12 Royal Aspirants Jostle For Akinrun Stool

 

By Ismaeel Uthman

THE race to fill the vacant stool of Akinrun of Ikirun, headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government of the State of Osun has started. 

Gboleru Ruling House is expected to present the next traditional ruler of the town, according to Ikirun District Chieftaincy Declaration and Gazette of 1959.

The two other ruling houses entitled to the Akinrun throne are Adedeji and Obaara (comprising of Oyejola and Oyewole families). 

The Akinrun stool became vacant when Oba Abdurauf Olayiwola Olawale Adedeji II, joined his ancestors on February 04, 2021 after a brief illness. 

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that princes from the Gboleru Ruling House have been making surreptitious moves to emerge the new Akinrun.

This is even as Ifelodun Local Government has not written to the ruling house to present nomination for the Akinrun stool. 

As at the time of filing this report on Thursday, no fewer than 12 royal aspirants from the Gboleru royal family have indicated interest in the stool, according to sources. 

The aspirants include three professionals of same parents from Adesekan Compound.

Among the royal aspirants are: Waheed Oladimeji, Lamidi Adegboyega Olatunji, Fatai Olatunji (omo Kasali) Taofeek Aderibigbe and Tajudeen Olaniyan Olatunji.

Others are: Timothy Oyetunji, an Estate Management expert, Mukaila Shittu, Prof Samson Oyetunji, an Electrical-Electronic Engineer and Kayode Akinloye Oyetunji, a UK based businessman and Information Technology expert. 

Also, the medium confirmed that Gboleru Ruling House has been organising regular meetings to ensure that a competent and experienced person is nominated or selected for the stool through a peaceful process.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER in a telephone interview yesterday, the spokesperson for the Gboleru Ruling House, Mr. Abimbola Tooki, confirmed that a number of qualified people from the family have indicated interest in the stool. 

However, Tooki said he could not put a figure to the number of princes jostling for the vacant Akinrun stool, noting that the ruling house might have to screen down the aspirants in line with request from the government at the appropriate time. 

According to Tooki, the government was yet to communicate with the family on the presentation of candidate(s) for the stool. 

He said: “There are three ruling houses in Ikirun: Obaara, Adedeji and Gboleru. Adedeji, which just left the throne succeeded Obaara Ruling House. Naturally, there is no contesting the fact that Gboleru Ruling House will present candidate for the next Akinrun and there is even a consensus on that.

“Within the Gboleru family, a lot of candidates have indicated interest and that is expected because they are eligible to the throne. Those who are qualified will be presented to the kingmakers and the government, from among who a person will be chosen to occupy the stool. But I can confirm to you that there are a number of people from the royal family that are qualified to occupy the stool. 

“I can’t give you a particular number that we are presenting. Part of the process is that the government will write to us to request for nomination for the stool. Based on that request, we will forward to them the name(s) of the qualified person(s), depending on the tone of the letter. 

“We may consider screening for the royal aspirants. For instance, if the government requests for two candidates, it means if there are 10 of them, we will screen them internally and present two. We can’t pre-empt the letter. But we will follow its tone whenever we receive it from the government. 

 “The onus lies on the government and kingmakers to now do their internal process to choose a particular candidate among the nominated ones.”

Tooki maintained that when the process of selection begins properly, the Gboleru Ruling House will separate the wheat from the chaff. 

However, investigations by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that some notable Ikirun indigenes have been making moves to instigate princes from the Obaara Ruling House, particularly from the Adeyemi family to contest the throne. 

Politics have also crept into the race, as some of the royal aspirants have been tagged pro- and anti-government.