Female Kings Among the Yoruba

(By Sulaiman Salaw-udeen) – The Many Female “Kings” of Ekiti

Yoruba tradition precludes princesses from becoming kings, but many of them have been installed regents or stop-gap kings in many towns and cities across Southwest Nigeria.

Like the conventional monarchs, they often come decked in traditional Agbada, Buba and Sokoto and wear round-headed caps festooned in attractive designs. They wield the familiar royal horsetail and are normally graced with obeisance by humble and adoring subjects who call them ‘Kabiyesi’, a Yoruba word for ‘Unquestionable’.

But their often rotund faces and other feminine features do always set them apart from the male world which their looks and their relations with male chiefs gave them away as. They are females and are fleeting occupiers of the exalted throne of a traditional ruler or Oba across towns and communities in Ekiti. They carry the common title of regents.

From Igbona-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area to Erio-Ekiti in Ekiti west and Awo-Ekiti, in Irepodun-Ifelodun Local Government Area, regents currently hold the fort, even if temporarily, as kings on the thrones of their fathers, occasionally giving orders, settling disputes, attending community and state functions and filling other spaces within the communities as needs often compel.

While some communities are said to choose males as regents, the more common and familiar are the females who are the direct daughters of recently deceased monarchs. Findings showed that males are seldom made regents because of the possibilities of a refusal to vacate the throne when a substantive monarch is installed, causing a situation in which two monarchs lay claim to one royal stool.

Further findings reveal that the regents, who are sometimes known even before the demise of a sitting monarch, are there mainly for titular purposes and for a short time till another monarch is selected and installed. It was also found out that in actual fact, the administrative running of the towns still solely rests with the chiefs as a regent might have one personal reason or the other to be away.

According to Yoruba tradition, the moment a princess ascends the throne and as long as she remains the regent, she is no longer regarded as a woman and she is expected to appear always like a man, but she is only allowed to wear the round beaded crowns, unlike the male kings who have various crowns designed and decorated with beads which may fall over their faces. The faces of the regents must not be covered and the beads on the neck, falling on their chest must not be more than three and graduated in three layers, although this varies in some communities. But, the beads of the Obas, though of the same length could be more than three.

Taboos for regents

Speaking with The Nation, the Regent of Igbona Ekiti in Ikole Local Government area of the state who is also the protem Chairman of the no fewer than twelve regents presently on the throne of their ancestors across Ekiti State, Princess (Dr) Adebunmi Osadahun, regents are regarded as miniature Obas who are barred by tradition from doing menial jobs.

Married regents can also not engage in sexual relationship with their husbands while in the palaces, and should not be pregnant during the period they occupy the throne because, according to findings, if the regent delivers a male child, such a child may wish to aspire to the throne in future.

And apparently to avoid the temptation of getting pregnant while on the throne “the regent in those days”, according Princess Osadahun “was either a virgin or an aged woman. But these days, regents do have babies on the throne. The risk is that in future, such babies could demand to be installed kings. If there is a long period of inter-regnum and those who know the history of the community are no longer alive, history might be distorted for the child to lay claim to the throne.”

Further, the regents must not carry loads on their heads for whatever reasons, or engage in such other menial engagements, including domestic chores like making pounded yam. They must not expose their heads and must dress in reflection of the position they occupy all the time.

But it is not all don’ts as according to the Regents’ chairman, a regent is entitled to full social rites of an Oba with some exceptions on some traditional rights which include not attending what she called the ‘Pelupelu’ meeting which is the statutory council of Obas meetings.

She added: “She cannot also undertake during the regency any installation of chieftaincy titles, removal of erring chiefs on any excuse and registration of chieftaincy declarations.”

While noting that in earlier times, a regent was expected to be either a virgin or an aged woman to ease the tasks assigned to her by tradition, Princess Osadahun explained that things have since changed “as majority of us belong to monogamous marriages.”

She spoke further: “If you are married and from such a monogamous house, and if in three years a new Oba had not been chosen then you have problem. In any town, after 21 days of the demise of the late Oba, the community is free to install their Oba. In earlier times, after twenty four months, the regents should go as she would be denied all financial claims but government has seen that some communities cannot meet up with the target as they always take more time to arrive at who would be the next Oba.”

“Regents must also regard themselves and must be regarded as men so far as she was in the palace. In actual fact, a regent is traditionally seen as a man and should appear like one. She is, however, to wear the round-top beaded crowns and not the male types with high gears decorated with beads.

“The face of the regent must not be covered with the headgears and also the neck beads of the regent must be three and graduated in three layers. But the beads of the substantive Obas though of the same length can however be more than three,” she said.

The list of other regents across the state, according to sources, included Princess Adejoke Adetoyinbo, (Erio Ekiti); Princess Adesina Adefunke, (Awo-Ekiti); Princess Ademide George, (Ayede-Ekiti); Princess Arowosegbe Adefunke (Erijiyan-Ekiti) and Princess Yewande Dada (Ilogun-Ekiti).

