A contestant in the race for the throne of Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, Prince Kayode Micheal Adewale Arimoro, has vowed to fight on until justice is done.
Arimoro urged his teeming supporters to remain calm and peaceful. He assured them that he would continue to pursue his aspiration for the throne through all legitimate means until justice prevailed.
In a statement in issued in Ilesha, Prince Arimoro, from the Arimoro lineage within the Bilaro Oluodo Dynasty, said that as a prince, patriotic son of Ijeshaland, and believer in the rule of law, he had confidence in the capability and integrity of the judiciary to right the wrong perpetrated by the Osun State Government in imposing Adesuyi Haastrup as Owa Obokun on the Ijesha people.
He faulted the selection processes adopted in installing Owa Obokun.
The statement reads: “While recognizing the right of other candidates to aspire for the throne, the process implemented by the Osun State Government was flawed, opaque, lacked integrity, orchestrated, and skewed to favour a particular candidate.
“As a young, educated, and responsible citizen, I would toe the path of peace, honour, and reason in the pursuit of my aspiration. I am out to challenge the degradation of Ijesha tradition and heritage, resist the insult to Ijesha people, and put on record the overbearing influence of governmental institutions in the selection of the new Owa,” he stated.
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According to him, history is replete with records of similar wrongdoings which were later redressed through the court of law no matter how long it takes, stating that “I believe in the integrity of the nation’s judiciary to ensure justice is delivered based on the clear evidence of impunity and abuse of the established Ijesha tradition in the selection of the king.”
It will be recalled that after a review of the process that led to the appointment of Haastrup as the new Owa Obokun, the Global Co-ordinator of Arimoro Family, Prince Adegoke Arimoro, faulted the process that led to Haastrup’s emergence.
He said the family would resort to the judiciary to seek redress for the injustice and abuse in the selection of the new king to the detriment of their family.
Other Ruling Houses that vied for the Owa Obokun throne also faulted the process that led to the selection of the new Owa Obokun on Friday, December 27, 2024, describing it as a gross violation of the established tradition, documented history, and existing chieftaincy laws by the Osun State government.
The Ofokutu Royal Family through its Secretary, Prince Adetoyese Adegbohungbe, had last year expressed exasperation on the process adopted to select the new king for Ijesha land.
Adegoke said that Prince Kayode Arimoro had demonstrated the agility and intellectual requirements for the huge task of an Owa Obokun, saying: “He(prince Kayode Arimoro) is well read and well- travelled, yet he is a grassroot person who has provided welfare programmes in Ilesa even before the struggle for Owa’s stool began. He is not alien to Ijesa culture and has a listening ear. With his age, he has what it takes to move the huge youthful population while relying on the close relationship he has with Agba ljesa.”.
Adegoke added: “As a prince from the Bilaro Oluodo Dynasty of Arimoro Lineage, KMA is good enough for the position. At the Arimoro Lineage level, he commands the overwhelming support of our Elders and the youth.”