Untold Story Of Obaship Tussle In Edunabon

• Palace Razed

By Sola Jacobs

The Obaship tussle between the duo of Kehinde Oladepo and Nasiru Adebayo both of Isiboni branch of Amoloja ruling house in Edunabon, Ife North East Local Council Development area have led the youth in support of one of the contestants to burn down the palace in the town.

Osun Defender investigation revealed that following the demise of Late Oba Elijah Omoloye, the Salu of Edunabon who was a retired policeman, Kehinde Oladepo who was his nephew, also a policeman was supported by foremost kingmakers in the town, which earned him ticket to the stool.

It was further gathered that this did not go down well with some youths in the ruling house, who pledge their support for Nasiru Adebayo, who they believed, is more constant and readily available for the people and youths of the Amoloja ruling house, than Oladepo who they called a Lagos-based policeman.

However, prior to the time Adebayo decided to go into seclusion to commence the traditional rites to the stool, his rival Oladepo had gone into the same seclusion, as he claimed that the state government had approved his nomination without consulting the Ooni of Ife who has the authority to recommend and approve installation of Salu Edunabon traditionally.

It was gathered that as Kehinde Oladepo was about to enter into the palace on Wednesday morning, the angry youth in the town touched the palace, so as to prevent from becoming the Salu of Edunabon, against what they called the majority wishes of the people who believed that he was unfit for the stool.

Osun Defender who visited Endunabon around 3.30pm on Wednesday saw armored vehicle and policemen sitting around the burnt palace, while the town looked deserted, but with elderly people gathering in groups discussing the issue.

Relative peace had returned to the town, as Osun Defender learnt that both Oladepo and Adebayo had fled and those who were injured in the clash Raphael Onifade, Seye Oyelade and Adekola Onifade are recuperating in an undisclosed hospital outside the town.

Some of the residents who spoke on anonymity said, the kingmakers should be blamed for the ugly development, as they should have consulted widely across various strata of the town, before supporting any of the contestants to the stool.