In a classic case of man proposes, God disposes, the well mapped out plans by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Rt Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila were dashed. His dream to be conferred with a high profile Chieftaincy title met a sudden death. It died on April 22, 2022.
All plans had been made. Glittering and flowing dresses made. Beads bought. Asoebi procured and made. The color of the day? White attire on sky blue cap or headtie. Date set. Invitation cards sent out to very high profile guests. Hotels booked full. Menu planned and ordered. Drinks of all sorts ready. Musicians put on alert, perhaps paid already. Gifts bought, wrapped and packed. It was going to coincide with Gbaja’s 60th birthday. Then, suddenly, all came crashing down like a badly pack of cards.
The passing of the revered, charismatic, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III took many people by surprise. It shocked some others. To others, it was a double whammy. The loss of a revered king, and the loss of a once in a lifetime privilege to revel before him.
One of them was the suave and smooth-talking Speaker Gbajabiamila.
May 27, 2022, was to be his big day – his big day with the Alaafin. It had been slated for his day of glory. The Alaafin was going to put another feather on his already well-decorated cap.
A Chieftancy title from the Alaafin of Oyo is a big deal. It is huge. And the title is high profile, befitting the status of Nigeria’s Number four citizen – The Aare Basafin ti ile Yoruba, meaning Supreme Legislative Guide for the Yoruba Race. Venue was going to be the expansive Alaafin’s Palace, Oyo. The Royal Father of the day, was going to be the Source himself, the urbane Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Chairman was going to be the Leader himself, frontline Presidential aspirant under the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Gbajabiamila’s political mentor.
Gbajabiamila was going to glow and revel in it. And the late Alaafin too. Those who are now saying that the Alaafin knew he was joining his ancestors soon, perhaps, forgot that date in the Alaafin’s calender.
But all that is gone now.
The Alaafin’s passing on Friday, April 22, 2022, put an end to it. It ended the dream. And only losses are being counted.
It is not yet known if a new Alaafin, on appointment and coronation, would still bestow on Mr. Speaker same title – seeing that preparations were already concluded. But even then, it will not be the same. It might not carry as much weight as that of a king who had reigned for 52 years.
Very sad.
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