BY AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, IBADAN
For Prince Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, the path to the throne of Soun of Ogbomoso is strewn with thorns and the question of who eventually wears the crown appears dicey as the process of selection of the new king is being vigorously contested. With his name already forwarded to Governor Seyi Makinde for approval, more than half of the other 24 candidates scrambling for the stool have risen against his choice.
The aggrieved candidates, particularly, objected to his emergence from the pack on the grounds that he and one other candidate were initially not part of the process.
The princes claimed that only 23 of them from the Alatipo branch, Bode Eniafe, Kapelaiye, Aremo, Ajiteru, Baiyewuwon, Daodu and Olateju branch procured the Expression of Interest form to the stool of the Soun of Ogbomoso when the contest started.
The names of the 23 candidates from seven of the 10 sections of the Laoye Ruling House are Isiaka Oluwasegun Lasisi, Surajudeen Lawal Olaoye, Gbolahan Idowu Oyegoke, Gbadamosi Taofeek Lawal Olaoye, Abayomi Isaac Jacob Oyewusi, Bello Sephil Okunloye, Abubakar Abdulganiyu Akano, Mohammed Gazali Jamiu Oyetunde, Olabode Akeem Olayide Olaoye, Mohammed Kabir Olaoye, Tirimisiyu Gbolagade Bello, Abdulrahman Hamzat Adebayo and Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye.
Also among them are Amusa Felix Bello, Badmos Babatude Olaoye, Ismail Kayode Olaoye, Johnson Olusola Olaoye, Muhammed Nurudeen Bello Olaoye, Musibau Adeniran Alimi, Olalekan Olaoye, Peter Olatunde Olaoye, Surajudeen Akorede Olaoye and Taofeek Adeyemi Akorede Olaoye
Despite the claim by Prince Ghandi that his decision to throw his hat into the ring for the stool of Soun of Ogbomoso was in accordance with the will of God and despite having scaled all hurdles but one, opposition against his ambition to reign as king in the ancient town is stiff and vehement.
At the moment some of the aspiring princes have united to question his selection in a petition titled, ‘Appeal to Your Excellency not to approve the appointment of Prince Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye as the successful candidate to the stool of Soun of Ogbomosoland in Ogbomoso North Local Government Council Area of Oyo State.’
The petition read that “We, the undersigned, Prince Gbolahan Olagoke, Prince Gbadamosi Taofeek Lawal, Prince Bello Tirimisiyu Gbolagade, Prince Abdulganiyu Abubakar and Prince Olabode Olaide Akeem, in our capacity as five of the 11 shortlisted candidates vying for the stool of Soun of Ogbomosoland are writing in respect of the above subject matter.
“We participated in the process organized by our family for the election of a credible and competent candidate for the stool of Soun of Ogbomosoland. In the exercise that started with the sale of nomination forms and which culminated in the screening that was concluded on the 16th of February, 2022, 11 of us were qualified to be presented for further interview, election and appointment by the kingmakers.
“We are displeased to see that at some point in the course of the exercise, other candidates who did not pass the first stage of the screening were made to be part of the process up to the last stage of the exercise. It becomes even worrisome that the person that eventually emerged as the successful candidate to occupy the vacant stool of Soun of Ogbomoso Land is not one of the successful 11 candidates screened by the chieftaincy screening committee.
“We are, therefore, using this medium as enjoined by the Chiefs Law of Oyo State to register our protest and are calling upon Your Excellency to intervene by helping us preserve the sanity and integrity of history, tradition and custom from being rubbished by politicians and corrupt civil servants. We plead with Your Excellency not to approve the appointment of Prince Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye as the crown prince of Ogbomoso Land.”
A letter dated Friday, 25th March, 2022, addressed to the governor by the 11 appointed members of the chieftaincy committee for the stool of the Soun of Ogbomoso, namely Prince Olawale Amos Olaoye, Prince Wahab Oyetunde, Prince Olaoye Nureni, Prince Tajudeen Olapade, Prince Lasisi Oyediji, Prince Oladosu Oyegoke Olaoye, Prince Hamzat Oyeyemi, Prince Mukaila Olaoye, Prince Saheed Saka, Prince Oladiti Bello and Prince Kareem Oyerogba, chronicled the entire process right from commencement and how things should happen.
The letter read in parts, “In obedience to our history, tradition and custom, the stool rotates to the Laoye Ruling House and the family takes steps. In fulfillment of the Chiefs Law of Oyo State, it began the process of nominating, screening, selecting and appointing a credible candidate to sit on the royal stool of Soun of Ogbomosoland.
“On the 20th of December, 2021 at a general meeting of the family, with three representatives each from the 10 branches of the Laoye Ruling House, we resolved that an Expression of Interest Form be made available to any member of the family who is interested in the vacant stool of Soun of Ogbomosoland. The sale of the forms commenced immediately and it was closed on the 27th of January, 2022.
“Despite the claim by Prince Ghandi that his decision to throw his hat into the ring for the stool of Soun of Ogbomoso was in accordance with the will of God and despite having scaled all huddles but one, opposition against his ambition to reign as king in the ancient town is stiff and vehement”
“At the close of the sales of forms, 23 candidates from seven of the 10 sections of the Laoye Ruling House of Soun of Ogbomoso Royal Dynasty expressed their interest in participating in the exercise by obtaining the Expression of Interest Form.”
They said that having stopped the sale of forms on January 27 at the family general meeting, shortlisting and selection of candidates to be presented to the kingmakers for the appointment of one of the shortlisted members as the next occupant of the throne of Soun of Ogbomoso Land, was made and ratified.
