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Oba Michael Odunnayo Ajayi JP, Arowotawaya II, Elerinmo of Erinmoland, Osun State was recently in Jerusalem, Israel on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land alongside a renowned man of God, Prophet Abel Taiwo Ojo of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Covenant of Mercy in Ibadan.
In this interview, Oba Ajayi reveals the wonders of the Holy land and how he was re-baptized and obtained Jerusalem Pilgrim (JP) status.
Excerpts:
Your Majesty, for the past few months, you made trips to South Africa as the only monarch from West Africa to the coronation of HRM Misuzulu KaZwelithini, the Zulu king, and the recent one to Jerusalem as the only traditional ruler among global gathering of over 3000 Christian faithful. What prompted all these movements and what did you achieve?
I give God almighty all glory for counting me a worthy king on the throne. It has been my personal desire to do a pilgrimage to Israel, to see and come to terms with some of the things I have read in the Bible and to use the opportunity to further get closer to God Almighty.
The opportunity came with a revered man of God, Prophet Abel Taiwo Ojo of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Covenant of Mercy in Ibadan. It must be noted that here in Erinmo my domain. My grandfather Prince (Elder) Job Ajayi was one of the founders of the CAC Church in Erinmo, the initial gathering took place in his house and for that reason; he declined to accept the kingship throne that came to him through the Oboye Lekan Ruling lineage during that time.
I know that God sees me as a special king. I am not taking that for granted. I appreciate God for the honour he has bestowed on me during my trip to South Africa during the coronation ceremony of the Zulu King and the special and exclusive invitation to the New York Stock Exchange, being that I am the first Nigerian King to be ever invited to US Stock House.
This particular Jerusalem visit is symbolic in the sense that it is the largest single group gathering of pilgrims at a time. This is a crowd of about three thousand pilgrims at once. I was the only traditional ruler from Africa in their midst. I thank God Almighty for the honour. Nothing can be greater than this. I feel fulfilled and I can give glory to God.
You know my domain, Erinmo town, is also seen as the Jerusalem of Nigeria. This is a town with very powerful spiritually potent mountains that people from the different parts of the world come to for spiritual tourism. So, being the king of Erinmo, it is only appropriate to visit the Jerusalem in Israel. I was glad that I took a walk in the places that Jesus walked; places he sat, places he performed miracles that till today are unrivalled and most importantly, I was also baptized at the same river Jordan that Jesus was baptized by John the baptist. It is beyond what I can explain as I am now a certified Jerusalem Pilgrim (JP) personality. I give God who is the King of Kings all the glory.
Tell us about your Jerusalem tourism experience, and what lessons we should learn from it?
Regarding my experience, it was a spiritual journey for me. I went to places like River Jordan, quite an important place as a Christian. It is the river in which John the Baptist baptized Jesus. I was baptized again in that same spot. I felt a renewal in me. I went to Gethsemane. It is a unique place because that was where Jesus went to pray with his disciples and he kept coming back to them as they were asleep. What this portends is that the journey of life requires one to take care of one’s spirituality. If you are looking for someone to pray for you, be sure you may be disappointed. I learned that lesson while I was in the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed. It was the same spot where Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus; where he handed him over to the soldiers that arrested him before he was crucified. We walked through the same route that Jesus moved carrying the heavy cross and I saw with my eyes the magnitude of the suffering that Jesus went through for the sake of mankind. I asked myself, “God, what manner of suffering is this.” It made me to respect the Almighty God more from a different perspective and honour him beyond what I know of him before. This particular trip was not just tourism alone. We had night vigils every night throughout the stay. We went to the Dead Sea known as the lowest point below sea level on earth. It is a wonderful and incredible experience going that way down. It is a kind of sea that no living thing grows. God is just wonderful with his creations. We also went to the Wailing Wall to pray. We made some prayers, and one striking thing about the place is that we were told to walk backwards with our back out of the place before we turn. This is very mystic and it is something I would like to interrogate more. We saw many old synagogues. We went to the Sea of Galilee. Also to the city of Jesus Capharnaum, to the river of Bethsaida and many others too numerous to mention. Indeed, It was a wonderful and Glorious lifetime experience for me.
You are a traditional ruler and yet, your spirituality knows no bound. How do you correlate both?
O yes, I am a traditional ruler. I was born and raised as a Christian and I am a traditional ruler with duty to uphold both the culture of my people, develop my community and improve their welfare. A lot of people get things wrong. They think that once you are traditional ruler, then, you are an idol worshipper. No! I am not an idol worshiper and I believe that every king or ruler understands that there is only one God Almighty. People in China, India and other places worship God as well. In Israel, I noticed that over seventy percent of the inhabitants are Judaists. They are not even Christians, only two percent are Christians. This is not the issue. The real issue is about our relationship with God and that is beyond all these religiosity. God is only one, the creator of heaven and earth, the omnipotent, omnipresent, the same God that both Moslems and Christians worship in their own way. I have no doubt about whom God is. I would not worship any idol, but would always promote the oneness and power of God almighty.
