New Selection Process May Take Place On Vacant Akinrun Stool

 

Sodiq Yusuf

THERE are indications that a fresh selection process might take place for the emergence of a new Akinrun of Ikirun, investigations have revealed. 

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the controversial selection process which produced Prince Yunus Olalekan Akadiri from Obaara Ruling House as the new Akinrun, has been cancelled, following protests and litigations from concerned indigenes of Ikirun. 

It would be recalled that Akadiri was announced by six kingmakers of Ikirun as the selected candidate after a meeting with some Ifelodun Local Government officials on Friday, November 19, 2021. 

However, Akadiri’s selection was rejected by stakeholders and indigenes of Ikirun, particularly princes and princesses from Gboleru Ruling House which is originally supposed to produce the new Akinrun.

This was followed by an injunction of a State High Court on Thursday, November 25, 2021, restraining the Obaara and Adedeji Ruling Houses from nominating candidate for the Akinrun throne, just like the kingmakers, local and state governments were also barred from accepting candidate from the ruling houses.

According to the gazette, Gboleru ruling house was to produce the new Akinrun after the demise of Oba Abdulrauf Olawale who was from Adedeji ruling house.

The State Government, based on the controversies on the selection process of Akadiri and the litigation that greeted it, stayed action on the appointment of a new Akinrun. 

But some government officials who reportedly manipulated the kingmakers and local government officials on the selection of Akadiri, have also been making move to ensure that their candidate is chosen in the new selection process. 

Gboleru Ruling House Warns Govt, Kingmakers Against Distortion

But the Gboleru Ruling House has warned the state government and kingmakers in Ikirun not to distort the history of the town and the chieftaincy declaration guiding the selection and appointment of Akinrun of Ikirun.

The family specifically declared that it is the turn of Gboleru to produce the next Akinrun of Ikirun, following the passage of the late occupant of the stool, Oba Rauf Olayiwola Adedeji who hailed from the Adedeji ruling house.

In a press statement signed by the Head of the ruling house, Chief Lamidi Abefe and the Secretary, Prince Taju Adebisi, the family expressed worry on the actions of the kingmakers and some officials of the state government over the selection of a new traditional ruler for the town.

Abefe and Adebisi affirmed that the Gboleru ruling house was prepared to present candidate for the vacant stool of the Akinrun contrary to insinuation that the family was in disarray regarding the selection process.

They insisted that the 1980 Chieftaincy Declaration guiding the selection and appointment of Akinrun of Ikirun recognises three ruling houses which are Oba Ara, Adedeji and Gboleru, stressing that “after the Adedeji ruling house that ruled last, it is the turn of Gboleru ruling house to produce new Akinrun. 

“This position is sacrosanct and cannot be changed by either the kingmakers or the state government”, said the family.

The statement which was made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, in Osogbo, reads in part: “None of the three ruling houses can be ignored in respect of Akinrun stool. The arrangement was made, signed and approved during the reign of Oba Lawani Adeyemi. It is unfortunate that one of his descendants is now the brain behind the distortion of the history and record of the town.

“Those behind the distortion of the history of the town and the chieftaincy declaration have only one goal and that is the destruction of the good work of Oba Lawani Adeyemi.

“Oba Ara and Adedeji had taken their turns to occupy the stool of the Akinrun of Ikirun. Expectedly therefore, it is the turn of the Gboleru ruling house in line with the Akinrun chieftaincy declaration which was signed and approved in 1980.

“It is pertinent to state here the injustice and unfaithfulness displayed by Ikirun kingmakers. Due to corruption, the kingmakers have kept the people of Ikirun in total darkness.

“Where there is no truth, there won’t be justice and where there is no justice, there won’t be peace. We therefore called on the kingmakers to allow peace to reign in Ikirun. They should allow the next ruling house in the order of ascension to produce the next Akinrun of Ikirun. The kingmakers should do the needful and redeem their image for the sake of posterity and history.”

The family also called on the state Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola to allow truth prevail on the Ikirun chieftaincy matter, just as they urged him to expedite action on the selection and appointment of a new Akinrun of Ikirun.