From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo
Unless the Oyo State Government urgently intervenes in the lingering chieftaincy tussle rocking Ago Are community in Atisbo Local Government with a view to finding a lasting solution, there is imminent threat of a bloody violence.
The agrarian community in Oke-Ogun area of the state is already enveloped in tension, as youths and other interest groups are threatening a showdown with the kingmakers over their selection of a successor to the vacant throne, an action they described as “unacceptable and negation of age-long tradition in the selection process’’.
The late community head, Aare of Ago Are, Oba Jubril Oyesiji Oladoke, joined his ancestors in May this year after about 39 years of peaceful reign.
Freedom Online learned that barely a month after the demise of the ruler, a family meeting of the next ruling house, known as Edu, was convened where 15 candidates emerged to contest for the vacant stool.
Names of interested candidates were later presented to the kingmakers for thorough screening through Ifa oracle divination and in line with the age-long customs and tradition.
It was learned that rather than allowing age-long traditional status quo in the process of selecting a new monarch, the
kingmakers opted for orthodox religious method.
The community has eight kingmakers through declaration made under Section 4 (2) of the Chiefs Law of 1957.
Two of the kingmakers had died, thus remaining six.
The six kingmakers, four Christians and two Muslims, jettisoned traditional selection method, secretly picked two among the contesting candidates and voted along religious affiliation.
At the end of the secret election, a christian candidate was said to have emerged victorious.
Freedom Online learned that the decision of the lawmakers could not be communicated to the people for fear of unpleasant reactions.
The strange approach to selection of the new monarch by the kingmakers elicited anger and uproar from a cross section of indigenes, including the remaining candidates who contested for the throne.
Addressing reporters on behalf of other candidates, Prince Taoheed Oyekola Olakanla said: “It is unfortunate that the kingmakers allowed self-centredness and greed to prevail over Ago Are tradition and customs. Since July 7 this year that the kingmakers conducted their strange, kangaroo, alien and unlawful election to select another Oba, why has it been difficult for them to make the pronouncement? All the contesting candidates, who are also princes, vehemently rejected the selection process. We have also forwarded our grievances to the appropriate authorities, notably the state government and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who is the consenting authority and permanent Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs”.
In a related development, another five princes from the same ruling house have complained about what they referred to as “unlawful exclusion of their vested rights’’.
While denying any knowledge whatsoever of the steps taken by both the ruling house and the kingmakers to select a new monarch, they noted that such steps were not made public as required by the law.
Spokesman for the aggrieved princes, Semiu Bolaji Opeloyeru, pointed out that having embarked on proper consultation with their lawyers, “we find it incomprehensible and unacceptable the activities of both the ruling house and the kingmakers’’.
They added that their rights to seek appointment into the Are Ago stool has been jeopardised by the duo who have
refused to adhere to all relevant laws regulating their conduct in this regard.
The princes, therefore, demanded for outright cancellation of the nominations and election of any candidate, to ensure due process of law and to provide avenue for them to realise their aim of contesting for the vacant stool as provided under the law.
