The stool became vacant following the death of Oba Babajide Bamigbala, who joined his ancestors in May 2023, after spending five years on the throne.
The protesters, the Concerned Youths of Kuole Oloje Ruling House, alleged that some government officials planned to disrupt the process and impose a candidate on the town at the expense of Kuole Ruling House, which turn, they said, it was to produce the next monarch.
During the protest, the youth walked to the atate Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Complex, chanting various solidarity songs.
They also wieldes placards with different inscriptions such as: “Oke-Igbo youths say, it is Kuole’s turn now’, ‘Give us Oba from Kuole Ruling House’, ‘Don’t rub Kuole of its right and ‘Justice for Kuole Ruling House, among others.
Leader of the protesters, Mr Dare Ojetayo, said it was the turn of the Kuole Oloje Ruling House to present a candidate that would be the next king of the agrarian community.
He noted that the kingship of the Oluoke of Okeigbo was on a rotation basis, from one ruling house to the other as contained in the Chieftaincy Declaration of the community, pointing out that the last traditional ruler of the community came from the Kugbayigbe Ruling House, saying that the next one should legally come from the Kuole Oloje Ruling House.
He said, “We are aware of the clandestine moves by some people in government working in cahoots with members of the Kugbayigbe Ruling House to impose a person from the ruling house as the next Oluoke justifying their decision on a high court judgement which has been appealed against.
“Once a case is at the appellate court, it is a known fact that the status quo remains. In this case, the status quo is that Bamigbala remains. Until the appellate court rules, any attempt to foist anyone on the throne is subjudice and illegal. Kugbayigbe cannot reign twice thereby depriving our ruling house, Kuole Oloje, of our inalienable right to occupy the throne at this auspicious time.”
Ojetayo appealed to the state government not to allow anybody to throw the community into another round of crisis, adding that no ruling house had ever occupied the throne twice consecutively, in the history of the community.
He noted that as law-abiding citizens of the state, the protesters came out to express their grievances, asking the Kugbayigbe Ruling House to embrace peace and desist from any act that could cause lingering crisis.
Addressing the protesters, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Amidu Takuro, denied the allegation, saying the state government would never interfere in any chieftaincy matters.
He enjoined the protesters to allow peace reign, assuring them that the due process of the law would be followed in the matter.
“The entire community must come together to resolve this issue. There are three options – wait for the court’s judgement, allow the throne to remain vacant or resolve it amicably. Mr Governor does not interfere in whoever becomes king but only follows due process,” he noted.
