The Nation Newspaper

Tag: kingship tussle

  • One dead as youths set palace ablaze over kingship tussle 

    One person was feared killed as irate youths of Edunabon in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State on Wednesday set ablaze the town’s palace over kingship tussle.

    The youths were protesting the selection process of a prince to become Salu Edunabon after the passing away of the immediate past traditional ruler, Oba Elijah Agunbiade on August 4, 2017.

    The youths allegedly rejected Prince Nasiru Adebayo as their new king, faulting the selection process that worked in his favour.

    The angry youths went on rampage when it dawned on them Prince Adebayo was set to occupy the palace after his seclusion rites.

    The identity of the man, who was reportedly killed, could not be ascertained.

    Also, Prince Adebayo is said to be hospitalised following the beating he received from the angry youths.

    For two weeks there had been tension in the town as Prince Kehinde Oladepo and Prince Nasiru Adebayo, from the same ruling house, were laying claim to the vacant stool of Salu of Edunabon.

    The two princes were said to have undergone seclusion rites reportedly on separate recommendations of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Osun State government.

    While the community and the kingmakers were said to have fovoured Oladepo after series of spiritual consultations, the Ooni of Ife allegedly preferred the candidacy of Adebayo.

    A community leader, Chief Morakinyo Oyebayo, told reporters the Ooni faulted the selection process of the kingmakers in a letter dated November 22 on the ground they failed to carry him along in the choice of Prince Kehinde Oladepo in accordance with Customary Law.

    He said before Ooni’s preference, Prince Kehinde Oladepo had spent up to a week in seclusion and the kingmakers had announced him the new Salu of Eduabon.

    This was before Prince Nasiru Adebayo was given consenting authority to proceed on his own seclusion last Friday by the Ooni.

    Oyebayo further explained Oladepo’s emergence was announced after rigorous meetings that involved the warrant chiefs and executives of the Ife North West Local Council Development Area.

    One of the warrant chiefs, Seye Oyelade from Ile Akunran in Edunabon, said the process that led to the emergence of Oba-elect was transparent and fair.

    He thereby urged the people of the community to join hands with the new monarch.

    Chairman of Ife North West LCDA, Edunabon, Hon. Ademola Olabisi Olabamigbe, said the process witnessed a lot of challenges but ended peacefully.

    It was further learnt that Oladepo, who hails from Amoloye Compound in Isiboni ruling house, emerged as the 2nd beaded-crown Salu of Edunabon after the two warrant chiefs assigned by the state government unanimously voted for him.

    He was said to have defeated six other contestants including Prince Oluwafemi Akinropo, Olawale Adeboye Isaac, Odunlade Samson, Adeyeye Samuel Oluwaseye, Adebayo Nasiru and Onifade Rapheal.

    When Prince Adebayo allegedly felt unsatisfied, he was said to have mobilised his supporters to force himself into the palace.

    But the youths resisted the move and allegedly chased him away.

    They later set the palace ablaze.

    The state police command through its spokesperson, Folasade Odoro, said normalcy had returned to the community after the police intervention.

     

  • Community seeks Amosun’s intervention over kingship tussle

    Community seeks Amosun’s intervention over kingship tussle

    Almost two years after the demise of its monarch, Oba Samuel Oludademu Tinuoso Joshua, Orile-Ifo, a town in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, is yet to crown a new monarch.

    This followed a crisis arising from the nomination of a king for the ancient town.

    They people are asking Governor Ibikunle Amosun and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, to intervene in the matter before it degenerates into a clash between the contending parties and their supporters.

    Oba Joshua was from the Shogoroye Tinuoso ruling house and it was declared that the next king will come from Sobowale Afijaperi ruling house.

    The Sobowale Afijaperi ruling house unanimously nominated Prince Ekundayo Hafeez Tinuoso as its sole candidate at a meeting on November 20, 2014 which was presided over by Pa Jeremiah Odetunde, the head of the ruling house.

    The family, thereafter, informed the kingmakers of their choice through a letter addressed to the chairman, Chief M.A. Adeniji.

    The letter dated November 20, 2014 was copied to the Chairman, Ifo Local Government Council, the Alake of Egbaland and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

    It was learnt that the matter assumed a new dimension when the kingmakers made a u-turn and allegedly declined to proceed with the installation of Hafeez Tinuoso as the next oba.

    The kingmakers, it was learnt, allegedly pitched tent with another person who does not belong to the two royal families.

    The Aare Erunbe Egbaland and Secretary, Council of Chiefs of Orile-Ifo, High Chief Olufela Akinwale Dipeolu, blamed the kingmakers for not honouring and respecting the choice of the Sobowale Afijaperi ruling house.

    He feared that “the action of the kingmakers might take the town back to the dark days unless something is done to prevent them from taking the action”.

    Dipeolu is, however, appealing for the intervention of Governor Ibikunle Amosun, the Egba Traditional Council to come to their aid before the situation gets out of hand.

  • Violence rocks Ondo community over kingship tussle

    Houses and vehicles were at the weekend destroyed in Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State by hoodlums suspected to be loyal to the embattled Olofun of Ode-Irele Kingdom, Oba Cladius Olarewaju Lebi, following the emergence of another Olofun, Oba Augustine Bamidele Ekunsanmi, the Opetusi (III).

