… says giving Alake of Egbaland an ‘ultimatum’ is an insult to tradition
The sons and daughter of Orile-Imo in Obafemi Owode local government area of Ogun state have distanced themselves from a purported report circulating on social media that the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo is planning to install an unpopular candidate as the next monarch of the town.
The indigenes of the community in their hundred trooped out on Monday to express displeasure over the report that Orile-Imo has selected the next monarch of the town.
The Orile-Imo indigenes debunked the rumour, claiming that they have not taken any step in selecting the next monarch of the town.
It would be recalled that a report flying around claimed five ruling houses of the ancient Egba community had petitioned the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun over alleged plan by the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo to install an unpopular candidate as the next monarch of the town.
The report alleged that Alake of Egbaland had for the past three years, frustrating attempts of the kingmakers at coronating the new monarch because his preferred candidate failed the screening exercise conducted by the Imo Traditional Council.
The report added that out of the four four contestants planning to become the next Olu of Imo, Chief Alawode emerged winner with 6 votes and was returned as the Oba-elect of the town.
However, the indigenes of the community have described the report as false and untrue.
They noted that there is no ruling house or kingmakers in the town.
Speaking on behalf of 20 Village heads out of the 30 villages in Orile-Imo present at the press conference, the Asiwaju of Orile-Imo, Olakunle Olalekan also condemned the ultimatum given to Alake of Egbaland on the issue.
The Asiwaju of Orile-Imo explained that the Ogbonis are imposing whom to choose as the next Oba, which is not in accordance with the due process of selection.
He however noted that any form of imposition, so far the Olubores are not the constituted authority to select a new Oba in Orile-Imo will not be accepted from them.
The Asiwaju of Orile-Imo, said, “As a matter of fact, the purported obligation of we people of Orile-Imo ; the chiefs,the baales and the youths, totally dissociate ourselves from the publication of the Ogbonis.
“How could we be attacking the constituted authority and the paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Alake of Egbaland on the air.
“We are his subject. We cannot do that. So we thereby dissociate ourselves from such publication.
He further explained that there is no declaration yet, as the Alake of Egbaland is the only constituted authority.
He further said, “No other kingmaker or council. And if anybody have any evidence that he is the king maker, they should bring it out. For the Alake of Egbaland is the alpha and omega;it is only him that can say “yes or no” in Orile-Imo.
“We have many consultant, but we don’t argue with anybody. The so-called people of Ogboni, they are our leaders. We can’t fight them, but you must do everything legally. What they are doing is purely illegal. If they continue in this way, it may lead to court. We don’t fight. We will seek legal means. We don’t fight each others, we are brothers to each others. But what they are doing is purely imposition, which we totally rejected.
“The entire people of Orile-imo rejected what is called imposition. How could you be giving Alake the ultimatum of 5days? It’s an insult to the entire Egbaland. It’s an insult to the entire institutions of traditions.
“So, the issue of what they did on air, the publication, is total mess. How could you carry your people on air if truly you are the son of the soil; you won’t go on air”.
“All you need to do is summon your people and tell them that ‘here is your king which we have chosen for you’.‘We have bring your Oba to you’.
“Moreover, you have not pronounced anything, you are looking for a typical one. We have many on ground? And we know who is capable of ruling us.
“So, if they agree to come on board, no problem. We are all human being.
“Moreover, the Ogbonis were doing their meetings in their separate area, while we the chiefs, the baales and the youths are doing our own at Orile-Imo which belongs to the Obafemi Owode local government, while where the Ogbonis are is Abeokuta South Local Government.
“We are in the Ojula ward under Obafemi Owode local government, not in Abeokuta LG south.
“But where we are, we must do it according to the constitution of the Nigeria”.
Similarly, Engineer Keginde Ajeoso from Odofin village who spoke on behalf of imo descendants, told PLATFORM TIMES that when they heard the news on radio, they were taken aback by the steps taken by some Imo chiefs led by Aro of Imo.
He added, “it has never happen in the history of Imo for Imo chiefs to go contrary to Alake’s decision. This is forbidden. So, base on this, we Imo indigenes, we want to dissociate ourselves from that publications. We don’t know anything about it at all.
“On the issue of Olu of Orile-imo, in 2010, Baba late kolawole Olubiyi emerged as Olu of Orile-imo. He was upgraded as baale -general to Olu of Orile-imo. We don’t have gazette, there is no declaration.
“The only prescribed authority we have now base on chieftaincy law of Ogun state, is Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland. Now when late Oba Olubiyi died in 2018,then we started looking for who’s going to be the next Oba in Orile-imo. The game started. Then Baba Alake formed regency and asked them to look for competent Orile-imo indigene. Then I think we have about four aspirants then. He asked them to go for screening and submit report to Ake’s palace.
“We don’t have any king makers here. We were very surprise when we heard that we have ruling houses, we have king makers. Let them come with the certificate of any declaration that back them all. They don’t have it. If they have it, let them come out am show it. They would never get that.
“So, instead of them to do the screening, and submit the report; they gather themselves at Abeokuta, this is Obafemi Owode for goodness’ sake. They gathered themselves at Abeokuta, they said they are king makers, that they want to do selection. You are doing selection? No Orile-imo chiefs there. No baale from Orile-imo there. No Orile-imo youths there. No Stakeholders from Orile-imo in such gathering and you said you want do selection. All this is non and void.
“We the good citizens and sons of Orile-imo, we are dissociating ourselves from such publication. They are on their own. And I want to cease this opportunity to call on Egba traditional council to look into this matter.
“These are the people giving us problem in Orile-imo. These are the people causing mayhem in Orile-imo. We don’t have any crises here. We have people representing various villages here. Ask them, is there any problem in your village? No.”
He also said, “We are law-abiding citizens of Orile-imo; I will like to call on Egba traditional council to call Aro of Imo and his cohorts to order. Because we don’t want to take law into our hands. I will want the Egba traditional council to call them, investigate this matter, call them to order.
“We don’t want crises in our home stead, we don’t want crises here. If they are looking for any crises, they should go to their family house and create trouble there. We don’t want crises here.
“Well, in terms of population, in terms of number, they are no where to be found. if they continue with this, we are going to bring out our people;move out our people in mass, then at that time, we will know who is a majority and who is a minority.”.
