mentioned to me, if I am not mistaken, that it is the No. I community newspaper in Nigeria. We thank God that such precedence and happening is given to no other place than Ikorodu division. We thank Almighty Allah for the paper. It has been number one and will remain number one. I pray that the management and the company will continue to flourish.
On the Publisher, he is well known in the social circles and in the division, as well as all over Lagos and in government circles too. You have demonstrated to many people in which I have been able to confirm, that you are an upright person. I pray that God will continue to guide, protect and prosper you.
What can people do to get on the Kabiyesi’s nerves? We asked as a parting shot. He said, “I don’t get easily annoyed but what I detest most is when you try to correct somebody and that person refuses to take heed.
What about liars? He said, “Even when people lie, I still give them the benefit of the doubt and give them, another opportunity, I want to believe that if you lie to me and I get to know later, it will give me the opportunity to know how to deal with you in the future.”