News
The relevance of Oranmiyan staff and Ife’s unmovable heritage resource
By Yekeen Olawale Wakeel
Oranmiyan is an important character in Yoruba and Benin mythology. Though, the youngest of Oduduwa grandchildren according to Ife oral tradition, eventually became the most powerful and famous of them all. According to Ife’s list of traditional rulers as catalogued in Oonis Palace, Oranmiyan, the sixth Ooni of Ife had the singular honour of founding two existing dynasties of Oyo and Benin through two of his sons: Ajaka and Eweka.
Oranmiyan staff, located at Mopa along Arubidi Road, Ile-Ife is dedicated to Oranmiyan. On the global positioning system, it is situated on an elevation of about 28 meters above sea level. The staff is the most spectacular antiquity in Ile-Ife and is believed to be one of the tallest stone sculptures in the south of the Sahara.
It is a granite column of about 18 feet (5.5cm) in height and about 4 feet square in width at the base. Several iron studs were driven into it. The belief is that it was erected on the spot where Oranmiyan was originally buried. But, an archaeological investigation has proven otherwise.
The iron studs on Oranmiyan staff had been interpreted at various times as a diary of events in the life of Oranmiyan as a warrior. Some believed it represents a record of festivals in Ile-Ife. The Eredumi of Ife, Chief Odeyele Omiwenu, Priest of Oranmiyan, believes that the iron studs represent the number of bullets fired at Oranmiyan during the war of expansion.
According to Johnson (1921:146), the iron studs are suggestive to represent Hebrew letters Resh and Yod. Johnson further interpreted the 62 iron studs in the middle of the stone monolith to mean the number of years Oranmiyan spent to fight war of expansion, while the 31 iron studs on either side of the staff represent the number of years he stayed in Oyo and Benin respectively. However, a cursory look at the topmost part of the staff actually depicts a vivid picture of the sacred Aare crown.
The written character on the staff actually gave a clue to the fact that Yoruba at a point in history had developed some forms of ancient writing that is evident in Ifa corpus (signatures) walls of Oluorogbo, Akire and Obalejugbe Shrines in Ile-Ife.
Oranmiyan staff equally suggests that carving in stone is part of the artistic tradition in Ile-Ife. The concept and quality of the art demonstrates the richness and sophistication of Ife cultural tradition. The style and technique also reveal that Ife must have had knowledge of iron working long before the advent of Europeans.
The cultural relevance of Oranmiyan staff lies in the fact that it is connected to the installation rites for Ooni of Ife and Alaafin of Oyo. In the past, before an Alaafin was enthroned or crowned, part of his installation rites required that he must come physically to Oranmiyan grove for a very important rite and the ceremony of receiving the sword of authority before he could be crowned as Alaafin. So, the rites symbolised his authority and legitimacy on the throne.
According to Ife oral tradition, corroborated by Chief Odeyele Omiwenu, Apata and Akogun, Yoruba Obas and Are Ona Kakanfo (Yoruba generalissimo) before going to war in the time past, usually come to Ife and offer sacrifices to the deity of Oranmiyan and the staff to ensure victory.
Presently, people still come to pray before the staff. According to Chief Odeyele it is believed that whatever prayer that is offered before the staff would be answered. The healing power inherent in the staff is what had been attracting visitors to the grove and this explains ritual items found in the vicinity of the staff. The associated festival to Oranmiyan staff is Olukere-mude celebrated in the month of April and Olojo festival celebrated in October.
However, it’s obvious that a Museum, especially in Africa is a cultural establishment, whose primary responsibility is concerned with the collection, preservation and exhibition of both natural and cultural objects for the purpose of knowledge and education.
The Museum should continue to play a role in the preservation and relevance of the Oranmiyan staff to further boost Ile-Ife and Nigeria cultural heritage with a view to enrich its richness in the world map.
Museum is a custodian of man’s natural and historic objects, and has equally become the custodian of man’s cultural heritage, of which Oranmiyan staff is significant. Of the economic importance of the Oranmiyan staff, the Museum should play a role in this regard. It should be a veritable source of information on research and reference on Oranmiyan staff to enable local and international tourists access it.
Yekeen Olawale Wakeel is the Chief Museum Education Officer, National Museum, Ile-Ife.
Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has disclosed that his principal, President Bola Tinubu, subsidised the 2024 Hajj with N90 billion.
He stated this when he represented Tinubu to flag off the inaugural airlift of the 2024 Hajj exercise from Nigeria to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.
Shettima urged the intending pilgrims to pray for peace, unity, and progress in the country, urging the intending pilgrims to abide by all rules and regulations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and urged them to avoid any illicit act capable of affecting the integrity of their Hajj.
