11 is my mystery number —Oba Olateru Olagbegi

By Taiwo Abiodun, Owo

His Royal Majesty Olowo of Owo, David Victor Folagbade Olateru Olagbegi III recently celebrated his 10th year coronation anniversary. In this interview, he spoke with Taiwo Abiodun on his journey on the throne, the love he has for the ancient town, his late father, the 11 mystery number and many more You have spent 10years on the throne how has it been?

Well, I thank God. I think its quite memorable. I thank God for the experience. For experience is the better teacher. I went through a lot and I thank God for everything.So far, so good , I thank God for it. What have you achieved since?

I think when I came I had my own vision. I want this place to be bubbling again as it was when I was young. Owo used to be the commercial nerve centre in those days when I was youg. By the time I came things were relatively dull, and I had to start pleading to people to come and help us develop this place.I am happy there is a lot of development now. Here, we have banks like Inter Continental and many more and others are still coming up. We have a university, we have factories now like the Aluminium and many others are coming up.

You are a lawyer, a Christian, a custodian of Culture. How do you cope?

Oh! I do cope, the legal profession helps me in many ways. As a Christian I believe in God the Almighty. If you read Job Chapter 28 verse 28 which says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom so, I really fear the Lord. I am a Christian and I pray to God always. As a traditionalist, I respect our culture and tradition so much and this does not mean paganism.There is a difference between Christianity and Culture.

Kabiyesi, is it true that everyone who kicked against your enthronment suffers one tragedy or the other?

You know as a Christian it is not acceptable for me to pray that God should destroy my enemies.There is no way I could be so close to God as I am today if those things did not happen.Though it is painful that such things happened, but I could tell you that they actually worked out for my own good. It is not even Biblical for you to tell God to kill your enemy. God is not a hired killer! What kills the enemy faster is for him to be alive to see the purpose of God fulfilled in your life. If they are beset by tragedies it is because of the evil they did in the sight of God and my earnest prayer for them is that they repent and turn away from evil, otherwise they may continue to face the wrath of God.

With the experience you have you still assist Owo people a lot?

Owo people are nice. I must assist the needy ones. Our children are our future. We must help them get good jobs, go to higher institutions and be good citizens of Nigeria.We must sheath the sword and forge ahead.We must spread the hands of fellowship to our people. A lot of people did not know me then when there was crisis in Owo, today they know me. I thank God. That is why I have open door policy.We should spread our hands of fellowship to them and bring them closer. During the crisis there were rumours that you died. How did you manage the situation? It is God that did everything. Talking about not seeing me, by then I travelled. I wasn’t around, I could be in the US,England, Abuja or Lagos. It was quite a long time so when the people did not see me they peddled the rumour.I was not surprised, it is normal and above all God was in total control.

During the last Igogo festival you danced round to Ehin Ogbe quarters where everybody believed you will not go?

The people of Ehin Ogbe are nice people. I think it’s alright for me to go there and say hello. The last time Olowo went there was about 29years ago.The Igogo festival is a festival that unites all the natives. It is okay.

People come here everyday to seek assistance from you, how do you cope?

I am a quiet man .I do not want to be blowing my trumpet.If I assist my fellow people it is not in my blood to be saying it. God should be given the glory not me.

Why are you called O.O. by some people?

My parents christened me David Victor Folagbade. Ah! Who told you this boy? [laughs] I t is some of my friends also said it means Olowo of Owo,Olateru Olagbegi,Ordained Oba,Ogo f’’Oluwa, they all love the initials of that O.O.

When you were young, did you aspire to be a king?

Well, behind the mind of every prince they know what they want. We pray to God to give us our own desire.

Why did you choose to read Law and not another course?

You want to know about it? You see when I was young and with my father , one day a gentleman came in suit to see him and came with his uncle to the palace.I asked my father who he was and my father said that the gentleman was a lawyer and has just come back from England,I was fascinated. He is now a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), he is Elder Olakunori, an indigene of this town.That was where I picked my interest and went to read Law in England. Tell us about your father, the late Sir Olateru Olagbegi II (KBE). My father was a great man. He was understanding, kind, generous, educated, loving and a lover of peace. He was a man one can be proud of. He was intellectually giant.

