A FEW days after its candidate, Alhaji AbdulRaufu Keji, was pronounced the Olofa of Offa by a Court of Appeal in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, members of the Olugbense Ruling House, on Monday, told the state government to enthrone him without further delay.
Speaking at a press conference in Ilorin, they said their demand was based on the need to ensure fairness and justice, as they insisted that although the dethroned Olofa of Offa, Alhaji Mufutau Gbadamosi has approached the Supreme Court for an order to forestall the execution of the Appeal Court judgement, the apex court has not made any pronouncement on the prayer.
“Our action is not prejudice because the stay of execution they requested has not been granted, or has it?”, asked a spokesman of the Ruling House, Prince Adebayo Keji, who read the text of the conference along with Alhaji Aminu Ade-Lawal.
They also debunked rumours that there had been no peace in the ancient town since the Appeal Court threw out the appointment and installation of Mufutau on grounds that the ascendance to the throne of Olofa has become rotational between the Olugbense and Anilelerin Ruling Houses since 1969.
According to Keji, it would be like selling the birthright of the ruling house if they should again agree to allow a member of the Anilelerin Ruling House rule in the ancient town given that a similar fate had befallen the same ruling house twice in the recent history of the town.
“It is astonishing, disgusting and naïve that some uninformed people, out of mischief, have even suggested that the Olugbense Ruling House should allow sleeping dog to lie and allow perfidy to continue. But we say no to this because our family does not wish to sell our birthright for a mesh of pottage. Our forefathers have made compromises before in the interest of peace in Offa particularly in 1969 when Oba Mustapha Keji was persuaded by the government of the day to step down to allow the candidate from the Anilelerin Ruling House to be produced to start the rotational process, and he did.
“But in 2010 when it became the turn of our Ruling House to produce the candidate to fill the vacancy created by the death of Oba Mustapha Olanipekun from Anilelerin Ruling House, our candidate, now declared by the Court of Appeal as Olofa of Offa, AbdulRauf Keji, was shockingly and brazenly rejected by the kingmakers and the government.
“Therefore, our Ruling House has lost faith in any arrangement that will perpetually deny us our right to ascend to the throne of our forefathers. To us, continued peaceful and harmonious relationship between us and our neighbours can only be achieved through sober, matured and experienced leadership style as exhibited by the late Oba Mustapha Keji and Oba Olanipekun.”
