Oba nki gbogbo omo Oduduwa Nile, ni oko, le li odi
We, HRM Oba Adejuyigbe Egundjobi Alladahonu Oyewole Adefunmi II, Oloyotunji of Oyotunji Village USA, Paramount Ruler of the Yoruba people of North America and the Diaspora of the Americas, Descendant of HRH Oba Ofuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I, function in this office of the Oba sanctioned by Ifa, the ancestors, the Alaafin of Oyo , the Ooni of Ife and the Traditional Kings Group of the Republic of Benin and of course the great elders , Chiefs, Priests, Priestess and the general people of the Yoruba nation of North America and the Diaspora. Oba, in our tradition, is the high Priest. Though the Oba may not belong to any priesthood in particular, he is at the pinnacle of all societies. The Oba is said to be the glue uniting all of the various Egbes and societies of the nation. The King is the King by virtue of ifa, the ancestors, the Ooni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo and the people. A King’s bloodline must be able to be traced back to the progenitor of the Yoruba nation. The lineage of the Alladahonu Kings in America can be, and has been, traced back to King Tegbesou of the Dahomean nation. As tradition has it, a King only becomes a King after eating another King; referred to as joba where one eats the heart of the King of which they are succeeding, prior to the candidate being permitted to rule. Yes, this custom does indeed continue for worthy and qualified candidates in Yorubaland, North America and the Diasporas. A traditional Yoruba King cannot be a King without land. The term Oba is said to be derived from Baba (Father) and Baale Father of the land). The Yoruba people are innately tied to the land, and this can be seen in the continuous use of the prefix or suffix in some cases: Le or ile (house/land). Land is a major component in building a Kingdom and without it a King cannot be a King. As our ancestors saw it, A Kings #1 job is to build temples for the veneration and worship of the gods and ancestors. This can be seen in the remnants of ancient Luxor and the temples of Ramses at Karnack "Egypt". Hierarchy amongst Obas, in antiquity until present day, exists in their respective districts. We, Alase Oba Adejuyigbe Adefunmi Egundjobi Alladahonu, are the Paramount Oba in our district; ruler of the North American Continent and the Diasporas. We pay our tribute and respect to the Palace of the Alaafin and the Palace of the Ooni of Ife and all the Obas of Yorubaland . In the year 1957, Oba Oseijeman Adefunmi laid claim to his ancestral legacy and began the work of reestablishing the traditional institutions of the Yoruba people. Oba Oseijeman was subsequently crowned King by the Yoruba people of North America. The Oba Oseijeman did not crown himself. After traveling to Nigeria to draw awareness to the building of an African nation in North America, the Ooni of Ife crowned his royal blood, making him King of the Yoruba backed by traditional royalty. The King is elected. Just as much as the Pope cannot be selected by a rogue group of Catholics claiming to enhance the religion by intentionally subverting the traditional practices surrounding the installation of a new Pope, can any one group here in the USA crown a King in any part of this land without the sole consent, authorization and/or simple mandate from the Crown that is already established; we, HRM Oba Adejuyigbe Egundjobi Alladahonu Oyewole Adefunmi II, Oloyotunji of Oyotunji Village USA, Paramount Ruler of the Yoruba people of North America and the Diaspora of the Americas, Descendant of HRH Oba Ofuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi I, Iya Oba Esu Ogo Oyewole, Iya Oba Adefunmi, Baba Oba Alladahonu Maza, inheritor of the throne the great Alada Ruler King Tegbesu once sat; sanctioned by Ifa, the ancestors, the Alaafin of Oyo , the Ooni of Ife and the Traditional Kings Group of the Republic of Benin and of course the great elders, Chiefs, Priests, Priestess and the general people of the Yoruba nation of North America and the Diaspora. It has become our knowledge that a rogue group from the Atlanta, GA USA, referring to themselves as the UNIOV have taken it upon themselves to ‘crown a king’ of the Atlanta (ATL) district without the permission of the seated Crown of North America, Paramount Ruler of the Americas and the Diaspora for Yorubas. This, we see, as an act of treason on their part as well as those who had an active hand