How monarchs’ selection unsettled Osun towns

Following the appointments of some traditional rulers by the Osun state government to fill vacant stools, protests, accusations and counter-accusations have engulfed some towns in the state over the choices made by government.

While in some towns, aggrieved parties accused the government officials of manipulating the selection process to favour certain candidates; other communities sought the state government’s intervention over the actions of their kingmakers.

How I was induced to compromise process – Iree kingmaker
A kingmaker in the Iree town, Chief Saliu Atoyebi alleged that the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in the state, who is also an indigene of the town, Adebayo Adeleke attempted to use a judge in the state to compromise the kingmakers.

According to him, the Commissioner had ensured that the environment was no longer conducive for any type of meeting for the kingmakers before instructing the local government chairmen to appoint warrant chiefs to perform the kingmakers’ constitutional role of electing a king out of the various contenders.

Atoyebi said: “Of the six kingmakers, one died and we were told in September that Iyalode has been appointed as warrant chief after we had appointed one and was rejected by government officials.

“We told the council boss that our tradition forbids a woman from being a warrant chief. Rather than address the issue, we were threatened and had to seek safety.

“Prior to the time we hid for safety, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Adebayo Adeleke had tried to bribe us.

“He sent a judge to deliver N4 million to me. I was told to take N2 million and share the rest to the other chiefs, but I declined.

“On Friday, November 4, we heard a new monarch has been selected and installed by appointed warrant chiefs. Our findings revealed that members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, were appointed to conduct the illegalities.

“By tradition, there is no new monarch in the town yet, because the proper process has not been duly followed and we reject such installation and subsequent appointment of Prince Ademola Oluponle as the new Aree of Iree.

“We didn’t see or get names of the contestants to consult the oracle as tradition dictates. There was no formal meeting to discuss the matter at all, the situation is absurd and messy.”

Community frowns
Meanwhile, leaders of the community, in a move to douse tension, urged the state government to stay action of the process with a view to right wrongs in the process.

The Chairman of Iree Elders Council, Engineer Adenrele Afolabi, who spoke on behalf of the community, said the community is renowned for peace irrespective of any provocation and will not want an issue, that ought to unite them, break the community.

Afolabi said: “We plead with Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, in the interest of the community, not to approve the selection process yet. We do not peace to elude us in Iree.”

I didn’t send anyone to bribe kingmakers — LG Commissioner
Meanwhile, Adebayo Adeleke denied sending anyone to induce the kingmakers over the issue.

He also denied ever meeting any of them nor have a discussion on the subject.

Adeleke said: “What happened in Iree is not an aberration. The local council is in charge of supervising the process of getting a king installed, it followed the process.

“On three occasions, according to the report of the council, the kingmakers said they were not ready because the council appointed a warrant chief, which is the position of the law.

“The council gets clearance from Ministry of justice to appoint Iyalode of Iree as a warrant chief.

“The council even met with the kingmakers to educate them on the position of warrant chief but they insisted they will not converge a meeting. They even insisted that the government has no right to appoint a warrant chief.

“I was not at their meeting, I did not supervise the process. The Aogun even declared four weeks leave for the kingmakers before they will call a meeting, hence, government decided to appoint warrant chief, since they abdicate their duties, to elect a monarch for the town.

“They attempted to get an injunction to stop the government from selecting a monarch for the town months after the process was due.

“The warrant chiefs appointed were from among traditional chiefs in the town, they were not APC members. In fact, the kingmakers, even if they have a preferred candidate, they ought to allow voting take place rather than attempting to hold government hostage.”

Despite the crisis surrounding the election, the state government on Monday, November 7, approved the election of Prince Ademola as the Aree-elect and announced his appointment, along with four other monarchs.

Ikirun: palace shut against new monarch
In Ikirun, headquarters of Ifelodun local government area, crisis tore apart the peaceful community over the choice of the successor to the late Oba Abdulrauf Adedeji, the last Akinrun of Ikirun.

Despite the seeming peace in the town, the palace remains shut and barricaded with charms in protest that the Akirun-elect will not access the palace.

