Avoid Crisis, Don’t Be Misguided On Olufon Stool – Group Tells Adeleke

Governor Ademola Adeleke has been warned against being misled into taking a wrong step that might lead to crisis on the selection of the new Olufon of Ifon, headquarters of Orolu local government of Osun State.

An indigenous group in the town, Ifon Conscience Bearers, claims that some individuals were misleading Adeleke and have manipulated the Governor against the wish of the majority in the community.

The group, in a press statement by its Chairman, Prince Kayode Adeoye, on Sunday, said the LAOJO ruling house which the government is considering to produce the new Olufon is non-existent, adding that the 1988 chieftaincy declaration which the government rests on has also been repealed.

The statement titled: “AVOID CRISIS, DON’T BE DECEIVED, USE 1979 CHIEFTAINCY DECLARATION ON OLUFON STOOL” reads: “It has come to our attention that some individuals are hell-bent on misleading Governor Ademola Adeleke to attempt to take wrong step on the vacant Olufon of Ifon stool.

“We have it on good authority that these unscrupulous individuals have obviously manipulated innocent Governor Adeleke, and are about to cause crisis in Ifon community.

“Privileged information at our disposal has it that the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has been instructed to write nonexistence LAOJO Ruling House under the repealed 1988 Chieftaincy Declaration to produce a candidate to be appointed as the new Olufon of Ifon.

“We make bold to state that such move, if it is true, is tantamount to poking the judiciary and calling the bluff of all the authentic ruling houses in Ifon because LAOJO Ruling House is not a recognized entity in Ifon by law.

“To set the record straight, LAOJO Ruling House came into the know with the controversial 1988 Chieftaincy Declaration on Olufon Stool. But the said 1988 Chieftaincy Declaration has been struck out by the court, though a fresh case has come up on it. The 1988 Declaration has been disputed in court for three times, and on two occasions it was STRUCK OUT. First in Suit Number, HOS/127/88 where 1988 Declaration was Declared IMPROPER. Second, in suit Number HOS/22/2008, Pa.Sumonu Akinyooye & Others vs.Governor of Osun State & 10 others.”

“The 1979 Chieftaincy Declaration which was promulgated during the reign of Oba James Olagunju Akinyooye and recognised five ruling houses of Moronfolu, Olumoyero, Odunolu, Orisatoyinbo and Oluyeyin, is the authentic and acceptable law to be used for the selection and appointment of Olufon. Anything contrary to this will be rejected with strong action.

“Besides, tracing the history of Olufon who had ruled the Ifon community, it is clear that it is now the turn of Oluyeyin ruling house to produce a new Olufon.

THE ORDER OF ENTHRONEMENT: OBA SALAWU OYELADE, FROM OLUYEYIN RULING HOUSE (1944-1967), OBA OLAGUNJU AKINYOOYE, FROM MORONFOLU RULING HOUSE (1971-1985), OBA SAKA OLATOYE, FROM ORISATOYINBO RULING HOUSE. (1990-2007), OBA ALMARUF MAGBAGBEOLA, FROM OLUMOYERO RULING HOUSE (2008-2021).

“The contest for the Olufon stool is supposed to be between Oluyeyin Ruling House and Odunolu Ruling House. But Odunolu Ruling House is embroiled in multiple legal tussles. There are two factions laying claim to the Odunolu Ruling House currently – OYEKU FACTION AND OLUROMBI FACTION. A judgement was delivered on 24th day of June, 1994 in suit HOS/144/89 against the ODUNOLU OYEKU. Whereas the entire OLUFON ROYAL FAMILY instituted a case against the ODUNOLU OLUROMBI in suit number HOS/104/2020 on its claim to be a ruling house. The Olufon royal family is insisting that Odunolu is not a ruling house and should not be considered as one. An injunction was secured on the 8th of June, 2022 in which the ODUNOLU OLUROMBI male children were barred from parading themselves as a princes pending the determination of the case. The case is presently before Justice Oyebiyi of Osun State High Court.

“The government should also be aware of a pending case against the same 1988 chieftaincy declaration on Ifon stool. Olumoyero, Odunolu, Orisatoyinbo and Oluyeyin ruling houses are challenging the declaration in suit number HOS/111/2021.

“We insist that the controversial 1988 Chieftaincy Declaration is a weak, invalid, unjust and unfair declaration to be used for the selection of Olufon anytime.

“Governor Ademola Adeleke is known to be a man with open mind and a respecter of the judiciary and lover of due process. The Governor should not be misguided on the Olufon stool. And we warn that any attempt to manipulate the process in favour of a nonexistence LAOJO Ruling House ruling house will be resisted by the entire Ifon community.”