Ooni and Kingship Tradition; Protocols..... Prince Adedoyin Ologbenla Speaks
I think for the purpose of native education, there is need to quickly intimate ourselves on few laws or ways of doing things, that must be observed around where an Ooni is or a Yoruba Oba.
Whoever the Ooni is, his palace emese's (rightmen) who are custodians and apostles of Ife Culture do not joke with these ancestral rules and they care less about who you are or where you are from. If could be annoying but this is tradition, so whoever must come near must to act like a roman to enjoy Romanian ties.
In view of that these, the following are few things you may be learning for the first time.
1. You don't bring an Umbrella into an Ooni's Palace. Only his umbrella must be seen. I learned this about 15yrs ago, when some whites came visiting. From the gate, they kept their umbrellas. I have to asked why. I will leave other whys aside. Lol
2. You don't stand greeting an Ooni, you can try it else where but not Ife for any reason, you can stool down like an Alfa does to his older malam, but it must be after you must have prostrated. It is even the most powerful part of our Oriki, "Aiduro kiwon n'ife Oodaye, Ko'ga ko'bere lahun ki won nife Ooni' eni duro, kiwon nife ohuntolu, ebora ni n paru won je". Lol
3. You can't see an Ooni alighting from his car, he most be shielded for minutes before stepping the soil. There is a story around this.
4. You don't sit while an Ooni is coming, from afar in the palace and you see "eye to eye'.. People around will shout at you. You must be on the floor, that's why he is called "Ooni Erujeje".
5. Ooni must come last to a function, and there must be "Osirigi gong" to announce this presence into a vicinity. That's why he is called, "Otiti Arin kile mi, Oba awolu mititi, Asode dèrò". This is what "Inu mi inu e" got angry about, he forgets tradition and heritage pass each other. I have seen Emirs arrivals at convocations and that long local trumpet the red wearing old baba mallams must be blown. They don't care if you are in the academic environment, for you to have invited the Emir, you must accept him with his traditions.
6. An Ooni must not sit alone: There are people who sit at his feet and watch if he sneezes, or breathes healthily. It on very rare cases that he agrees to have meeting without them. So many are like his mini-self, with secrets, which royal vows forbid them to leak. They are like those heavy turban wearing entourage with the Emirs, where the Emir enters, they enter too, and give little distance. That's tradition.
7. You don't bring a newly born baby near where an Ooni is, and he must not see a dead body. He is not allowed to pay bereaved any condolence visit except he insists. This is peculiar to many kings though, so they are royal protocols.
8. You don't take pictures anyhow inside an Ooni's palace, especially sacred places. There is a story around this too.
9. Ooni or an Oba must not eat outside or openly, It is totally condemned. And you shouldn't force him with plea of "Kabiyesi e je di e now". Lol!
10. Ooni must keep you seated and comes to meet you on sit as a guest, not meeting him on seat. This explains no 5 too, he must meet most gathering already seated. Briefly, you can't see the head of an Ooni. It is an abomination, Oba that wears normal cap sef, must cover head before any visitor.
These are nothing out of ordinary, but traditional protocols that must be respected, as custodians.
There are more powerful ones, but I will keep that. Lol!
As a little Prince of the Source, and a son of the soil, I think unharmful traditions must be preserved as heritage lives on.
Prince Adedoyin Derin-Ologbenla
08165558773
Whoever the Ooni is, his palace emese's (rightmen) who are custodians and apostles of Ife Culture do not joke with these ancestral rules and they care less about who you are or where you are from. If could be annoying but this is tradition, so whoever must come near must to act like a roman to enjoy Romanian ties.
In view of that these, the following are few things you may be learning for the first time.
1. You don't bring an Umbrella into an Ooni's Palace. Only his umbrella must be seen. I learned this about 15yrs ago, when some whites came visiting. From the gate, they kept their umbrellas. I have to asked why. I will leave other whys aside. Lol
2. You don't stand greeting an Ooni, you can try it else where but not Ife for any reason, you can stool down like an Alfa does to his older malam, but it must be after you must have prostrated. It is even the most powerful part of our Oriki, "Aiduro kiwon n'ife Oodaye, Ko'ga ko'bere lahun ki won nife Ooni' eni duro, kiwon nife ohuntolu, ebora ni n paru won je". Lol
3. You can't see an Ooni alighting from his car, he most be shielded for minutes before stepping the soil. There is a story around this.
4. You don't sit while an Ooni is coming, from afar in the palace and you see "eye to eye'.. People around will shout at you. You must be on the floor, that's why he is called "Ooni Erujeje".
5. Ooni must come last to a function, and there must be "Osirigi gong" to announce this presence into a vicinity. That's why he is called, "Otiti Arin kile mi, Oba awolu mititi, Asode dèrò". This is what "Inu mi inu e" got angry about, he forgets tradition and heritage pass each other. I have seen Emirs arrivals at convocations and that long local trumpet the red wearing old baba mallams must be blown. They don't care if you are in the academic environment, for you to have invited the Emir, you must accept him with his traditions.
6. An Ooni must not sit alone: There are people who sit at his feet and watch if he sneezes, or breathes healthily. It on very rare cases that he agrees to have meeting without them. So many are like his mini-self, with secrets, which royal vows forbid them to leak. They are like those heavy turban wearing entourage with the Emirs, where the Emir enters, they enter too, and give little distance. That's tradition.
7. You don't bring a newly born baby near where an Ooni is, and he must not see a dead body. He is not allowed to pay bereaved any condolence visit except he insists. This is peculiar to many kings though, so they are royal protocols.
8. You don't take pictures anyhow inside an Ooni's palace, especially sacred places. There is a story around this too.
9. Ooni or an Oba must not eat outside or openly, It is totally condemned. And you shouldn't force him with plea of "Kabiyesi e je di e now". Lol!
10. Ooni must keep you seated and comes to meet you on sit as a guest, not meeting him on seat. This explains no 5 too, he must meet most gathering already seated. Briefly, you can't see the head of an Ooni. It is an abomination, Oba that wears normal cap sef, must cover head before any visitor.
These are nothing out of ordinary, but traditional protocols that must be respected, as custodians.
There are more powerful ones, but I will keep that. Lol!
As a little Prince of the Source, and a son of the soil, I think unharmful traditions must be preserved as heritage lives on.
Prince Adedoyin Derin-Ologbenla
08165558773
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