BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Some ruling houses in Igbajo community, Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun State, have staged a peaceful protest against the continuous stay of Oba Adegboyega Famodun in the community’s palace as the Owa of Igbajoland despite an order of the state government.
The aggrieved ruling houses including Loye Oke Odo, Aworoosun, Nigemo, Omokan and Baba Owa all of the Owa Oke Ode side among others, stormed the Igbajo palace on Monday December 26, 2022 in protest, insisting that the incumbent monarch was imposed on the town by the immediate past administration of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola and that Famodun’s continuous stay at the palace was negatively affecting the peace and progress of the town.
While carrying placards bearing different inscriptions pointing to alleged illegality and lack of due process in the selection of Famodun, the protesting royal families asked the monarch to vacate the palace in compliance with an executive order number 5 made by the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke on Monday 28th November, 2022
Recall that Governor Adeleke had signed Executive Order among which is the nullification of all traditional rulers installed from July 17 to date.
The governor specifically ordered that the new monarchs of Igbajo, Iree and Ikirun communities should vacate their palaces pending the determination of their status by government after the submission of the report of a Panel of Enquiry on Chieftaincy Matters that would review their installation.
Meanwhile, the protesting ruling houses said they had decided to remain peaceful and insisted that Famodun was illegally imposed on the community despite a pending suit NO.HIK/10/2021 on the Igbajo stool.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards displayed by protesters read, “Igbajo People Do Not Want Famodun as Owa of Igbajo,” “The Selection of Adegboyega Famodun to the Throne of Owa of Igbajo Did Not Follow Due Process,” “Famodun, Stop Parading Yourself as Owa of Igbajo,” “Igbajo Says No To Imposition of Famodun”, “Emergence of Famodun was a Fraud/Scam,” “Prince Famodun was Forced on Igbajo by Former Governor Oyetola,” among others.
Surprisingly, the Asiwaju of Igbajoland, Chief Solomon Adegboyega Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who suppose to uphold the rule of law and stand for the truth is now promoting injustice and running around begging on behalf of the rejected Famodun. With due respect, we want to advise the Asiwaju of Igbajo to please desist from this act and remain neutral if he can’t stand by the truth.
Addressing journalists during the demonstration which has the presence of security agents, one of the aggrieved Princes, Adeyemi Ajakaye, from Oyiigi ruling house, said, “we are all from Omo Owa Oke. We are not in support of the imposition of Adegboyega Famodun as the Owa of Igbajo. We don’t want him. The Bible says in Proverbs that you should not depart from what your forefathers had established. Our forbears believed in Equity, Justice and fairness whereby none of the ruling house will not be marginalized or cheated in the selection and installation of the King.
“We the Omo Owa of Oke Ode won’t fight because we are illustrious indigenes of this town and we won’t support its destruction and that’s why we are being peaceful. So, we beg our Governor and the security agencies to ensure that he vacates the palace and stop parading himself as Owa of Igbajo pending the outcome of the committee’s report and subsequent approval of Mr. Governor. God will choose the right monarch for us,” he said.
Also speaking, Prince Adeyinka Adereni Ademola from Omokan ruling house, said, “We do not support the imposition of Adegboyega Famodun as our king in Igbajo. We are law abiding citizens and we don’t want chaos in our town. Adegboyega is not our king.
The President of Igbajo Development Association (IDA) had informed members of the public on Tungba 90.3FM radio station few days before the illegal and dubious installation that there is a suit pending on the Igbajo stool and he said the final determination of the case will now begin a normal process for the selection of Owa Igbajo.
“He (IDA President) said we should be peaceful. But we are shocked to hear that Gboyega Famodun was made king and we don’t understand it. Adegboyega Famodun is not our king and that’s why we are here. He should vacate the palace for us and those who collected money from him should return it and he should drop our crown because he is not our king. We heard that some elders and Kingmakers collected money from him cum the influence of the past administration and made him king.”
Similarly in his own remarks, Prince Babatunde Dada from Nigemo ruling house bemoaned continuous stay of Famodun at the palace despite the step aside order by the state governor and asked the monarch to desist from parading himself as Owa of Igbajo.
Dada said, “We are not pleased with what has happened. We are three zones and two zones had enjoyed the throne, remaining one zone which is Loye Oke Odo ruling house should be allowed to produce the next Owa but they cheated us because of the political influence. His father HRH Adelani Famodun ll left the throne in 1988 and now his biological child at the detriment of other 8 ruling houses. Chief Nigemo of Igbajo land. The way the selection was done was crooked. The emergence of
Adegboyega Famodun did not follow due process at all.
“Among the six kingmakers we have, five are alive while one is dead and that is Chief Obaala of Igbajo land. The third person in heirachy, Chief Loogun Lemikan, High Chief Joseph Fasiku was completely sidelined by other 4 Kingmakers just because he cannot be bought over. Those who are supposed to perform some rites for the kings didn’t participate because they couldn’t compromise the tradition of the community. He is not our king,” he maintained.
“Once again, we, the Omo Owa Oke-ode are using this medium to plead to our amiable governor who has zero tolerance for corruption and impunity to please rescue us in Igbajo from the oppression and impunity of the past administration by ensuring that justice is served in favour of the aggrieved ruling house,” he pleaded.
