By Ismaeel Uthman
A royal family from the Gboleru Ruling House, the Adesekan family in Ikirun, has warned against distortion of history and manipulation of facts, aimed at misleading kingmakers, government and members of Ikirun community on the selection of new traditional ruler for the town.
The Adesekan family said it amounts to total falsehood and lack of historical factual information for anybody to say that it does not belong to the Gboleru Ruling House, which is expected to produce the next Akinrun of Ikirun.
According to the spokesperson of the royal family, Prophet Gabriel Oyetunji, the late patriarch of the Adesekan family, Pa Emmanuel Oyetunji, popularly known as Baba Solaro, was the Head of Princes in Ikirun for many years.
Oyetunji was reacting to a claim by the spokesperson of the Gboleru Ruling House, Mr. Abimbola Toki, who had faulted Adesekan family’s claim that it is its turn to produce the next Akinrun.
Toki had said Adesekan people are not part of the ruling house, challenging them to trace their paternity in Gboleru.
He said: “We didn’t hear from the Adesekan people until now. If you say you are part of the Gboleru family, come out and prove your paternity lineage. They are laying claim to what is not theirs”.
However, Oyetunji, who spoke on behalf of Adesekan Royal Family to OSUN DEFENDER, in Osogbo, yesterday said: “We strongly counter Toki’s view. His opinion on Adesekan family constitutes deliberate dissemination of falsehood and distortion of history. Toki should therefore approach people who know the history and search information from reliable sources.
“Our late Patriarch, Pa. Emmanuel A. Oyetunji, otherwise known Baba Solaro, was Olori Olomo-Oba for many years in Ikirun. Baba Solaro was indisputably known across the length and breadth of Ikirun and beyond for his good work and roles as a prince.
“We do not need to prove anything to Toki or whoever he represents on pages of newspapers to demonstrate our royal history. Toki’s statement was unfortunate and was to be ignored but for a little correction to prevent dissemination of falsehood.
“There is nothing Toki would gain from deliberate falsehood and he must therefore refrain from distortion of history”.
Oyetunji added: “We consider this distortion of history and deliberate falsehood unfortunate and unnecessary, and it is not something ruling houses generally, and particularly that of Gboleru lineage, would be proud of. Falsehood and distortion of history will not make or produce a king.
“It is the Almighty God who chooses a king. Akinrun stool is not a political office, and falsehood cannot help or elevate anyone to the throne.
“Toki is therefore encouraged to please refrain from any act of falsehood, while we call on all people to join Adesekan Compound, Gboleru Ruling House and Ikirun people as a whole in prayers to God to lead the kingmakers of Ikirun to choose wisely and as God will be guiding them.”