“We commenced work on the 28th January and concluded our first assignment on the 12th of February, with only 22 of the candidates available to honour our invitation. A sub-committee of six members from the chieftaincy screening committee was later set up and they commenced their assignment on the 14th of February for the purpose of evaluating the claims of the candidates as to their eligibility and to score them appropriately. With the conclusion of the exercise, 11 candidates emerged successful for further interview.”
On February 16, the committee reported back to the general meeting with the kingmakers in attendance. Invitation was sent to the officers of the local government to witness the transparency of the process. On February 23 the stakeholders converged at the local government secretariat for the exercise.
The committee alleged that there was a twist in events on the said day as the 12 candidates that were already screened out by the chieftaincy screening committee appeared. The committee members alleged that the 12 candidates insisted that they must be part of the interview. The committee added, “While we frowned at this intrusion, two other candidates (including Ghandi) who never showed any interest in the exercise by picking up nomination forms also showed up and presented themselves for the exercise.
“The local government officers, led by the Head of Local Government Administration, indulged them and allowed them to participate in the process. Our protest that they cannot be allowed to participate in the exercise was ignored by the officers of the local government. In all, 25 candidates were allowed to participate in the exercise.
“At the end of the exercise, we watched in dismay as only 18 candidates were eventually interviewed that day by the local government officers. Not wanting to sound and appear paranoid, and while we wait for the outcome of what had become the usurpation of our responsibility by the local government officers as the screening and selecting chieftaincy committee for the vacant stool of Soun of Obomosoland, on Thursday, 17th day of March, 2022, we received a text message from an officer of the local government who identified himself as Muyiwa Oke directing us that we should inform the 18 candidates that were interviewed by them to come with their curriculum vitae to the palace for the appointment of one them as Soun of Ogbomosoland by the kingmakers on Tuesday, the 22nd of March, 2022.
“Muyiwa Oke sent a second text message on Monday, March, 21 that we should send the phone numbers of all the 25 candidates that showed up on the 23rd of February, 2022 for the interview at the local government secretariat. While we noted that only 18 of them were actually interviewed by the officers of the local government, we were compelled to oblige them with the phone numbers of the 25 candidates.
“On Tuesday, 22nd of March, we witnessed with our own eyes and to our dismay that only 23 out of the 25 candidates that were invited showed up at the palace for the election and the eventual appointment of one of them as the crown prince of Ogbomosoland. One of the remaining two candidates who were not physically present at the palace was interviewed on phone. At exactly 6pm, Prince Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye was announced to have emerged as the successful candidate to occupy the stool of Soun of Ogbomosoland. We staged a peaceful protest against the decision of the kingmakers at the palace.”
One of the kingmakers, High Chief Salawu Ajadi, (Jagun of Ogbomosoland), was quoted to have told those who criticised the process as saying that the decision had been taken, “and there is nothing that can be done to undo what we have done.”
In an interview with The Point, High Chief Sobalaje Otolorin, the Areago of Ogbomosoland, said that the process had been undertaken accordingly and the final decision was left with the governor.
The High Chief, who doubles as the chairman of the kingmakers in Ogbomosoland, said, “They were asked to conduct screening and his name (Ghandi’s) was among those who were screened. Despite the fact that there is no law that says they should sell forms to interested candidates, they gave him a form.
“Government sent the names of 25 candidates. It is not about religion but about who is who in terms of who could measure up to succeed the late Soun. We voted and he (Ghandi) won.”
The Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government, Kabir Ayoade Akanji, said, “Chieftaincy has procedures. It is the family that would present candidates and the names of those who showed interest were taken by the local government. The names of the candidates were forwarded to the kingmaker and one of them emerged.
“The issue is that, as it obtains in politics, when many people vie for a position, issues would be raised by some people. Normally, some people will react. On our part, we have done the needful administratively.”
One of the contenders for the throne who does not want to be named alleged that, “The problem was that he (Ghandi) has been in the United States of America for over 30 years. He has lost touch with the customs and traditions of our fatherland. He literally doesn’t know anybody even within his immediate family and no one has come out to adhere to any support coming from him.
“But he came in with a sack full of American dollars and he was doing Father Christmas around. Stories had it that he bought a car for someone and also promised some people N10 million each if he gets installed. He has even pocketed some people in the government circle with N5 million to get the nomination.
“After the nomination and he was rejected by the good people of Ogbomoso land, he now started threatening everything and everyone. The minutes of the Afobajes (Kingmakers) that gave him nomination were rejected at the Governor’s office.
“He is wounded now, very wounded so much that he is now carrying out a media war. My tenacity and pleadings to the youth is why the city is not on fire. The youths are already spoiling for a war and once the war starts, no one can predict the end.
“Please, pray along with us in this final stage of the episode as we are sure God is in control.
“By the way and despite everything, we are not making it a life and death affair. What is at stake is not enough to warrant one sacrificing his life over. Even without the Obaship, I have made a success of my life.”
Apart from the discordant tunes against his choice by the princes and the selection committee, Ghandi, a Senior Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jesus House Washington DC Parish, America, is also battling the storm of criticism from those who insisted that a true Christian should not have any business in taking the role of being a king due to the traditional obligations of ritualism and other customary practices.
The position of Soun of Ogbomoso is being contested following the passage of Oba Jimoh Oladunni Oyewunmi on 12th December, 2021, at age 95.
