Can a Christian Fulfill the Role of a King in Nigeria

When I was younger my mum told me I could be a king because of my lineage. Someone told me while growing up that to be a king in Nigeria, I have to do traditional rituals and I will be the custodian of traditional religions (Isese). One day, as a teenager I asked my Sunday school teacher whether it is possible to be a king and still be a Christian. He said it is not possible because whosoever want to be a king in Nigeria must be diabolical and must fellowship with ancestral and territorial powers. He even went as far as saying a new king must eat the flesh his immediate ancestor. So I lost interest and hated the Seat of a king. One day, I met a preacher who is also a palace secretary to a paramount king in this country. I saw how he preached powerfully and demonstrated authority over demons and foul spirits in the conference. When he was through and about to leave the venue, I ran after him and I gave him some token as seeds and he held me. While we walked towards his vehicle, I asked ”Sir, please is it possible to be genuine Christian, I mean a true child of God, a born again and still be a king”. He replied “Yes, a big yes; but why did you ask”.

So I told him what people have told me and what I have watched in movies and all, about a king being a custodian of traditions and performing rituals and appealing to all religious beliefs including witch-crafty, Necromancy etc. He motioned to me to enter through the other door into his car and he also took the driver seat. He ignited the car and switched on the AC. I knew he was ready to spill the beans about this Africa Royalty thing, so I was so eager. At least let me get the gist from someone that has been in the palace. A scribe to a king will know everything about the king and what they do in the palace. He knows those that visit him and he also receives correspondence for the king. This man will clear my doubt and I will be more informed. What he told me I can never forget forever. He started by asking me “Is it religion that determine a king or blood”. I didn’t understand the question. He rephrased it, “Do you become a king because you are a Christian, Muslims or Traditionalist, or become a king because you are born into the royal family”. I replied that it is those who are born into the royal family that can become a king. He nodded in agreement and went on to say “Eje Oba lo n doba”(Meaning, it is a king blood that can become a king). He added that one becomes a king because one comes from a lineage of a king. And a king is a ruler over his forefathers land or town or nation. He is not a king over traditionalist or Muslim or Christians alone. He is not appointed by traditionalist or ritualist. He is appointed by God through his blood or lineage. God has chosen him from birth as a potential king that is why a son to a king is usually called “Oba loola”(a tomorrow king).

I cut in, “sir but they do say it is the Ifa oracle that chooses for them”. The man laughed and said “even in the Bible there is something called casting of lots. That was how the people on the ship knew Jonah was the one responsible for mishaps on the ship”. He went on to say it is the same they do when there are multiple interests among heirs to the throne to know who is the best fits for the job. But in a case where the demised king has just one son and there is no other family extension to the throne, it is automatic. This is interesting sir. But it is traditionalist that do install a king, I chipped in. His response made me cry. I will try to say it the exact way but I may not be inaccurate. he said; It is Christians and Muslim that left it for them. Especially Christians, they are most gullible and culpable. They are always timid. It is not that they are timid like that, it is because Christianity was sold to us in Nigeria with western education. Education place priority on Presidential system of government and we lose value for traditional leadership. Traditional leadership is not the same as traditional religion. By “traditional”, I meant the original or what was on ground before colonialism and western education. Pentecostalism worsen it. It even forbade practitioners from participating in politics and has much disdain for traditional politics, not until recently that they started waking up when they started facing persecution. Whereas most of our Christian Patriarch in the Bible were kings; David, Solomon, even Jesus is forever a king. It is an office that Christians have to be because the office the king determines the spiritual climate over a town or community.

It has now gotten to a level that ritualist and traditionalist who are just ordinary citizens and subjects are dictating to born king(heir to the throne) on who can pray for him during his inauguration. If a Royal son has been a Muslim or Christian all his life without anyone dictating to him, is it at the point of fulfilling his calling to be a king that an ordinary citizen will be dictating to him on his beliefs. He is free to invite his pastors or Alfa to pray for him and his staff of office should be given to him by a presentative of the present day government. If the royal son has been a traditionalist, same applies to him. His cults can come and do their thing. For example, my own King is a tongue lashing Christian and yet is the custodian of traditions(not rituals or idol worship). Marriages rites, land disputes settlement, prayers, teaching of values and history, discipline, justice and fairness, partnering with investors, encouraging sons and daughters in diaspora, attending functions, influencing development and working with governors and local governments personnel’s are traditions he upholds. This was his conclusion,

My bother, this is how it should be my brother, but it is not usually this easy. “Oro oba, Atari ajanaku ni o”(unease lies the head that wears the crown”. It is not for babes. When you hears ”Oba, oko oso; oko aje”, it is a king that knows the Lord o. (Meaning: A king; not a match of Wizards or witches, referred to a king that knows the Lord) Photo credit: Instagram King Ooni of Ife King Elegushi of Lagos Obanuso Temitope Obanuso Lead Coach of Campus of champions