The throne of Alaafin Oyo berths in Lagos
Last Saturday, culture advocates, historians and lovers of Yoruba history gathered at the private viewing of The Throne of Alaafin Oyo, at the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and
Last Saturday, culture advocates, historians and lovers of Yoruba history gathered at the private viewing of The Throne of Alaafin Oyo, at the J. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Onikan, Lagos. It was also an interactive moment where many learnt more about the most storied throne of Oranmiyan, which belongs to the Yoruba people. The 45-minute documentary by Ayankola Ayanwuyi is dedicated to the memory of Adebayo Faleti (1921–2017), whose life’s work preserved and projected Yoruba culture and language through literature and modern media. The film is an attempt to engage the depth of the Alaafin institution beyond the coronation ceremony.
Among guests at the premiere were Princess Folasade Adeyemi, the first daughter of the late Alaafin Adeyemi III, who represented Oba Adeyemi royal dynasty, Olori Olamiji Pearse from Oyotunji, the Yoruba kingdom in South Carolina, USA, Crown Prince, Omololu, Prince Adebimpe Ladigbolu who represented the Ladigbolu royal family and Prince Adebayo Onisile who represented one of the royal families from the old Oyo Empire.
Ibadan, the Oyo state capital is next to watch The Throne of Alaafin Oyo on Thursday, April 16 at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan.
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Speaking at the post-screening of the documentary, Ayanwuyi described the documentary as an educational and archival work, which focuses on the significance of the Throne of the Alaafin Oyo within Yoruba civilisation using the recent transition as a lens to explore continuity, legitimacy, and cultural meaning. He explained that the film is not just about the emergence of a new Alaafin, and not limited to an anniversary moment. “It is about situating that transition within a broader historical and cultural context to help people understand what the throne represents, beyond the present,” he said.
The Throne of Alaafin Oyo is an independent project, fully self-funded and produced under Dundun Centre, which operates as a non-profit cultural organisation.
He noted that the project, which took him one year to complete was purely driven by cultural responsibility and the need to document history.
“I have not met Iku Baba Yeye, Alaafin Abimbola Owoade I, and I do not have any direct relationship with the palace. In fact, we formally wrote to notify the palace about the documentary and its screening, but we have not received a response up to this point,” he added, stating that there were key figures they intended to include in the narrative but could not reach.
He however identified funding as one major constraint that plagued the project, hence it was ‘financed personally, and Dundun Centre operates without institutional funding. This limits the scale and speed at which we could work.’
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According to him, other constraint was that many people still do not fully understand the urgency of cultural documentation and preservation, which made access difficult.
On the seeming gaps in the documentary Ayanwuyi said:
“There are indeed many layers to the history and structure of the Alaafin institution, including questions around lineage, transitions and internal dynamics. However, this documentary does not attempt to exhaust all historical debates. It is a focused work with clear boundaries. Some of these issues require deeper, more extensive research and possibly standalone projects. It is important not to oversimplify or speculate on sensitive historical matters without sufficient depth.”
In spite of these, the production features some credible sources such as Prof Akin Alao, a renowned historian from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Adediwura Owoade, Mogaji of Oyo, Wasiu Bolaji, Kudefu of Alaafin, Sangoleke Ojelabi, Oyedemi Oyelowo and Chief Sulaimon Aremu Ayilara, aka Ajobiewe, a renowned Nigerian Yoruba oral poet, chanter and actor.
