Confusion in Ondo Community over Obaship Tussle

James Sowole in Akure

Confusion has set in among the indigenes and residents of Ipele Community in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State over selection of a new monarch for the town, Olupele of Ipele, which has been lingering for six years.

The development has polarised stakeholders in the process of selection of a new king as they are now engaging in claims and counter claims on who should constitute the kingmakers.

Some youths had last week reportedly embarked on a protest, calling on the state government to order a process for the selection of a new king within the shortest time.

However, another section of the stakeholders including youths said the process should be put on hold pending the determination of two suits, on the eligibility of some acclaimed kingmakers.

The youths of the community, at the weekend, cautioned the state government to allow the court to determine the two pending suits before the selection process of the new monarch is done.

The youths under the auspices of Ipele Youth Progressive Movement, gave the advice in a statement addressed to the Ondo State Governor, Mr. Oluwatotimi Akeredolu and signed by the duo of Bola Orisadare and Segun Osuntuyi, the President and Secretary of the youth organisation respectively.

The action of the youths, came just as legal practitioner from Rex Advocate, Mr. Tajudeen Ahmed, in a letter addressed Akeredolu, on the same Obaship tussle of Olupele stool, cautioned the state government against allowing the selection process to take place while two suits are pending in courts on the matter.

Specifically, the solicitor to Messrs Abdul Hardy Balogun and Anors Vs Chief Olubamito Ajikara and 4 others (Suit HOW/14/2021) and Abdul Hardy Balogun and Anors Vs Chief Sanni Raji Olujase and 5 others (HOW/20/2021), quoted the two suits on the selection of Olupele.

According to him, the suits showed that three of the Ipele kingmakers, are not entitled to be installed as kingmakers of their respective quarters they are claiming to head by virtue of which they are claiming to be kingmakers in Ipele.

He said, “Since the eligibility of the trio is already subjudice, they cannot legitimately take part in the process of selection of next Olupele until the determination of the case in tandem with a plethora of judicial authorities.

“We humbly request that you direct that the affected acclaimed Ipele Kingmakers i.e Chief Sanni Olujase, Chief Adewunmi Abitoye and Chief lubamito Ajikara, should not be allowed to exercise the rights of kingmakers in the selection of next Olupele of Ipele alternatively, the selection process be stopped pending the determination of two pending issues.”

The youths dissociated themselves from a news conference addressed by a purported Kingmaker, raising the alarm of impending protest by the youths of the community, if the vacant stool of Olupele is not filled within possible shortest time.

“We wish to state categorically that Ipele youths are peace loving youths. We are not going to be part of any protest or crisis. We believe in the rule of law and it is on that we urge you to allow the law its full course before the selection process of the next Olupele of Ipele is done.

“We are reliably informed that Chief Olujase Raji, who has been parading himself as Olupepele of Ipele, had been sued in the High Court for illegally parading himself as a Kingmaker and acting Olupele of Ipele.

“We passionately beg our governor to discountenance the alarm of impending crisis on the matter and to allow the court to determine the two suits before the selection process is done,” the youths stated.