Mine is quite easy. I am the Elerinmo of Erinmo. Erinmo is a spiritually gifted town with lots of spiritually potent prayer mountains that everybody knows worldwide. I have no doubt because long before I was born, my ascension to the throne has been predicted on these mountains. This was even predicted before my mother ever got married. Before I became king, I have also heard prophecies of me becoming a king, even when I have no interest. Then, I was worried and scared about becoming a king, but it came to pass as the Lord wanted. This Kingship is my divine calling and my duty here is to take Erinmo to the world, to improve the welfare of my people, develop Erinmo and make a difference in their live, then leave a great legacy that future generations will appreciate. That is my focus now.
Looking back at your background and early life, would you have preferred spiritual work as a pastor/preacher to being a traditional ruler?
Ahh! Looking back! In a way, both are inter-related and inseparable. Even as a traditional ruler, this is what they call royal priesthood. In my position as a royal ruler, I have been able to mentor a large number of people worldwide. I imagined that when people saw me in Jerusalem praying and even changing my attire to be comfortable to reach many difficult places, everybody wondered that a Yoruba King, a Kabiyesi is obliging to spiritual rules in Jerusalem, praying like every other person. I humbled myself and prayed to reach out to God Almighty who is the Most High King. It is the will of God that I am a King. It is not my own making. Only God can make a king. When David was going to be anointed, and a prophet was sent to the house of Jesse, a message was sent to Jesse to bring out all his male children to choose who will be a king among them. Of course, the rule was that all male children including minors must be brought out among the lots. But David was excluded and sent on an errand then, sent into the forest to tender animals. At last he was called back and selected. He made it. God does not look at anybody’s background. What is important to him is his acceptance of whom he wants to make a king. I have been made a royal vessel in the hand of God and my duty and position, is to let the people know that God Almighty is supreme, the only one and He is interested in the welfare and wellbeing of all of us.
I wouldn’t say I would want to be a pastor or preacher because I am one already through my behaviour, my actions which I use to mentor others. I also visit churches on invitations to attend events and perhaps preach the good news to people. I go to mosques too and still perform my duties as a traditional ruler. My position is all encompassing. You will remember that even in Israel, their leaders used to be men of God until they decided to have kings like other nations who can lead them to war. So, God then decides to anoint who will be a king. David was not a king before he went to the mountain to fight and defeat Goliath. God used him. David was operating a function of a pastor, a prophet and a king, thats why God loved him so much and referred to him as “a man after my. Heart”. My greatest joy woukd be for God to see me as such. It is a multiple responsibility. This is how I see myself. I happen to be a traditional ruler because this is what God wants me to be and I am happy with it.
As a custodian of peoples’ culture and heritage which include all manner of religious practices such as paganism, traditional, Christianity and Moslem religion among others. How tasking is it to be at the helm of affairs?
No, I disagree with you. Being a custodian of culture in my own situation does not include paganism. In fact i dont know what people mean by paganism. I think that it is a wrong notion that people have about traditional kings. That is not the case. I am a traditional ruler. I am the head of my community. This implies that if there are bad people in the community, I am still the head. If they are Moslems, traditionalists or Christians, I am their head. I am the head over all my subjects. I am the head that God has put on the throne. God almighty himself is the King of kings. It is quite simple. Some of the bible chapters we read were written by Kings. The Anglican Church was founded by a king. So, there is no gainsaying about kings and rulership over people. The most important thing is for me to ensure that I pilot my people in the direction that God wants me to lead them. The focus is to see to their welfare and developments. I am their king and always accessible at home. I belong to everybody in this instance, but more than that, it is God that placed me on the throne and i am here to serve his purpose. I am the one who provides the ram used for sallah, no sect isnegkected here but no evil is allowed too.
It is quite tasking because it is a 24 hour duty. There is no rest and no resumption or closing time for being a living king. Even when I am out of my domain, my telephone is buzzing 24 hours to attend to crucial needs of my people. A king does not rest nor go on a sabbatical. One can only rule with the wisdom and strength of God. As the saying goes “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown”
Your Majesty, sitting on a royal throne as a traditional ruler at this time of evolving digital age can be tasking too, judging from the proliferation of ideologies or better still, a clash of interest between the digitally inclined young generation and the older generation. How do you manage such situation especially in palace decision making?
