He is the ruler of this rural settlement, about 30 kilometers from Idiroko town in Ipokia Local Government Area, Ogun State.
He walked humbly into the palace and the atmosphere didn’t immediately give an impression that a royal father had just arrived. Men and women, young and old began to prostrate, saying, “Kabiyesi o”.
Becoming an O̩ba in Idoloris̩a comes with a lot of restrictions, the O̩ba admits.
He also said that the moment he became O̩ba, he was forbidden from seeing other traditional rulers.
“My crown should not be seen by any other O̩ba in Yorubaland”
If another traditional ruler sees him with his crown, he said that monarch will die in a matter of days.
“Such traditional ruler will die an untimely death”
“It may sound strange, but that is what would happen.
He said the crown he wears is an ancient one different from the ones most Obas in Yorubaland wear today.
“My crown is not ordinary. It is an ancestral crown and is the same crown my fore fathers, who had occupied this position wore.”
To prevent mass deaths, O̩ba Isho̩la does not attend the meetings of the Ogun State Council of O̩bas and Chiefs.
His absence from such meetings has robbed the community of developmental projects. Apart electricity supply, this community is in dire need of other social amenities.
O̩ba Isho̩la has, however, promised to reverse that trend by sending a representative to all the meetings and other government functions.
Other Rules of The Land
We also learnt that it is also forbidden for O̩ba Isho̩la or any of his subjects to sell land in the community. Land is freely given to any stranger who wants to reside or use it for commercial purposes.
© Taiwo Abdulmujeeb Olalekan