Alaafin Restrains Ifa Priest From Wearing Beaded Crown

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has seized a beaded crown from an Ifa priest, Babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo (also knwon as Oba Edu) and hung the crown on a tall tree after the priest wore the crown during Ifa ceremony and paraded himself as a king.

This was revealed by Alaafin following petitions written against Morakinyo, who was alleged to have gotten permission to wear the crown.

Oba Adeyemi said in a statement on Wednesday that he had to take the action in order to avert violence and possible destruction of properties in Isale Oyo over the development.

The statement reads: “His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, The Alaafin of Oyo, the Permanent Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, has just averted a protest and possible wanton destruction of lives and properties in Isale Oyo community over the action of Babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo (a.k.a Oba Edu), who wore a beaded crown during an anniversary celebration in Ifa temple and was alleged to have gotten permission to wear a beaded crown.

“His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyemi III and the palace had been petitioned from many quarters against Babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo (a.k.a Oba Edu), who is practicing Ifa in Oyo and is under the leadership of Chief Ifaleye Ikusannu, the Oluawo of Oyo.

“The Alaafin has instructed that the crown be nailed and hung on a stick publicly and it is the one that is hung at the Idi Ogun in the palace of the Alaafin for the public to see that no one can crown himself or wear a crown, when it is not statutory or legal with any royal lineage or a ‘baale’ under the chiefs laws of Oyo State.

“This is an example for other monarchs in Yorubaland, where some unscrupulous people for personal aggrandizement are parading themselves wearing beaded crowns and bastardizing Yoruba culture and tradition just because of money.”

By Kunle Bakare