Well, one of the things that we must realise in life is that change is constant and needed. Change is constant. It is a part of life, and the world is dynamic. There was a time that people walked without cloths on, but now, things have changed. People are moving in all manners of technologically advanced devices such as airplane, ships and cars. It is a change. What is important is that people are more dynamic now than before. You will remember God instructed man in the bible to go into the world and have dominion. This means that everything in the world is supposed to be used to achieve some level of comfort man requires on earth. I understand the fact that I am educated, well traveled and also a young traditional ruler. This, to me is God’s way of prolonging the longevity of traditional institution; bringing some young, educated and enlightened digitally inclined generation into an otherwise agelong traditional institution. Otherwise, the institution may have died a natural death without having young and educated ones to change and improve things. In those days, children of a king hardly see their fathers as some tradition require. A king was seen then as a deity, and unapproachable. But currently, things have changed. In the past, before one becomes a king, he may have been a powerful warrior who conquered territories. But today the criteria are on the wisdom and intelligence of a capable leader who can organise and bring meaningful development to the community.
At this stage in Nigeria’s life, the monarchy institution must be written into the Nigerian constitution especially in the area of security and welfare of the people. In all honesty, there is no need for a local government level when the kingship is there. This is exactly what they are supposed to be doing. A governor, senator, local government chairman, councilors and administrators would stay for a period of their tenure and leave. It is the king that would be on ground without shifting base. The good or evil that a king does is there permanently and would be inherited by the generations to come. So, he is compelled to try to do good but all Kings cant be good..
I have come to terms with the fact that I am a king. Majority of my palace chiefs are even older than my father, but as a king, I am the head over them. A Yoruba adage says, “Omo de gbon, agba gbon” that is, “there is intelligence for both the elderly and the young.” It is the combination of this that determines how good things will fall. I take advantage of the situation. When I became king, the first thing I did was to set up an elder’s council in Erinmo. This category is a group of people who are over 90 years of age. There is a woman that is about 118 years of age in Erinmo. She is a member of that Elders council. They serve as advisory council to me as the Elerinmo, aside from traditional chiefs who are also very elderly. When I take advice from both sides, I can sit and analyze the way forward. This position as a king can be very risky. In the Yoruba tradition, the king gives instructions, take decisions, in other word, there would be no room to dilly dally. There is no room to make mistakes which might rub off on generations to come. It is important to take knowledgeable ones among them to be able to make quality decision after deliberations and conferring. That is what God has blessed me with and I am taking full advantage of it.
Finally, your trip to the Holy land in Jerusalem is a symbolic one especially this time that Nigeria’s socio-political, economic and insecurity challenges are surmounting. What is your message to Nigerians to keep faith alive?
One of the reasons I opted to embark on this trip to Jerusalem at this particular time is also because of the problems in Nigeria. By the time I was to leave my palace in Erinmo to board a flight in Lagos, I had only two thousand naira in physical cash left with me. The little money I had, I have to share it among the widows and needy in my domain. When I saw that I have no access to physical cash just like every other person in Nigeria, I realise that we are in a dilemma. We have challenging issues in the country but the current monetary policy has increased the suffering of the people beyond ordinary. I was concerned about my people. When I got to Jerusalem I put Nigeria as a special prayer request and prayed fervently every morning and night for Nigeria, that God should turn our situation around for good and walk through Nigeria to choose the right leaders for us. We should know what we are doing because God has done well for us. This is a country that flows with milk and honey as was described in the bible. We have mineral resources in abundance; crude oil, gas, human resources including good climate. Why should anybody suffer with such abundance,? it has now turned to a country where a son of a butcher would be eating bones or one is by the riverside and yet, feeling thirsty? I believe that some of these problems could be both man mae and also spiritual and needs interventions. I am glad that Prophet Taiwo Ojo made it a point of focus that everybody must pray for Nigeria. We did it. I believe that Nigeria problem is self inflicted but the solution would soon come by the grace of God.
I realised that I have no other option, just like the latest trend “jappa” to exit from the country. I am a king. I have no other place to go. It is important for the sake of all people who I am responsible for that Nigeria is set back on the right track. Everything we needed, to be a successful developed nation is here. We just need to take advantage and tap the resources positively and end corruption in the land. Sometimes, I would think that some leaders are deliberately wicked in Nigeria. Certainly, if we do not experience hard times in life, we may not appreciate when it gets better. I believe our democracy is young but democracy must get to its destination and we should all enjoy the dividends. We are not the only oil producing country in the world. Every other country that produces oil is doing well. For instance, Israel is in the desert, yet agricultural practice there is superb. Nigeria should be able to do that. How can a country drilling crude oil, be importing petrol?. It is very bad, but I believe that God will make a change soon so let us be hopeful.