of involvement. No man or woman can parade themselves as an Oba in the land where an Oba is already seated. Anyone supporting such an act will be considered in the same light as those who committed the act of treason, directly. In today’s society there are all types of charlatans claiming to be Babalawo, Awo Ifa, Chiefs, Priest and Priestess. Just as in the initiation process to receive ase, ocha and the like, there are steps that have to be taken to ensure the validity of the initiation. The new coronation circus for the self and rogue proclaimed ‘oba of atl’ is yet another attempt by new comers to subvert the great works of our elders. This cannot and will not be permitted any longer. Any longer! As we have received news, this latest and most recent blow to demean and disrespect the office of Obaship is where the buck stops as we see it. To foster unity in our community we must stick close to the traditions we all claim to be a part of. No longer will our Diaspora based culture and customs hold up, if we continue to stand for using European culture as a lens from which to view African culture. If Ifa has declared it to be of one’s destiny to be given an exalted position, he/she must be deeply steeped in African culture. The, treacherous group in question, UNIOV has made claims to have the backing and support of the people of Atlanta. This cannot be true. To our Crown’s knowledge there is only a small rogue group of individuals in support of this move to divide the North American Kingdom. We Yoruba are a people of tradition. We do not and should not support shoddy initiations, coronations and/or installations. Those who choose to conduct themselves in this manner have no clear idea as to the intricacies of our ancient tradition. This is what we call usurpation of ancestral tradition; none of which will be permitted or supported by the Crown of North America. Our foremothers and forefathers did not leave us a shaky foundation on which to stand; in fact the ancestors left us a very clear road map of how to navigate within and throughout the physical realm. HRH Oba Oseijeman Adefunmi II was crowned by his people; HRH did not crown himself. Our forbearers set the bar high and if we want to imitate them we must be prepared to jump over it. No formal letter of intent, not even a phone call was levied by the UNIOV group in question to inform the Paramount Ruler of North America and the Diaspora, Oloyotunji of Oyotunju Village USA, of this plan. And to our Crown’s knowledge, neither was any other credible Ile, house and/or temple within the city of Atlanta (Atl) or in the nation included in this most holy and sacred process. Many were simply either bamboozled at the event or found out via Facebook, the social media platform. Any knowledgeable Oba of Yorubaland would not and cannot ‘crown a king’ in the United States because it is sovereign territory, with a seated, vibrant, effervescent and very much alive Oba supported by the people! The action to do such in spite of is a front to our North American Kingdom and is viewed as an unsuccessful and pitiful failed attempt of a raid, at best! While the August 26, 2012 return to the leopard circus in Atlanta, a failed attempt of a self induced ‘coronation’, was simply viewed by myself and cabinet as a show, the most recent sojourn by the UNIOV to Oyo, Oyo Nigeria seeking coronation rights is seen by the King of North America as an invasion of sovereign Yoruba territory. The Crown seated at Oyotunji Village has been and continues to remain responsible for the re/establishment of the ancient Yoruba ancestral traditions and culture. As such and thus, we have every ancestral right to make these claims of doleful treason. The return of Oosalase as the ‘oba of atl’ is seen as not only an effort to mutilate the community but to also subvert the codes and processes of our ancestral tradition. The circus of a coronation for Oosalase can be seen as nothing more than a calculated attempt to enhance his personal ego and agenda. The Awujale of Ijebu, was the personification of a King’s reign gone bad. It was he and his unethical coronation that was to blame for his terrible tenure. And as the saying goes, it is to have been expected; the results of an improperly installed Oba. We, as the Great Father, stern and yet forgiving, do not wish for this to be the cultural fate of our dear son. As such, we ask all Yoruba of North America who follow their tradition, those who know themselves as constituents of the Kingdom of Oyotunji Village USA, to call for the removal of the nomenclature of Oba from the name of Oosalase and urge the lad to remove his beaded crown. Encourage the action to follow the proper channels to Obaship, if he so wishes. Below, we have outlined those individuals who are parading themselves as Yoruba Royalty in a sincere formal effort to debunk their claims... 