There is currently a build up of tension in Ipetu community, in Ife-North Local Government Area of Osun State, over a lingering kingship tussle in the town, with the Ooni of Ife being accused of complicity.
DAILY POST reports that the late monarch, the Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba James Adedokun Adegoke (Akunradoye 11), joined his ancestors on November 26th, 2017.
Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, over the weekend, Prince Taiwo Ayoola, who is a National Leader of Aribile ruling house, in company of representatives of other ruling houses, called on the state government to intervene and prevent the kingmakers from going ahead with the installation process to forestall large-scale crisis.
Ayoola said 13 interested candidates for the vacant stool were presented to the four-man kingmakers for screening through Ifa Oracle divination and in line with the age long customs and traditions.
According to him, rather than allowing the age long tradition and norm of selecting a new monarch for the community to hold sway, the kingmakers opted for an unconventional method of selection after being allegedly induced with millions of naira.
He accused the kingmakers of setting aside the tradition and age long process of selecting new king in the town and succumbed to monetary inducement by endorsing one Joseph Gbenga Oloyode on July 26, 2018, who is not from a royal patriarch as the candidate to ascend the throne, in connivance with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan.
“This decision of picking a stranger to ascend the throne was completely rejected by the majority of the people from Aribile ruling house, which comprises five royal families of Ajiga, Arowoosun, Elewa, Kiaje, and Latimogun as a total negation to the custom and tradition of the ancient community.
“The chairman of Ife-North Local Government, Hon. Taiwo Orosanya and three out of the four kingmakers connived with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi to impose the candidature of Oloyede on us, without recourse to the wish of the people of the community and tradition of the town.”
The aggrieved princes further expressed their discontentment over the role they said the Ooni of Ife played in the selection of the Oloyede, saying the Ooni, despite being fully aware of court injunction, still went ahead and granted consent to Oloyede to ascend the throne as Apetu.
According to the princes, “On 4th April , 2018, the head of Aribile , Chief MO Oyetade forwarded the names of the 13 successful candidates to Ife-North local Government Sectary for onward transmission to the kingmakers. The council Chairman for reason best known to him on receipt of the letter unilaterally removed the name of one candidate (Aseyeba Ayoola) and replaced it with one Rueben Olaolu Babalola, who never took part at the meeting held on 12th, April, 2018 and sent to the kingmakers to act upon.
“There was a pending injunction of high court of justice Ile-Ife in Suit No JKF/19/2018 granted on 7th June, 2018 against Chief Sunday Afolabi Adedeji(Asalu of Ipetumodu and head of kingmakers) Chief Rufus Babalola(Molefon of Ipetumodu) Chief Titus Olanrewaju (Morigi of Ipetumodu) and Chief J A Akande (Olukotun of Ipetumodu) which was not vacate until 21st November , 2018 when it was struck out pursuant to letter of withdrawal written by 2nd plaintiff in that case.
“The kingmakers started their illegality when they erroneously and fraudulently promoted Chief Olanrenwaju to Moriji from Olukotun and promoted Chief J.A Akande who was never part of kingmakers. This illegality was reversed upon petition written to the ministry of chieftaincy and local government affairs.
“They also went ahead to make the least of the chiefs in Ipetumodu (Lofidi) Chief Kehinde Orosanya as warrant kingmaker, when his twin brother , Taiwo Orosanya is the Ife-North Local Government Chairman and has a vital role to play in the process of selection and installation of a news monarch.
“The kingmakers jettisoned court injunction restraining them from going ahead with the illegality to pick Oloyede Joseph Gbenga, without recourse to the head of Aribile and other members of the family.”
They further explained: “When we got the hint of their wrongful and illegal selection , as law abiding citizens, we approached High Court Ile-Ife in suit number HIF/17/2019 to seek redress which is still pending. We enclosed letter written to his Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and PS Ministry of Local government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
“Despite the pending cases in court and series of letters to appropriate quarters, we were shocked that Arole Oduduwa, Oba Ogunwusi who is the 5th Defendant being a prescribed authority and who had been served with all the processes in the suit including Motion for Interlocutory injunction in an attempt to subvert justice and strangulate the rule of law connived with Chief Sunday Adedeji, who is the Asalu of Ipetumodu, chief Rufus Babalola, Magistrate Poju Akintayo, Elder Johnson Akinniyi, Chief Aresa , Hon Taiwo Orosanya, Chief Kehinde Orosanya, the IPU President, Dr Sunday Oyebowale, the Youth Leader, Sonibare and granted consent to Mr Oloyede a defendant in the pending case for installation as the Apetu of Ipetumodu”.
In their reaction however, the kingmakers led by Asalu of Ipetumodu, Chief Sunday Afolabi, who is the head of the team at a press conference on Sunday, said the kingmakers followed due process in the selection of the new Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Prince Joseph Gbenga Oloyede.
Afolabi said contrary to the claim of the disgruntled princes, the kingmakers took necessary steps to ensure that the process was devoid of flaws.
“We followed the tradition and age long process of selecting new king in the town. No monetary inducement as being claimed by those elements led by Prince Ayoola.
“Few days after the completion of burial rites of our late king, I was called upon by the local government as the Chief kingmakers to start embarking on the process. The next ruling house (Aribile lineage ) was contacted by the kingmakers through the Local Government to submit names of interested persons for the throne, in which 13 candidates expressed interests to contest for the vacant stool
“We were three in number then, following the death of one of the kingmakers, and we agreed to elevate Chief Kehinde Orosanya ( Lofidi) as warrant chief, and the fourth kingmaker.
“On July 26, 2018, out of the four kingmakers, three of us voted for Prince Joseph Oloyede while the other kingmaker voted for another candidate.
“We continued with the selection process after the injunction the Ayoola’s group got in court was vacated,” he said.
Afolabi added that the Ooni acted in accordance with statutory provision that put him in the position to recommend a new king for the government as a statutory authority and not as a result of pressure from any quarter or monetary inducement.
