For those who lived or grew up through the 80s and mid 90s in the South-west of this country, the memory of Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike must bring out some grins of excitement on their faces this morning for those nostalgic humourous experiences with the late royal father, popularly referred to as Oba Asan’ke.
Oba Yesufu Asanike’s era indeed marked a remarkable turning point in the history of kingship in the ancient brown-roofs city of Ibadan.
Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike’s glorious reign and his majestic rulership spanned through the 80s and the mid 90s, he presided over the local administration of the city for ten years which was precisely between 1983 and 1993, and the ancient city of Ibadan experienced wonderful development and transformation amid peace and security.
History won’t forget Oba Yesufu Oloyede easily for his innocence, simplicity and daily hilarious jokes he cracked unconsciously anywhere he found himself. He was a lively old ‘unlettered’ man who was popular for his plain attitudes and simple but funny characters. He was not a too-official person, and on many occasions, he consciously broke protocols to amuse people around him.
Let travel a bit back into the history to dig into the humourous life of Oba Yesufu Asanike:
OYE-TAN
Oba Yesufu Asanike was known to have given out highest number of chieftaincy tittles in the history, he was known as one OLUBADAN who handed out a lot of traditional chieftaincy tittles to people across ethnic divides in the country. It was believed in some quarters that he sold out chieftaincy to whoever that could pay for it.
Let’s not forget that he bestowed the title of Bashorun of Ibadanland to the late Chief MKO Abiola amid fierce criticism. Chief MKO Abiola, who was obviously an Egba man, faced heated criticism among the sons and daughters of Ibadan that thought the chieftaincy must only be held by the born indigenes of Ibadanland.
However, due to his being richly influential, MKO Abiola became the fourth Bashorun of Ibadan, a noble title for generalissimo that Bashorun Ogunmola first held in history.
One of the many foreigners that enjoyed the generosity of Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike was a popular Lebanese businessman known as I-MUDAH of Gbagi market here in Ibadan. Chief I-MUDAH was made the Baba Laje of Ibadan by Oba Yesufu Asanike.
One of the humourous moments pertaining to chieftaincy title was when Oba Yesufu wanted to confer a title on one popular Igbo trader, but unfortunately there was no more vacant title, and he was told by one of his aides.., “Kabiyesi ko ma s’oye mo ti a le fi okunrin yii je, oye ma ti tan baba”. He was told.
Ko s’oye mo bii boo? He looked at the aide with a disdainful surprise.
Oye tan bi’bo o? He asked him again.
“OYE-TAN gan, oye ni. Wo koda a je OTUN OYE-TAN, OSI OYE-TAN ati BALOGUN OYE-TAN..,”
he told the aide.
AIDUPE ARA ENI
Another hilarious moment that spread through the city and beyond happened on the New Year day when his chiefs came and lined up to greet him for the new year festive season, the first chief on the line said to him “Happy New Year”. But Oba Yesufu in his innocent characteristic manner replied with “AIDUPE ARA ENI”. Nearly every one present there in the palace burst into laughter. Oba Yesufu did not take any offence in that. He just looked at them and asked.., “Se kosi ti gbogbo yin fi bu s’erin? “Why do you all burst into laughter”, he asked them innocently.
WON FE E GBE’KO DE
It was true Oba Asanike was a fun-seeking royal father that on many occasions attended social functions on invitation. He attended a birthday party of one notable high chief. He was reported to have gone to the party with one of his high chiefs and Alaafin Oyo who sat very close by his side.
After the cutting of the birthday Cake, some pieces were served on the high table where Oba Yesufu, the high chief and Alaafin sat. Alaafin took his own, so also the high chief known as Chief Adeyemo, and while they were eating, Oba Yesufu Asanike obviously became confused and he bent to whisper to Alaafin.., “Lamidi., ‘Deyemo maa ti j’akaa tan, won e ma tii gbe eko de!”
Alaafin was amazed that Oba Yesufu Asanike mistook the icing-sugar coated Cake for local fried Beans-Cake known as AKARA-KENGBE.
ALAO O SI N’ILE
There was a time that Oba Yesufu had to pick his phone call by himself while ALAO was not around to do it for him. ALAO was his closest aide that officially handled information, media and correspondence for him. As Oba Yesufu picked up the handset of the analog telephone box and the caller said “Hallo good afternoon”, the king was startled as if he didn’t understand what the caller said. To save the situation, he quickly replied., “ALAO O SI NLE, YESUFU LO N S’ORO”. Obviously Oba Yesufu mistook ‘HALLO’ FOR ‘ALAO’.
IYAWO MI NI MO NI KI E MAA SO
Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike, on record, had many wives (Oloorii) as well as many children. Royal fathers in Yorubaland are polygamous by tradition, perhaps due to the belief that royal king must not reject a gift of any kind, be it money, wife or car…, and that obviously contributes to their having many wives and children.
Oba Yesufu loved one of his wives so much that he had to hire some undercover security guards to guard and protect her wherever she would go. The guards were to feed him back if there was any suspicious move or if she tried any secret meeting in and out of the palace. It was true the king did not trust her.
One afternoon, the queen’s guards dragged a palace driver who was caught stealing used tyres before Oba Yesufu Asanike. The poor driver obviously was shivering, because he knew the royal father had zero tolerance for stealing…, and experientially he knew the consequences of being caught in the act. In same vein.., the guards knew the bountiful rewards that would follow catching a thief. But surprisingly, when Oba Yesufu asked what did the driver steal and he was told it was ‘used tyres’.., he became obviously livid and shouted the guards down fiercely. “IYAWO MI NI MO NI KI E MA SO, KI SE TAYA MOTO”.
He released the driver and rebuked the guards for not doing what he hired them to do. Watch and spy on my wife, not the tyres.
Oladele Idowu Joseph