1) Oosalase Efundeji El (Parading self as Oba of Atlanta [ATL]) 2) Orisayomi Fatimah Holley Saxon (Parading self as Olori of Oba of Atlanta [ATL] 3) Awotunde (Parading as Daa Ahosu Agbovi) We await your return home prodigal children… HRM Alase Oba Adejuyigbe E.A.O Adefunmi Oloyotunji of Oyotunji Village USA, Paramount Ruler of North American and the Diasporas
8 Comments
3/28/2013 02:47:49 am
Ashe ooo Kabiyesi Ekeji Orisa
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3/28/2013 03:05:58 am
Supportive Links:
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3/28/2013 03:15:20 am
This is more evidence of the depth and height of the work that needs to be done personally and ethically as former captives enslaved mentally, physically and emotionally in these western environments. There is more to be done in terms of meditation and Self Identification. Ego is not our spiritual element as much as it is the fuel of false identification with the Self. If this incident serves no other purpose let it serve as an opportunity to look at instituting initiation procedures that will enhance our Self identification as Divine Beings in the physical realm.(Metu Neter Vol. 4 by Ra Un Nefer Amen of the Ausar Auset Society.) I am simply quoting becuse IT SERVES A GREAT PURPOSE OF EXPANDING WHAT WE ALL HAVE . WE ARE NOT EXCLUSIVE BEINGS IN THIS GREAT STRUGGLE TO REMEMBER OURSELVES THROUGH SERVICE TO OUR ANCESTORS AND SPIRITUAL POWER ENERGIES. We all came this way together as the story goes. We are family of one hand with all different size and shape fingers. Sheken Ur Shekem is an elder with great heart and spirit and knowledge. We all can benefit from more integration of information than we have in the past. Even the Yoruba of today who never had the honor and priviledge to sit with Oba Oseijeman Adefunmi l, have little idea of the VAST knowledge he held in his head! He was an amazing scholar and visionary with visions that expanded beyond the limitations of geography and ideology! His thoughts were so expansive that he had few people to even share them with on a common level.
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Iya Afin, AYOBUNMI SANGODE
3/28/2013 05:42:06 am
KAWO KABIYESI!!!
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Ifakolujo
3/3/2014 08:00:45 pm
Kabiyesi in Oyotunji to HRM the Oloyotunji, Ooni of Ife, the Alaafin of Oyo and each of the obas and elders of our tradition throughout the world. I have tremendous respect of Oyotunji and Adefunmi I. He was a visionary and pioneer from what I have heard. I commend his son the current oba of Oyotunji for his obedience in accepting the burden of leadership. This is a beautiful and necessary thing for those of us who bear the blood of the diaspora within us. African culture, religion, and customs in fact a salvific affair in my opinion and opposite to it, separate from it, there is no hope for Africa or the African wherever you find us. Having said this let me next give an important caveat. That which I say here is mentioned with all due respect to all parties involved or mentioned, and is in keeping with good iwa towards the betterment and empowerment of the great African people. I am not a member of the group spoken of in Atlanta and do not speak for them or seek to defend them. However, in order for those of us in the diaspora to have a stronger, more complete union we must be willing to engage in honest and sometimes vehement debate, so long as Iwapele is our guiding principle.
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Houkpatin
8/5/2013 07:44:55 pm
Part I
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Part 2
8/5/2013 07:49:17 pm
Fact: You are the king of Oyotunji
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Olarewaju Jame Orofin
3/29/2014 08:07:57 am
am impress. hope to be ivited to take a site seeing sometime
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AuthorHRM Oba Adejuyigbe Egundjobi Alladahonu Oyewole Adefunmi II, Oloyotunji of Oyotunji Archives
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