Oba Adetokunbo Tejuosho is one of the popular Kings in Ogun
State. He is very stylish and a man of great sartorial elegance. He recently
celebrated his 3rd year on the
throne, and CityPeople magazine Publisher got him to speak on his experience so
far.
Below are excerpts of the interview
Congratulations Kabiyeesi on your role as the leader of
your people. How has it been?
Thank you, I so much appreciate your congratulatory wishes as
I celebrate my 3rd year on the throne of my forebears.
I want to tell you It’s been God all the way, despite the fact
it’s been so tough, but I want to thank the gods of my ancestors.
If you will agree with me no institution that teaches traditional culture, royal roles and attitudes, but god has proven himself to be solidly behind me and with me. Even when the enemies stood against me God showed up for me. Equally, I have also enjoyed tremendous support from my loyal chiefs and my subjects have been very supportive.
Within so short a time you have become one of the leading
Obas in Ogun State. Tell us about Oba Adetokunbo Tejuosho....
First, I am Oba Dr (Amb) Adetokunbo Gbadegeshin Okikiola
Tejuosho (Adabonyin Ekun I). The First Olu Orile Kemta. A Dr of Philosophy and
Laureate of Peace from the World Institute of Peace.
I am from the lineage of a warrior, the 4th generation of
Adabonyin Tejuosho and my father Chief Titilayo
Tejuosho of blessed memory was the biological son of Baba Seraph who was
the direct son of Adabonyin Tejuosho who founded Kemta.
I was far away in Europe when they approached the Oracle with
over five hundred names of male children and the gods told them that the
occupier of the seat will come from over the seas, I was not in Nigeria, not
aware they were consulting oracles about me, I never contested with anyone, I
was just facing my own life activities on my own before this entire event of
Obaship.
I was living in the UK for several years before I moved to
Switzerland, having travelled to several countries in Europe, Asia, the Americas
and several countries across the globe, So when it finally dawned on me and I
ascended the throne of my ancestors to become the first Olu Orile Kemta, my
immediate priority was how I am going to project the community into the world,
by showcasing our endowments and by the way to foster rapid infrastructural
development. Nobody ever heard of Orile Kemta beyond the local and the shores
of our immediate environments and neighbors, we are agrarians with several
expanses of land but with no recognition beyond the closest.
We also have natural
mineral deposits of all kinds but when nobody knows you on the map how can that
be identified and exploited.
Orile Kemta is located in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun
state, some over 40 kilometers from Abeokuta township, situated along Odeda
Ogunmakin road.The first thing I did was to bring experts here and they placed
us on Google map, so locating here will be easier than before.
I also got a technical engineer to create a standard website for appropriate divulgement of information.
Then access road.
There was no direct road access into Orile Kemta ever before.
I single-handedly sponsored a survey, got approval from the state government
and also financed the creation a 10.8 kilometer direct access road from Olugbo
via Orile Kemta to Akogun / Erunwon and other communities within and under my
statutory authority.
After which I now looked inward to the advantages on the ground,
we have not so much apart from land that we inherited from our ancestors, so I
ventured into both livestock and crop farming. If you look around you will see
that we have poultry where we produce between five to ten thousand birds for
processing every now and then. We are also into catfish rearing with 10 ponds
of each at about four thousand capacity.
Then Water Provision.
The entire Orile Kemta was permanently drinking stream water before my enthronement as the
king, but to the glory of the most high God through the help and support of my
ancestors, as I speak with you, I have sunk more than 5 boreholes to provide
drinkable water for my people.
Then there is the provision of Health facilities.
My people are not left out of the benefit of my becoming the
occupier of this ancient stool.I have used my good connection to bring
different medical outfits from outside the country to carry out a series of tests
and free support to all my subjects, such as cancer screening, ear, nose and
throat (ENT) mobile clinic, Hypertension (HBP) and Diabetics medical outfits
and all sorts.
We are also currently
building a medical facility that will enable my people to quick and direct
medical access.
Que3 Kabiyeesi is a great man of Style. How did you develop
your distinctive fashion style?
Many people don't know I am a fashion designer and I own a
label (TOKUNBO TEJUOSHO CLOTHE LINE) from far away in the United Kingdom over
twenty (20) years now. I create my style and it is pertinent to state that
people copy my styles a lot.I sketch
designs so much and I also do research. I enjoy dressing so well, I don’t dress
to impress anyone but myself, I have countless agbada and you know as a king
you cannot wear any other attire apart from traditional wears. I have an
exclusive fashion designing outfit with trains stylists, tailors and designers.
I also patronize other designers but exclusively with my sketch.
Tell us a little about your kingdom, Orile Kemta.
Orile Kemta is the source (Headquarters) where all Kemta towns
and villages emanated from, a distinct cultural section in Egba Land, a notable
and historical town of over 200 years, one of the 5 prominent pillars of Egba
Ake.
But sadly and amazingly there has never been any king in Orile
Kemta before my enthronement. Growing up there were several premonitions that someday I will be a king, but I am always quick to disprove it.
Many at times, spiritualists will just see me and they will
start paying homage, but at some stage of my life, I also got to a junction
where it dawned on me that I have to be a king.
I was far away in Europe working with the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as a Permanent Representative at the Geneva
base station, Switzerland.
My cousin, Shanu Majekodunmi was working with World Health
Organization (WHO) also in Switzerland and his mother died. Then we had to come
for the burial in Nigeria (Abeokuta), that was the first time my family got
hold of me and informed me that they consulted the Oracle and I have been
chosen to be the King.I immediately ran back to my base and I told them I was
not interested in such, I had other plans for my life not knowing that the
ancestors have greater plans for me.
Cutting a long story short, I began my own consultation
outside and within Egba land, one of which was when I consulted the paramount
ruler of Egba land (Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo) who informed and explained to me
that in a town or community where there has never been king before if one is
chosen then you must first be Baale and subsequently be promoted to a King.
That was when I agreed to take the position of the Baaleship
and here I am today after 3 years as Baale Orile Kemta, I was promoted,
upgraded, and installed to the position of Olu Orile Kemta on the 17th of May 2019
by the administration of His Excellency, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, the immediate
past governor of Ogun state.
Like I earlier explained, I am from the lineage of a warrior,
the 4th generation of Adabonyin Tejuosho, a warrior who founded and established
Kemta. Originally, after the Yoruba of old Oyo went through an interregnum of
80 years as an exiled dynasty after its defeat by the Nupe, the extrication happened
and historically some Yorubas moved to Ile Ife.
Adabonyin migrated to this place where we are today from Ile Ife passing through Ijebu route in 1814 all through to 1820 when he finally
settled here, in this present day Odeda local government Area of Ogun
State
Adabonyin had 4 sons and my lineage was the first of that tree
clan
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