    It was gathered that the violence began when the kingmakers were performing the final coronation rites for Ekunsanmi at “Maloku’s Shrine” to replace Lebi, who was sacked by an Okitipupa High Court.

    The hoodlums blocked the palace gate situated opposite the major road in the community, hindering the free flow of traffic.

    Several ceremonies held on Saturday were disrupted by the hoodlums and guests, particularly those who were not indigenes of the community, fled the town.

    Lebi, who has refused to vacate the seat, said he had filed an appeal challenging the lower court’s ruling.

    His lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, filed two applications at the Akure Appeal Court, in which hearing will come up on January 27, next year.

    The head of the Opetusi Ruling House, Chief Sola Olajide, whose house was among those destroyed, said the Oyelusi Ruling House, which Lebi lays claims to, was not among the three ruling houses that produce the Olofun.

    Olajide said members of the Oyelusi Ruling House can only contest the Jomu chieftaincy title, which is the third in command to the monarch.

    He said: “In 1993, we challenged Lebi for contesting the seat, but due to his influence with the military, he was installed in 1995, despite the court injunction restraining him from the seat. We went to court to fight for our right and in 2010, the Okitipupa High Court ordered him to stop parading himself as the monarch. It also ordered us to produce a regent, pending the time we produce a new king.

    “Though we learnt Lebi has filed an appeal, we have performed the necessary rites for the new Olofun, Ekunsanmi. We began the rites nine days ago and they ended on Saturday.

    “We got the hint that the police may prevent the coronation and went to Osogbo, the Osun State capital, to inform the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in this zone, who gave us some security men and told us to go ahead with the event.”

     

  • Youths petition Aregbesola over kingship tussle

    Youths petition Aregbesola over kingship tussle

    The Orile Owu Youths Forum in Osun State have canvassed for the installation of Muyiwa Adejobi as the traditional ruler of the community, even as they maintained that both traditional and spiritual consultations have revealed that it is only the descendant of the late Oba that can replace him.

    In a letter addressed to Governor Rauf Aregbesola dated September 15, 2011, the youth who recognised the unwritten law concerning the existence of some ruling houses, argued that there are no documents to buttress any rotational schedule of the Ruling Houses in Orile Owu.

    In the letter signed by the 14 leaders of the forum and which was copied to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chairman of Ayedaade Local Government Area, Chairman of Osun State Council of Obas, President of Ayedaade Traditional Council and the Olowu-in-Council, they said “the death of the late Adejobi has thrown the whole ancient city of Orile Owu into confusion ‘for such incident was strange, unnatural thus, a taboo in Yoruba tradition.”

    In another letter dated September 19, 2011 to the Osun State government, the Muslim community emphasised that making Prince Muyiwa the traditional ruler would engender development to the community. Though Muyiwa Adejobi is a Christian, the Muslims have pitched their tent with him.

    “Without mincing words, we are convinced about the selection or installation of one of the applicants who is from Afelele Ruling House and incidentally a son to the late Olowu of Orile Owu who died,” they said.

    Even if Muyiwa wants to back out right now, it may be difficult for him to do so because Adejobi’s family has presented him as their sole candidate.

    However, Prince Muyiwa, in a letter to the Olowu in Council (Chiefs), said he is willing to offer himself as a “sacrifice for the town.”

    Prince Ademuyiwa argued that since the death of the late Oba was not natural and untimely, filling the vacant stool cannot follow any existing statutory guidelines or declaration.

    While there have been arguments and counter-arguments on the kingship returning to Afelele Ruling House, Muyiwa insisted that there were precedents in Yoruba land. He insisted that care must be taken in selecting the next Oba.

    “With sincerity, I know and believe that his demise was untimely, thus unnatural. I may not have the full knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the death of the late Olowu, Oba Adejobi whose dreams had not been fully fulfilled.

    “On the heels of this uncommon incident, it is expected that the entire community most especially, the elders, would take all necessary steps to traditionally investigate and unravel the mysteries surrounding his death (car accident) which is usually, in our customs and traditions, a taboo in Yoruba land. Unequivocally, the spiritual consultations on these incidents are prerequisite to his replacement on the throne.

    “Be that as it may, it is not out of point to state that since the late Oba did not die a ‘natural’ death and his death untimely, thus, his replacement may and cannot follow any existing statutory guidelines or declaration.

    “I hereby wish to urge the chiefs and community to verify these assertions of mine to know that his blood (son) will be the only ‘sacrifice’ needed to cleanse the town and Olowu throne for the betterment of Owu-Orile.

    “Based on these aforementioned assertions, I, Prince Olumuyiwa Oladunmoye Adejobi of Afelele Ruling House, wish to register my interest and desired commitment to become the next Olowu of Orile-Owu. I want to succeed the late Oba M.O.A. Adejobi who did not complete his assignment before the untimely death, irrespective of any rotational schedule of ruling houses on ground,” the letter which was co-signed by the head of Adejobi’s family, Pa Amusa Oyerinde Adejobi stated.