In this interview with Subair Mohammed, High Chief Waheed Muraina, the Agbaakin Bashorun of Yorubaland, shares his life’s journey and thoughts on Yoruba culture and tradition. Excerpts:
CAN you tell us about your childhood, especially how you started as a mechanic to a farmer and later became a land agent?
I was born in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State on August 28, 1966, so I am now 60 years old. I attended Magbon Etido Primary School and later Ofada Community High School. When I got to Form Two, I left school and went to learn automobile mechanics at Kobape Mechanic Village in Ogun State in 1987 under my boss, Mr Sola Awosiga.
While learning the trade, I felt it was not meant for me. Later, I thought farming would be my first profession and that it could be profitable. So, in 1992, I started cultivating crops. I planted okra, ewedu, pepper and Ofada rice, and continued farming until around 2000.
However, in 2005, I met a woman named Funmi who had a company. We met accidentally when she came to look for land in the Mowe-Ofada area for her company. At the time, some of our seniors were the ones trying to get the land for her. We should always remember tomorrow in whatever we do because the same land they wanted to sell to her had already been fraudulently sold to several people.
Let me say this: my first wife attends The Apostolic Church and she is a committed Christian because of her good behaviour. When I saw the sticker of the church on the woman’s vehicle, I remembered my first wife and felt that her good behaviour was influenced by the church. I therefore made up my mind that I would not allow anyone to scam the woman.
As she was leaving, my friend and I ran after her and caught up with her in the Skoda vehicle they had brought. When we approached her, she thought we were thieves, but she eventually gave us an audience. I asked her about her plans and advised her not to pay for the land. I told her to pretend that she wanted to do something on the land so that she could confirm our claim.
Three weeks later, we went to eat at a place where we were told that the woman had been looking for us. We thought perhaps we were in trouble. I told my colleague that we should call her. When we did, she asked us to meet her on a particular day.
When we met her, she told us that they had confirmed that the land had been sold to about three people. She then asked me to help her get a hectare of land where she could build a factory. That was how I became a land agent.
And what happened after?
I told her that they should clear the land and try to build a fence around it to confirm that the land was genuine. The land belonged to a member of my family. I later went to meet my late brother, Mr Moshood Jinadu, and told him about the land. I told him that I had not given the woman any price.
When we told her the price of the land, she did not even bargain. When they wanted to clear the land, I had not negotiated with a caterpillar operator. But when she asked me how much we would need for the clearing, I simply told her it would cost N250,000. She did not argue and gave me the money.
I told my brother that the woman had given me money for the clearing because he was working with a caterpillar operator who handled such jobs. When he asked how much she had given me, I told him she gave me N100,000.
When we discussed with the caterpillar operator, he said he would collect N35,000. I gave him N40,000 so that he could do the job early. After everything, my brother gave me only N15,000 from the balance, but I did not mind.
Later, the woman gave me the building contract. From that, I built my first house, which had 12 rooms. From that moment, whenever the woman came around, she spoke about me to her friends. That was how I became a land agent. If we had cooperated with the people who wanted to scam the woman, they would have collected millions of naira from her fraudulently and given us perhaps N200,000. That could have truncated our destiny.
How would you describe your journey during this period?
It wasn’t easy at all. What I have narrated in two minutes took months of supplications, fasting and praying. Above all, honesty, contentment and dedication played a major role in shaping me to who I am today. I initially felt that it would be difficult for me to save N100,000 in my life.
The place where I built a modern hall today was where I used to work as a labourer. My family had sold the land before I eventually bought it back. You have to try your best before you can fulfil your destiny. It was during that period that I had my first child. At the time, there was no money to even buy baby food for him.
What I am saying now may make some people think I am a local man. But if all rich men could tell their stories, people would not go into rituals or engage in other evil activities in search of wealth. I have never sold one piece of land to two people or engaged in any fraudulent activity as a land agent.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
If you are 60 years old and say you have made no mistakes, then you are lying. The only thing I know is that we are now in the afternoon of our lives, and what I want is the ability to help people.
