BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
There is palpable tension in Ogun State over the planned installation of Lagos West Senator in the National Assembly, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (aka Yayi), as the ‘Aremo Oba of Yewaland,’ by the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle.
The citizens, in a letter to Governor Dapo Abiodun, are calling on him to urgently intervene in the impending tussle in order to guarantee an enduring peace devoid of chaos and acrimonies in the state and Yewaland.
In the petition, jointly signed by Tosin Adelusi; Saheed Olabisi; Wasiu Sadiq; Saheed Alagbe and Olusola Akinosi, they alleged that it will be out of place to give away traditional titles to someone because of his affluence, political ambition, social status, or because he is well placed in politics or for pecuniary gains.
They said this will not be in the best interest of the larger society and it will further erode the sanity and integrity of the Yewa culture.
While saying they are not averse to situations whereby honourary chieftaincy titles are conferred on non – indigenes who have made laudable contributions to do more, to spur them to feel more belonging and to make them feel more appreciated, they warned that “the core stakeholders of Yewaland are concerned that a wrong precedence would be laid if traditional titles are conceded to non – indigenes whose off springs may continue to lay claim to what does not belong to their lineage because their parents had procured our tradition with money.”
Apart from the contention over the background of Adeola, the petitioners stressed that the demise of a number of first class Obas such as Aboro of Ibese, Onisare of Ijanna, Onigun of Odan Abuja and Onijoun of Ijoun, have created vacancies within the Yewa Traditional Council that have not been filled.
“Unfortunately, majority of the vacant stools are very highly rated Obaship stools that are supposed to be part of the decision making with regards to who should be installed as the Aremo Oba of Yewaland.
“It will be highly unfortunate if Yewa Traditional Council goes ahead to appoint the title holder of Aremo Oba of Yewaland in the absence of first class Oba like Aboro of Ibese and the others whose stools are currently vacant,” they said.
In the words of the petitioners, Adeola, who is presently representing Lagos West in the senate, has at one time claimed Isaga Orile in Abeokuta North Local Government Area as his place of origin, but later built a house in Joga Orile, while he has also laid claim to Paayi in Ilaro as his ancestral home at another time.
“In all these places, none of his relatives or kinsmen have so far been identified,” they also alleged.
They stressed further that, “In the event that nothing is done urgently to salvage the integrity of our traditional institution, what it implies is that the title of Aremo Oba of Yewaland will be conferred on a personality whose paternity and indeed his entire origin have not been traced to a particular settlement in Yewaland.”
They, therefore, implored Governor Abiodun to kindly put machinery in motion in order to carry out a fact – finding investigation on the lingering chieftaincy tussle over the appointment process into the traditional chieftaincy of Aremo Oba of Yewaland with a view to putting the whole process of installation of the new Aremo Oba of Yewaland on hold until all grey areas are straightened before the whole issue degenerate into chaos.
Copies of the petition were also sent to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Ogun State, as well as the Yewa Traditional Council.
