The newly confirmed Olori – Ebi of Funsegbuwa ruling house of Ijebu -Ode, Otunba Abdul – Lateef Owoyemi, on Saturday declared the royal family would follow the wise counsel of Awujale of Ijebuland, late Oba Sikiru Adetona, who advised few years ago that the throne should not be sold to the “money bags” to occupy.
Owoyemi who is also the Otunba Jadiara of Ijebuland, said that heeding the timely advice of the late nonagenarian monarch remains the assured way to select the right and competent successor – Awujale, who would continue and sustain the rapid growth, development, peace and unity trajectory Oba Adetona left behind for the Ijebu nation.
The former President of Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) spoke on Saturday at Idowa country home, Ogun State while briefing newsmen on the task before him which is building unity within the Fusengbuwa ruling house.
Fielding questions from reporters at the briefing which attracted members of the Elders Council of the royal family, including Prince Ayinde Kazeem, Prince Adebisi Quadri and Prince Fetuga Taiwo, the Olori – Ebi assured the Oba Adetona’s advice against yielding to money when selecting his successor would be followed.
The Olori – Ebi said,: “It is not that he(late Oba Adetona) told us, he said it openly during Ojude Oba Day because on that particular day, there were some big men on the high table some of whom said they have budgeted N1bn to be able to become next Awujale and the Awujale then said, ‘Governor and all of you here, I don’t know how soon God may call me home but it came to my hearing that some money bags want to buy their way to the Obaship.
“Please, don’t allow them. If you allow them, Ijebu – Ode will go down. Go and pick the right person, fit and proper to rule Ijebu – Ode so that he can elevate it. If you don’t do it, don’t say, I didn’t warn you. Let the kingmakers appoint whoever that is competent, capable and qualified to occupy the position.
“If it happened that the ruling house that is next in line, there is no suitable person because of crisis, the opportunity will go to the next ruling house to look for suitable person.’
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”So far, in our unit, we have seen eight likely candidates and they have come to see us with money and in every case we rejected it, we let them know that we are not going to accept any money from anybody. If anybody becomes Awujale and comes back to thanks us with gifts, it is understandable but not before he becomes an Awujale.”
He said the task before him is to unite all the various units of Fusengbuwa ruling house, bring dissenting voices into the family as one ahead of nomination of candidates for the throne of Awujale of Ijebuland, stressing that his goal is to build harmony and peace in the house and not controversy.
”We are just going to moderate the family to make sure we go to the family meeting as one to make nominations. We are not going to appoint Awujale. We don’t have the power.
“We can only make nominations and if nominations are made and seconded, it goes down into record. If they are too many, we will do screening otherwise, the kingmakers will do their selection.
”And the declaration is unique. It says if the family cannot meet together to nominate candidates, each unit can have its own meeting to nominate candidates.
” The kingmakers will have the duty of appointing an Awujale from the whole list whoever they want to be the Awujale. That is the end of the matter. It also says that the kingmakers – 13 of them – must be unanimous in their decision, ” he said.