“Mr president has been committed to this year’s Hajji due to the economic situation, he has also contributed the sum of N90 billion to subsidise this year’s Hajj exercise to have a smooth and successful exercise.
”You may recall that this year, we had a major challenge in announcing the final hajj fare for the 2024 Muslim pilgrimage due to fluctuation in foreign exchange rates.
”President Bola Tinubu also works round the clock to control the downward spiral of our local currency to bring relief to our pilgrims and other Nigerians.
”A move that eventually succeeded in lowering the fare. The President approved the release of N90 billion to subsidised the cost of pilgrimage for this year’s hajj.”
He said that the government of Renewed Hope led by Tinubu attaches immense importance to religious pilgrimage due to the role it plays in transforming behavioral and social vices of the believers beyond performing the pilgrimage.
Earlier in his remarks, the Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, said this year’s Hajji signifies a sacred journey for thousands of devoted pilgrims who embarked on a spiritual voyage to the Holy Land.
He explained further that Hajj is a time to honoured tradition that holds great significance for Muslims around the world.
“It is a journey of faith, devotion, and unity where believers come together to fulfill one of the five pillars of Islam, the pilgrimage to Mecca is a profound experience that fosters a sense of community, humility, and spiritual renewal,” he said
The governor urged the people that they should remember the significance of this sacred ritual, adding that Hajji remained a testament to the unity of Muslim Ummah, transcending geographical boundaries and cultural differences.
“It is a time for reflection, prayer, and seeking forgiveness, as well as an opportunity for personal growth and self-discovery,” he added.
He commended the Federal Government, National Hajji Commission, and those that were involved for their commitment to the successful exercise.
Idris noted with satisfaction that Kebbi was the first state to remit 2024 Hajj fare in Nigeria, adding the intending pilgrims from Kebbi were given special treatment by the present administration to comfort them toward a successful Hajj exercise.
The governor said his administration had spent N900 for infrastructural development of the Hajj Camp in Birnin Kebbi to make it more conducive for the intending pilgrims
In his remarks, the NAHCON National Chairman, Alhaji Jalai Ahmad Arabi, thanked the President and Kebbi governor for their support and cooperation towards the success of this year’s Hajji exercise.
The Federal Government has announced N318.5bn revenue inflow in the first quarter of 2024, the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein disclosed on Wednesday in Abuja.
Madein stated this while briefing members of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, on the revenue performance of the various agencies of government in the first quarter of 2024.
Represented by the Director, Revenue and Investment in the Office of the Accountant General, Maiden, noted that the 2024 fiscal year would be exceptional in terms of revenue generation, owing to the policies of the President Bola Tinubu-led government.
She said, “Reconciliation is still being done but the total revenue inflows to the Federal Government for January to March amounts to N318.5bn as against a total budget of 2.691tn.
“For the budget, the bottom-up cash planning policy is on course and the 2024 budget is going to be implemented via that policy. Officers have been retained and sensitization is ongoing to ensure that Ministries, Departments and Agencies are well equipped on the modalities and conditionalities.”
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Finance Incorporated, Armstrong Takang, who also briefed the lawmakers, disclosed that some agencies under MOFI have so far declared dividends of N101bn.
Takang said, “So far, we have received dividends declared by some companies. But for many others, their reports are either being prepared and have not been completed or have been completed but they have not gone to their boards for approval and subsequently the Annual General Meeting. As such, we cannot use the number of their dividends until that has been done based on the corporate governance rules.
“Based on the number so far, it is about N101 billion from the entities we have identified. We continue with other entities whose dividends have not been paid to ensure we go through the process of them passing it at the board level and the AGM before the figures are sent to us and the money rendered to the treasury.”
The Chairman of the Committee, James Faleke, in his intervention, directed all the agencies under MOFI to furnish the parliament with their annual report for the past 10 years.
According to him, “All organisations under MOFI should produce their annual report for the past 10 years and the dividend that ought to have been paid, what ought to have been paid, and what was paid by each of the agencies, and of course evidence of payments.”
Earlier, Faleke who represents Ikeja Federal Constituency, Lagos State, explained that the session was in in line with the oversight function of the committee to ensure that the revenue targets of the various agencies in the 2024 fiscal year are met.
“We have to ensure that those estimates are met. The appropriation has become a law and so the revenue that you are proposing to generate in the year, we take it upon ourselves to do it every quarter to measure your performance.
“We want to ensure that revenue activities from January to March are in line with your appropriation. When you are giving us your figure, you tell us what the figure was expected for the generation and what you have achieved,” he added.
The amendment bill also seeks for the involvement of States Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards in feeding of pilgrims in Madina and Masha’ir under regulation of NAHCON.
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