The Oba-Ile Progressive Union has outlined the qualities it wants in the next Oloba Oodaye of Oba-Ile, urging the kingmakers to place the interest, peace and development of the community above personal considerations in selecting the next monarch.
The President of the union, Rt. Revd. Dr. Ayodeji Fagbemi, made the position known in a statement on the forthcoming selection of a substantive Oloba following the transition of the immediate past monarch, Oba Joseph Oluwadare Agunbiade Otutubiosun III, in May 2025.
Fagbemi expressed appreciation to the Regent and the Oloba-in-Council for maintaining peace and stability in the kingdom since the monarch’s transition, saying the prevailing calm should be preserved throughout the process of selecting his successor.
He said Oba-Ile needed a monarch who would provide visionary leadership, restore the community’s lost glory and accelerate its development.
According to him, the next Oloba should be a certified graduate, visionary, self-sufficient and a person of proven integrity who would not depend on the sale of community land for personal survival.
“The next Oloba must make the growth and development of Oba-Ile his topmost priority,” he said, stressing that the monarch should be capable of mobilising the town’s sons and daughters at home and in the diaspora towards the development of the community.
Fagbemi also said the next monarch must recognise the contributions of non-indigenous residents of Oba-Ile and promote their integration into the community, noting that non-indigenes now constitute a significant proportion of the population.
Beyond Oba-Ile, he said, the incoming Oloba must possess the personality, wisdom and charisma required to build strong relationships with neighbouring communities and restore the kingdom’s historical influence.
He recalled that Oba-Ile had experienced periods of instability and leadership challenges in the past, particularly between 1966 and 1987, which, according to him, affected the community’s traditional influence and development.
Fagbemi said the historical experience underscored the importance of getting the present selection right, warning that the community could not afford another prolonged period of crisis.
He recalled that during some periods of regency, the community’s ability to install chiefs in neighbouring communities was affected because the regents did not possess the same traditional powers as a substantive monarch.
He also cited the historical relationship between Oba-Ile and neighbouring communities, including Ugoba, noting that the Obalogun of Ugoba had historically been one of the Oloba’s kingmakers, as referenced in the Morgan Chieftaincy White Paper of Ondo State.
According to him, the historical reach of Oba-Ile extends beyond the town itself, adding that the next Oloba must therefore be prepared to engage communities across the old Akure Division and strengthen the kingdom’s position within the traditional institution in Ondo State.
“The personality, depth and charisma of the next Oloba will determine what kind of relationship will exist between Oba-Ile and the surrounding communities,” he said.
Fagbemi urged the royal families to cooperate and avoid acrimonious competition that could undermine the peace of the community.
He equally appealed to the kingmakers to conduct the selection with sincerity and transparency, stressing that the process should not be determined by the highest bidder.
“The choice must not be determined by the highest bidder but who exactly is right for the job,” he said.
The union president also called on indigenes and residents of Oba-Ile to pray for the kingmakers as they undertake the responsibility of selecting the next monarch.
He expressed hope that the new Oloba would build on the achievements of the late Oba Agunbiade and lead Oba-Ile into what he described as its golden age.
Fagbemi concluded with a prayer for peace and unity in the community, quoting Psalm 122:6: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.”