It was not because someone helped me or because my family was rich that I got to where I am today. Honesty brought me this far, while destiny made me meet the woman I told you about. If I had not met her that day, I might not be where I am today.
I celebrate my birthday every year. I told my children, my wife and my friends that I should be celebrated while I am alive, not when I am dead, because I would not eat from the meal they cook after my death.
When we celebrate birthdays, it is an opportunity to appreciate God and reflect on the wrong things we have done so that we do not repeat them and can continue to be good to people. We have yesterday, today and tomorrow. Whatever I have done is yesterday, while what I am doing today will determine my tomorrow.
You are a successful businessman who is known in many places. How did the name Alexandra come into your business identity?
When I was born, I was named Waheed. My father’s name is Muraina. I told my children to bear my name, Waheed. A name is important because it preserves history for one’s children.
One of my uncles, Wasiu, my father’s younger brother, owned Alexis Property, and I worked under him for about five years. So, I felt I should look for a name that was close to it. When I had a daughter, I named her Alexandra. I also bear Sile, so I named my company Alexandra Sile Property.
Is any of your children interested in taking after you as a land agent?
As for the work I do, none of my children has shown interest in it so far. In the days of our parents, you could choose professions for your children, but that does not happen anymore.
The job of a land agent is dangerous. When you bring a piece of land to someone, some people may take you to court. So, you must be careful. Whoever is doing the job should know that there are consequences for whatever we do.
You are very close to the Ooni of Ife, Arole Enitan Ogunwusi. Can you tell us about your relationship with him?
He is a father figure to me. Our father, the Ooni of Ife, Arole Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, is a man of destiny. His name is Adeyeye, which means the throne is befitting.
He is a disciplined man. Despite the bad things some people say about him, you will not see him respond by saying bad things about others. He is very accommodating and relates with everyone.
He is also ready to relate well with other Obas. For instance, when the Alaafin of Oyo was being installed, the Ooni of Ife was there.
We heard that your installation as Agbaakin Bashorun of Yorubaland, by the Ooni of Ife, caused a disagreement between the Ooni, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade. How was the matter eventually resolved?
There is no way you can tell the history of Oyo without relating it to Ile-Ife. The first Alaafin of Oyo was Oranmiyan. Whenever the Ooni of Ife wants to give out a chieftaincy title, it can be traced to Oduduwa or Oranmiyan. I come from the Oranmiyan family and that is the basis of the chieftaincy title given to me. If they cannot remove Oranmiyan from Yorubaland, then no one can say that the title of Agbaakin Bashorun of Yorubaland, given to me, is wrong.
How do you think we can achieve unity in Yorubaland?
There is no way there will not be disagreements, but we must recognise our leaders. After God Almighty created the world, He appointed representatives. There is a symbol for everything. Many things are happening today because we have neglected our traditions.
If our traditional rulers can agree that whatever the Ooni of Ife or the Alaafin of Oyo does should not be unnecessarily questioned, there will be unity. We should respect our traditions and traditional rulers if we want the Yoruba people to be united.
Isese Day is now celebrated every August 20. What is your advice to traditionalists on the celebration?
I congratulate them because, in the past, people could not openly call themselves traditionalists. Today, when people want to celebrate Ifa festivals, they do not hide. They openly identify themselves as traditionalists.
I also thank the Ooni of Ife, Arole Enitan Ogunwusi, because he has promoted tradition greatly.
Whenever they celebrate Odun Oke Abola, more than 10 million people attend the ceremony. He has made us understand that we do not have to hide our tradition or Isese for development and progress.
Isese is like our mother or father; they brought us into the world. They are the means through which we connect with God. One of them is Orunmila, who also met Isese in the world. A Babalawo is not an idol worshipper. They are spiritualists.
For instance, King Saul in the Bible went to seek the services of a spiritualist when he had problems. When our forefathers wanted to observe their traditions in those days and had to pass through a church, they would stop drumming until they moved away from the vicinity. Both Muslims and Christians should not disturb traditionalists.
All religions came from tradition. Look at what is happening in Jerusalem today; people cannot travel to Israel freely because of the conflict there. Our body is the real temple of God, just as the Bible says.
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