Urges Gov. Aiyedatiwa to Call him to Order
The Oloba of Oba-ile, Oba Joseph Oluwadare Agunbiade has raised alarm over what is called Deji of Akure’s action to cause chaos in Araromi Obaile community in Akure North local government area of Ondo State over chieftaincy title.
Obaile and Akure have been at each other’s throats over who has the right to install minor chief in the community.
While Oloba stalled Bankole Abiodun Fatoyinbo as the community head, the Deji, Oba Aladelusi Aladetoyinbo installed one Jenyo Lawrence Omotayo.
The development has raised security concerns in the community.
In a statement signed by Chief Alo Adefisayo David, Chief Oloro, the secretary of Oloba in council on behalf of Oloba-in-Council, Oloba described Deji’s action as an affront to Ondo State government.
He called on the State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to call the Deji to order saying his action is capable of causing violence.
The Full PRESS STATEMENT
Deji of Akure Plans to Cause Violence in Araromi Oba-Ile – Oloba-in -Council
Our attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly written by one Michael Adeyeye – Press Secretary to the Deji of Akure over the Judgement on the stool of Araromi Obaile community in Akure North local government area of Ondo State and the Olu.
We would have ignored the strange tale since it is obviously baseless. However, we are offering this clarification because we have been reached by many Indigenes and other Nigerians, who are concerned that such a vague and historically baseless fabrication could be given undeserved attention by members of the public and cause chaos.
We are also not unmindful of the fact that, at a time like this, bizarre tales are often contrived, propagated and weaponised by them to suit their purpose.
First, Araromi community-Oba-Ile is in Akure North Local Government area of Ondo State and the traditional ruler – a first class monarch- is Oloba, Oba Joseph Oluwadare Agunbiade who has traditional authority over Obaile and her land. On the contrary, the Deji or Akure has no cultural or historial relationship whatsoever with Araromi.
We will like to place on record that there is no provision called Paramount Ruler in any law in Ondo State. Anybody who calls himself that is just playing to the gallery. Also, the highly misunderstood concept of the Prescribed Authority was settled by the Ondo State Government when it approved the Morgan Chieftaincy Review Commission report. Page 3 (item number 11 under Prescribed Authority) of the white paper of the Morgan Chieftaincy Review Commission stated that Government accepts the commission’s recommendation that “there should be no Prescribed Authority over any recognized traditional ruler who, on his recognition, becomes a Prescribed Authority over minor Chiefs in his town”.
Similarly, the Ondo State Chiefs Edict, 1984 as amended does not recognize the kind of limitless spheres that the Deji of Akure is trying to lay claim to. That law limits each Oba to his domain, nothing more. The Deji of Akure is the prescribed authority (and he can claim to be the paramount ruler) over Akure land. That is where his recognition stops. He is not the prescribed authority or paramount ruler over Oba-Ile kingdom, which predates the Deji and his Kingdom. Moreover, the recently Ajama Chieftains Review Commision reported in his submission and affirmed that Araromi Community is contiguous to Oba-Ile.
That said, on November 13, 2023, the Oloba Oodaye of Oba-Ile, His Royal majesty, Oba Joseph Oluwadare Agunbiade (Otutubiosun III) who has prescribed authority to install minor chief at Araromi Oba-Ile, installed Chief Bankole Abiodun Fatoyinbo as the the community head.
After the installation, one Jenyo Lawrence Omotayo ran to an Akure High court on 20th November, 2023 to challenge the installation in suit number Ak/401/2023.
In the suit Mr Omotayo who affirmed that Oloba is the prescribed authority to install Olu or village head at Araromi community prayed the court to compel Oloba to install him as Olu of Araromi community and not Bankole Abiodun Fatoyinbo.
Not waiting for the outcome of the court case that he himself instituted, Omotayo ran to the palace of the Deji on the 23rd of November, 2023, where the Deji purportedly made him Olu after money had exchanged hands. It is curios that the Deji would be an opportunist in such a situation.
The Oloba-in-Council, protested the reckless behaviour of the Deji and on 27th November, 2023, the Ondo State Government through the ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs queried the Deji and directed him to stop installation of Olu/Baale in Araromi Oba-Ile community.
This, the Deji obeyed by suspending Mr Jenyo Lawrence Omotayo as Olu of Araromi and warned him not to parade himself as such.
And on the 6th of May, 2024, Justice Adeyeye of Ondo state high court in suit no AK/401/2023 dismissed the case brought by Mr Omotayo for lack of merit.
We are however surprised to read a press statement by Michael Adeyeye, issued on the 10th of May, 2024 wherein he claimed that Omotayo is the Olu of Araromi Oba-Ile. On what premise? The Akure palace is speaking from two sides of the mouth!
We consider this as an affront to Ondo State government and disregard to court judgement. It is our belief that it is a deliberate action by the Deji of Akure to stir hatred, forment trouble, cause violence which will invariably lead to wanton distruction of lives and properties in the community.
We are already prevailing on youths in Oba-Ile and Araromi community who have viewed the Deji’s action as an expansionist agenda, assault and disrespect to their monarch as well as heritage. We may no longer guarantee what the agitated youths and women of the community could do next.
We therefore plead with the Ondo State Governor, our amiable Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to rein in the Deji as his actions are capable of causing unrest not only in Oba-Ile but the state capital.
Deji of Akure has no right/authority to install minor chiefs in any of Oba-Ile Communities and so should remain in his domain.
E-signed
Chief Alo Adefisayo David
Chief Oloro, the secretary of Oloba in council
For Oloba-in-Council