His announcement led to protest in the town, where five persons sustained gunshots injuries.

The Akirun stool became vacant following the demise of Oba Adedeji in February 2021.

As a result of this, the kingmakers elected Prince Yinusa Akadiri by majority votes in November same year.

The popular Oja-Oba was shutdown, while the Jumat service was not held at the central mosque owing to the crisis.

The crisis, Vanguard gathered was fuelled by intrigues among the ruling house to edge the Gboleru ruling house out of the race.

The Gboleru House, however, approached a court to compel the state government to move to the next ruling house over Gboleru’s in-fighting.

The Court, presided over by Justice Jide Falola, approved that government should move to the next ruling within seven days, leading to the election of Akadiri from Obaara.

The court’s decision, however, led to crisis within the ruling house.

The Akirun-in-council, however, urged aggrieved residents to approach court of laws rather than fanning crisis in the peaceful town.

According to the council, “the race for the throne became fiercely competitive and was keenly contested among the eligible royal blood before the noble kingmakers, the only body of wise men who has the statutory roles in the selection process of new King divinely selected Oba Yunus Olamilekan Akadiri (Oyewole IV) as the next Akirun of Ikirun among over 22 princes who were jostling for the throne.

“It’s for these reasons and others that we are expressing our immense gratitude to the Governor of Osun whose fatherly and impartial role added much-needed value to the transparency and fair selection of the process.

“We, therefore, use this opportunity to appeal to all those people who are still nursing grievances over the long-time concluded selection process which was held on November 19, 2021, to give peace a chance in Ikirun and find the soft part in their hearts to join hand with the Palace in moving our great town, Ikirun Agunbe, forward.

“While we concede that it’s not abnormal to be aggrieved where a particular expectation failed to materialize to one’s favour.

“We, however, consider resorting to self-help as a means of settling scores very much avoidable and abhorrent. It is on that note we call for the promotion of calmness, harmony and tranquility that the wise and industrious people are reputed for.”

Protest over Alabere’s choice
Some residents of Abere-Ede in Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State also thronged the streets of the town to protest the appointment of the new Alabere of Abere-Ede, Prince Mutalib Adelakin.

The residents, who are majorly from the ruling houses in the community, argued that it was not the turn of Prince Adelakin, hence, the need for the state government to retrace its steps and not create crisis in the community.

The Youth Leader, Adegbite Taiye-Wasiu, in a chat with Vanguard, said they were ready to resist any form of intimidation by security agencies or state government.

Taiye-Wasiu said: “I am the youth leader of Abere-Ede. I want to say that the Abere royal family, youths and the entire community are not in support of Prince Mutolib Adelakin as our new king, Idris Adelabu was the person we all chose to be our king.

“The case was already in the court before he emerged with the aid of the State Government and Laminisa of Ede.”

Also speaking, Princess Woiratu Adelabu said it was not the turn of Prince Adelakin to rule the town according to the family kingship procedure and arrangements.

Adelabu said: “I am the most senior daughter of the Alabere family, my father was the elder brother to Mutolib father and after the demise of the last Alabere of Abere-Ede, who happened to be his father, it is not his turn because we have the arrangement and procedures.

“We the daughters of Abere-Ede are saying that we don’t want him.”

Addressing the protesting residents, the Head of Service to the State Government, Oyebade Olowogboyega said he had heard their complaint and will deliver their message to the Governor whenever he’s around.

Youths protest over Owa-Igbajo stool
Although, the choice of Owa of Igbajo in Boluwaduro local government area of the state is yet to be taken, some princes in the town have been protesting over alleged plan to impose the APC chairman in the state, Prince Gboyega Famodu, as the next Owa of Igbajo

The princes from the two ruling houses in the community bearing placards with various inscription, said the process of picking an Oba elect has not started, hence, want stakeholders to allow peace in the town by not jumping any of the processes.

Prince Adekunle Gbenga, who spoke on behalf of others, said: “The state government should take cognisance of the fact that any process is yet to be in place for selection of an Oba, hence, no imposition of any kind should take place in the community.”

Vanguard