But he was sent into exile?

Yes, he went for 25 years. There was a prediction about that 25 years. Yes ,that was what I heard, that it was predicted. He reigned here (Owo) for 25years. He was deposed and banished and was away for 25 years. And he returned and reigned for another five years before he passed on in 1998.

Where were you and how did you feel when he was deposed?

I was in England then almost finishing my Law course.I was surprised when I heard,He was banished from Owo and sent to Okitipupa where I had to stay later. When he was released he was asked not to come to Owo, later he was told to come to Owo and that was in 1977. In 1993 he was reinstated as the Olowo of Owo until he passed on in 1998.

Your late father was reported to have over 100 children as at 1969?

Well, it is not completely correct.Yes, my father had many children but not up to 100 as you have said.The fact is that it is not in our culture to count the number of our children. By our culture we do not count the number of our children.

He trained all his children by sending them to school?

Yes, he did. I think the best legacy is to give our children good education. Apart from being a meal ticket, I think it exposes them and makes them good citizens.

Do you share the same philosophy?

Of course yes. I have been trying my best to train my children. I also tell others too and assist them in any form to make sure they train their children too.

Its like legal profession flows in the family?

I am a lawyer, I have produced lawyers too among my children.

Your father had many wives , as an educated and popular monarch how many do you have?

I have only one wife. How many did you see here? (laughs)As a custom we have custom of inheritance, my father’s wives are my wives, that means I have many wives (laughs). There is this mystery number 11, people are talking about , what is it. You see ,when I went to contest I picked ‘’agada’’ (traditional staff of office) of the past Olowo which would reveal how my reign would be. Out of nine agadas, I mysteriously counted 11 agadas. I picked Elewuokun’s agada. Elewuokun was the most powerful Olowo and his reign was also wonderful.I had my first child on the 11 th.My mother went with the Lord on the 11th of January and when it was exactly 11 months and 11days I received the royal staff of office at the governor’s office on the 11th December 2003 at 11:13am.

Who are those that influenced your life?

A lot of people. Many years ago Mrs Henrietta Williams, the wife of Ladi Williams (SAN) wrote a letter to me and said I would become the Olowo of Owo in future , but I should be a king after God’s heart. Primate Fakeye of Ayo Ni O church prayed for me several years ago and said I would become a king and that he saw a lot of crisis around me but I would overcome every obstacle. I remember Pastor Adenrele who was my father’s prophet in those days .I was in Law school when I met him. Myself and Yeyesa (one of my father’s wives) went to him for prayer and he said I would become a politician because he saw me in the midst of politicians and that I would later become a king. That was in 1968 and 1981. I became the Legal Adviser to Vice President Dr. Alex Ekwueme and in 1999, I became the Olowo of Owo. I remember Primate Akinola whom I met years ago too in London. As he was about to go he gave me his complimentary card and wrote Psalm 30:5 at the back. Pastor Adejare Adeboye is another respected man of God, a man of honour and dignity, a great man of God whom God is using for Nigeria who prayed for me in one of the Holy Ghost services. He prophesised that there was a king that people wanted to cut his reign short but God said He would frustrate his enemies. He told me not to worry that I would get the staff of office soon. A time was when some people threatened to cause trouble if he visited the palace when he had a crusade in Owo. He came and nothing happened. I will not forget Primate Adetiloye too who prayed for me and asked me to read the book of Ephesians 3:30.He told me not to worry.

Olowo palace is the oldest palace in Nigeria and it still retains its beauty .What is the magic wand behind it?

No magic wand. We are trying our best. We have not been where we should.We are pleading to the Federal and State governments, friends and even corporate organisations to assist help us build a new modern palace like some of our other monarchs, even if we have our heritage and oldest palace. The Owo people should come together and develop the place, we have no other home.