The significance of the 1995 Supreme Court Judgment on Ora-Igbomina Obaship tussle for Ile-Ife, Ooni of Ife anf Yoruba history compiled by Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman
The landmark judgement on Ora-Igbomina chieftain tussle delivered by the Supreme Court in September 1st,1995 was originally received at face value by many. Only a few could read between and beyond the lines concerning the deeper significance of the judgment.
Originally,the judgement appeared to confirm and affirm the claim of Asaooni as the only Oba entitled to wear beaded crown in Ora-Igbomina and Akesin as one of the Chiefs of Asaooni in Ora-Igbomina.
But a reading beyond the lines revealed a deeper significance of the judgement.And this revelation could be the reason why some powerful Obas and some personalities are working hard in recent past and currently to suppress the spirit and letters of the landmark Supreme Court Judgement.
The crucial hidden issue is this: From the cradle, the supreme position of Ile-ife and that of the Ooni of Ife in Yoruba land was only established through oral and written historical documentations scattered all over local and international archives.
It was the historical battle between Asaooni and Akesin which ended at the Supreme Court that led Asaooni’ sons and daughters to dig out many of these historical facts from local and international sources about Ile-Ife and the origin of beaded crown wearing in Yoruba land.
After the historical investigation that spanned over forty years, there was important revelation that Ile-Ife is the only source and origin of traditional connection for anyone to wear beaded crown in Yoruba land.
This was the historical test and conditionality which Asaonni and Akesin were subjected to before the Supreme Court of Nigeria. As revealed by the September 1st,1995 Supreme Court Judgement, it was established that only Asaooni has historically connection with Ile-Ife and consequently he is only the authourized king entitled to wear beaded crown in Ora-Igbomina while Akesin leanege was discovered to have no historical connection to Ile-Ife and was consequently prohibited from wearing beaded crown in Ora-Igbomina.
This judgement by Supreme Court not only codified but also legalized Ile- Ife and the Ooni of Ife as the only historical connection anyone could have to wear beaded crown in Yoruba land.
Naturally, some first class traditional rulers in the land and their political collaborators are not comfortable with this landmark judgement hence they ganged up with Akesin to suppress the judgement by all means.
The late Oba Okuade Sijuade later discovered the deeper implications of this historical judgement for Ile-Ife and Yoruba history and he was to take steps toward the institutionalization of the judgement but his death put a temporary stop to this.
Therefore, there is the need to present this judgement a new to the new Ooni of Ife as his personal judgement. And not only Asaooni’s judgement but Ile-Ife judgement.
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Those are the hidden significance of September 1st,1995 Supreme Court judgement of Ora-Igbomina Chieftaincy tussle which should never be allowed to die as a fitting tribute to the memories of all those who had worked conscientiously to establish this truth and Supreme Court Judgement is the final of the finality in our land.