Falola, Olowu decry chieftaincy title monetisation

Professor Toyin Falola and the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Prof Saka Matemilola, have criticised the growing monetisation of traditional titles and chieftaincy in Nigeria.

The duo spoke during The Toyin Falola Interview, themed “Indigenous Education, Character Formation and the Making of Citizens,” according to a statement obtained by The PUNCH on Monday.

Falola, who led the discussion, questioned the increasing practice of linking chieftaincy titles to financial contributions, noting that he had received traditional titles in the past without paying money to the traditional rulers involved.

Responding, Matemilola acknowledged that money had increasingly become a factor in the conferment of traditional titles.

“We have turned this chieftaincy thing, even the obaship thing, into who can pay the biggest amount of money,” the monarch said.

He, however, argued that traditional leadership should be based on service to the community rather than wealth.

“In my view, and the way it should be, becoming a traditional ruler, becoming a baale, becoming a chief is about service to the community and nothing more.

“It’s about service to your people.”

The Olowu said the Owu Kingdom therefore insisted on seeing tangible contributions from individuals before recognising them with traditional titles.

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“We insist, we insist that we must have seen value that you have added to the community, to the society,” he said.

Matemilola also spoke about the Olowu Hope Initiative, which he said was established to support education, healthcare, skills acquisition, women empowerment, environmental sustainability and climate action.

He said the initiative had provided interest-free loans to more than 300 women without recording a default.

Explaining the approach adopted by the initiative, the monarch said, “We cannot wait until we have those nice, shiny bells and whistles, you know, a structure and a bank before we begin to help because the need is so urgent, so urgent that we need to start something from now.”

The interview also featured Prof Gabriel Babawale, Prof Bridget Awosika, distinguished Professor of Home Economics at Adeyemi Federal University of Education, and Dr Olabimpe Olori Adeyemi, a linguist, poet, chanter and lecturer in linguistics and Nigerian languages at the University of Ilorin.

Introducing Matemilola, Falola described him as “the rare synthesis of traditional leadership and global academia,” citing his training in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ibadan and Applied Mechanics at the University of Cambridge, as well as his professional experience in engineering and the energy sector.

Matemilola reiterated that traditional titles should recognise people who have contributed meaningfully to their communities.

“In my view, and the way it should be, becoming a traditional ruler, becoming a baale, becoming a chief is about service to the community and nothing more.”