BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
One of the leading Ruling Houses in Iree, Boripe North Local Government Area of Osun State, Olubonku, has urged the state governor, Ademola Adeleke to disregard anyone calling for the reinstatement of some dethroned monarchs in the state, saying the governor’s executive order has brought sanity to the hitherto tensed communities.
Olubonku ruling house of Iree commended Governor Adeleke for the proactive steps he took upon assumption of office to douse the tension that the illegal selection and enthronement of some monarchs in the state by the immediate past administration caused.
Recall that Adeleke had issued an executive order setting aside the enthronement of the Aree of Iree, the Akirun of Ikirun, and the Owa of Igbajo.
Reacting to the plea by the Iwo Traditional Council seeking a repeal of the executive order placed on some monarchs in the state, Olubonku ruling house represented by Prince Ali Afolabi on Wednesday, said the call was unnecessary as the committee set up by Governor Adeleke to review the processes leading to the appointments of the dethroned monarchs had submitted its report and it is proper for everyone affected to wait for the state government’s white paper on it.
While reiterating his support for Governor Adeleke’s reversal of the enthronement of the traditional rulers, Prince Afolabi said the executive order restored peace and tranquility to Iree and other affected towns who were thrown into Obaship chaos by alleged illegal appointments and imposition by the previous government and its agents.
Afolabi, in a statement claimed that due process was not followed in selecting Prince Oluponle as the Aree of Iree from among other contestants, adding that the decision of the immediate past government to have neglected Iree kingmakers and resorted to using warrant chiefs in selecting the traditional ruler was contrary to customs and would have set a devastating precedence in the ancient town.
“It’s distasteful to read the report of a particular Traditional Council begging our amiable State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke to repeal the needed and very thoughtful executive order setting aside the illegal appointments of Aree of Iree and other illegally installed Obas. We want to state unequivocally that Governor Adeleke did take the best decision by setting aside the appointments and setting up a committee to review the processes. It was obvious that Iree would have been engulfed in crisis if Governor Adeleke had not intervened.
“We are grateful to Governor Adeleke for stabilizing the peace and development of our towns by that singular act and the whole people of Osun will remain thankful to the governor. We want the governor to disregard anyone or institution calling for the repeal of the executive order as that will be making rubbish of the efforts of the review committee that has already submitted its report to the state governor. We are patiently awaiting the White paper and we have no doubt that the Governor will allow justice and fairness to prevail in his decisions.
“We want to place on record again the illegality and imposition that played out in Iree where the six kingmakers known as Afobajes, whose primary assignment is to elect a new Ọba when the incumbent joins his ancestors were outrightly abandoned by the immediate past government in the appointment of new Aree of Iree. It’s against our custom and tradition to use warrant chiefs to elect an Oba and this was what propelled the kingmakers to institute a suit at the Osun State High Court, asking the court to stop the previous governor from appointing warrant chiefs,” Afolabi said.
