By Yinka Oladoyinbo
The Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adebayo Adegbola, was officially coronated last Saturday at a colourful ceremony led by Oyo State governor, Mr Seyi Makinde. In this interview by YINKA OLADOYINBO, the monarch shares his journey to the throne and his vision for the ancient town.
TELL us more about yourself and reflect on recent developments in your life?
I am Oba Samuel Adebayo Adegbola, born into the Olurin ruling family of the Akalakoyi ruling house on my father’s side. My mother hails from the Ajao family, one of the four families under the Laribikusi ruling house.
I attended Islamic Mission Primary School and then proceeded to the famous Oke-Ogun Baptist Secondary/Modern School, now Baptist Grammar School. Later, I moved to Obaseku High School, the foremost secondary school in our community. I joined the Nigeria Customs Service in 1976 and studied Business Administration and Management at Yaba College of Technology. I served in Customs until July 16, 1998, when I became oba.
You left a lucrative Customs career to pursue the Eleruwa throne in a town some consider small. What motivated your decision?
Everything in life is destined by God. You can’t design your own fate. Whether Customs was lucrative or not, coming to the throne of my ancestors was a calling. I didn’t even plan to contest in 1998. It was my maternal family that approached and encouraged me. I was still in service at the time.
Today, we see professors, Major Generals and successful businesspeople ascending thrones. Baba Olu Falae, for example, became a king in Ilu-Abo, Ondo State. Why would someone of his stature become a king? Because it was his destiny.
Besides, Eruwa is not a small town. In the hierarchy of obas in Oyo State, the Eleruwa ranks fourth, after the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadan and the Soun of Ogbomoso. Historically, these were the four obas in the old Oyo State Council of Obas before Osun State was created. Eruwa is one of the ancient towns of the old Oyo Empire, located in the Ekun Otun division. The town is growing and we invite developers to come and invest here.
What led you to join the Nigeria Customs Service after school?
It was fate as well. A friend told me about an opening and I applied. I did my basic training at the Customs Training College at Half a Road, Yaba, before the Ikeja training school was established. At the time, Customs had two divisions, technical and preventive. I joined the technical side. We wore white shirts with ties and caps and were responsible for duty assessment and revenue collection. The preventive officers wore khaki, bore arms and manned borders.
In 1978, a unification exercise merged both divisions. We, the technical officers, underwent military training, while the preventive officers were trained in technical duties. From then on, any Customs officer could be deployed to any role.
How did your experience in Customs shape your later life?
Customs gave me wide exposure and discipline. I served all over Nigeria, including in areas now troubled by Boko Haram, Borno, Gamboru Ngala, Gajibo, Banki and Kirawa. Back then, Borno was one of the most peaceful states. The Kanuri and Shuwa Arabs were hospitable and claimed historical ties with the Yoruba. My work allowed me to experience Nigeria’s diverse cultures and values firsthand, which has been invaluable in my role as oba.
How did you manage family life as a constantly traveling Customs officer, and now as a traditional ruler?
I consider myself a committed family man. I have been married to my first wife for over 40 years without conflict. She never had cause to report any issue to her family. When fate brought a second wife into my life, it was my first wife who led the Eruwa community to receive her, with the late Asiwaju of Eruwa, Chief Folorunso Fagbohun, in attendance. Both families live harmoniously.
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Even while posted to distant places like Borno, I made it a point to return home every month. There was no posting that kept me away from my family for long.
Now that you are Eleruwa, what are your plans for Eruwa’s development?
My plan, in partnership with my bales, elders and political stakeholders, is to restore and elevate Eruwa’s status. We will engage the government to address the town’s developmental needs. Our chieftaincy and political institutions will work together to secure our fair share of the dividends of democracy.
I also want to appeal to well-placed indigenes and investors, both at home and abroad, to come and establish industries here. We will provide land and support. Eruwa is rich in raw materials. Our cassava is among the best in Nigeria and is highly valuable for processing. The same goes for our cashew and palm kernels.
Rather than transporting these resources elsewhere, we want industries to be established here to process them. This will create jobs for our people and boost the town’s economy. Our ultimate goal is to make Eruwa a hub of industry and progress.