Others are Princess Adenike Olabode (Araromi Oke-Ekiti); Princess Adedoyin Ayeoba, (Ijurin-Ekiti); Princess Olufunlola Ademidun, (Temidire-Ekiti); Princess Olawumi Adeola, (Iluomoba Ekiti) and Princess Tinuade Ogunbiyi, (Oke-Ako-Ekiti).

However, according to findings, Ilasa-Ekiti should also have a regent but the state government had nullified the town’s regency as two women were laying claim to the stool.

Regency periods for communities

Although, regency period is relatively peaceful in most communities, it might be turbulent in some others as the selection of the next monarch might attract bitter, at times deadly rivalries between various ruling houses laying claim to the throne.

As affirmed by the Princess Osadahun, while there are clear guidelines about the selection of a monarch which the kingmakers must follow, there are elements in communities who revel in foisting discord in such periods when a new monarch is to be chosen.

According to her, such elements cook stories up to distort histories with intents to pervert the selection processes, noting “and such individuals are the vocal ones who court friendships within and outside the communities to sway unsuspecting kingmakers. They even expect you as a regent to take sides which is clearly outside your own briefs.

Osadaun said: “In such situations, regents who are expected to spend a maximum of between 21 days and twenty four months, all things being equal, spend far more and above that. Where the prince and the princesses or where the male children from the ruling houses could not agree, they resort to litigations. Sometimes they get justice, sometimes, it is perverted and so the installation may be delayed.

“Even sometimes, the kingmakers have a way of playing their own tricks too. But the ones who fear God among them would insist on doing the right thing,” she added.

Challenges for the regents

Besides communities’ based challenges, regents also do face personal and economic challenges. This was admitted by some of the regents and was confirmed by the Princess Osadaun. One of such challenges according to her is their remuneration which she said is not commensurate with their roles in their communities.

“The regents do have challenges in terms of not being economically able to cope with the demands of the communities. Based on their roles, they get invitations to naming ceremonies, doing media relations when and if need be, and settling bills for some of their subjects on occasion.

“We often have to settle quarrels between families using money. We have to maintain the palaces, fuel the cars, feed the wives of the monarchs, and even foot hospital bills of the ailing ones among the subjects.

“The communities ascribe a level of riches to you simply because you are seen as the Oba and not as a miniature (regent) which you actually are. This has imposed a lot of responsibilities on the regents that seem not to be factored into their current remuneration pattern.

“The challenges also include coping with the home front especially those who did not marry from their communities. If a regent is not careful, she could lose her home as more than the normal time is often spent during regency (outside the marital home),” she said.

Princess Osadaun, however, commended Governor Kayode Fayemi for extending to all the regencies in the state certain privileges like the recently concluded ‘Ilera Laafin’ (health in the palaces), adding that the state supported Community Self Help Projects were not made to exclude communities where regents hold sway.

She said: “The governor has also promised us that the vehicles already given to the Obas would also be given to our towns when our Obas are selected and installed.”

More demands on government

Arising mainly from their allegedly small remuneration, the regents are making certain demands on the state government which, according to their forum’s chairman, bother mainly on augmenting their monthly packages. She added “even when we conclude our regency, we can no longer do menial jobs as we can no longer carry loads on our heads.”

They pleaded that their salaries be augmented in appreciation of their roles, arguing that their positions as regents are sacred and often compel them to make a lot of sacrifices and commitments in their communities.

Osadaun said: “Our current remuneration which is half the last earning of our fathers needs to be improved upon. We have also made representations to government that the severance allowance which is constitutionally put at our salary for six months be made to be the whole six-month salaries of our fathers.”

She explained further that, although regents are traditionally barred from traditional council meetings, they can be briefed on decisions which affect their communities, noting “if decisions are made which affect us or our communities, we can be made aware for us to pass such important messages across to our people. We believe the regencies should not be made to lose completely.

“If some of us get out of the stools, they may be forced to retire to their normal lives which could detract from the sacredness of the institution. “It is not honourable for any of us to go back to poverty having been Obas which will make a mockery of the traditional institutions. We have requested to have a meeting with the Governor, the Deputy and Her Excellency (wife of the governor) on all these issues.”

Official opposition to regents on demands

The demands of the regents do not seem to have found favour with the officials of the state government who contend that the female monarchs are asking for the impossible.

The Nation learnt that the regents have actually been told that they were demanding the impossible by requesting for increases in their monthly payments.

A source who craved anonymity stated: “Looking at all their arguments you will notice that they are faulty. They talk of not carrying loads on their heads, but who in our world of today carry loads on the head.

‘They also talk of increment in their remuneration but the system does not even encourage that the positions should be juicy or attractive in any way. It must be so, so that regency does not turn to another tussle in which parties plot each other’s fall.