Obalufe: Protesters storm Ooni's palace, allege imposition

Members of the Aga Orunto ruling family, on Monday, stormed the palace of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) to protest alleged imposition and appointment of Comrade Idowu Olaniyi Adediwura as the new Obalufe.

The protesters, who were armed with placards with various inscriptions on them, chanted anti-imposition songs and alleged that the Ooni has been ill-informed by some traditional rulers to have appointed “wrongly”.

According to them, the Ooni made a wrong decision not to have appointed someone from Aga Orunto ruling family the new Obalufe to replace the late Oba Folorunso Omisakin who died in October 2015.

They highlighted the order for the appointment of Obalufe as – Ajagbusi, Ado Gbodo, Aga and Jaojo.

The last Obalufe, our correspondent gathered, hailed from the Ado Gbodo ruling house.

Among the demands of the protesters was that the candidate that emerged victorious during the screening conducted for candidates of the Obalufe position from the Aga Orunto family should be appointed.

The Daily Times gathered that a screening was conducted for 10 candidates who showed interest in the position on December 31, 2015, by members of a committee saddled with the responsibility to appoint traditional rulers in Ile-Ife.

Some of the protesters also lamented that despite their efforts to ensure that the new Ooni was chosen from Giesi family as stipulated in the gazette, Oba Ogunwusi, after emergencem neglected the gazette and trampled on their rights.

One of them, Prince Oluwasegun Olayade from Aga family said, “We are protesting today because my family has been deprived of the Obalufe position that we are entitled to based on the order of the gazette. Four ruling houses are entitled to it (Obalufe position) based on that existing arrangement and there was no disorder until it is our turn now.

“When the issue was getting hot, the Ooni called us to present candidates that can occupy the throne and that if we do not present the names on time, he will choose for us. We submitted the names as at when due but he refused to call us to back as we agreed. Suddenly, we heard that the Ooni has appointed some one that is not from our Aga ruling house, which is the next house to be appointed Obalufe.

“This has never happened before; the position of Obalufe is a prominent one that cannot be bathed with injustice. Ooni can’t just over rule our choices when it is not the case that we are fighting dirty within the family. The previous method has always been peaceful using the gazette; this one may result to crisis. The Ooni should return the position to the Aga Orunto family for peace to reign.”

Also, another protester identified as Elizabeth Oladimeji wondered why the Ooni would impose a candidate on the ruling house, describing that as a “sabotage, cheat and deprivation of rights.”

She added, “We are the next to produce the next Obalufe. They only want to rob us of our right because the family that is appointed by Ooni produced the Obalufe before Omisakin (the last Obalufe died). So, Aga should be the next.

“We have seen instances and cases where it takes two to three years before a candidate is produced us and depriving us of our right. For instance Akinlalu demised before Obalufe and the post is still vacant.

“We appeal to the Ooni to give us our right. When it was the turn of Giesi that the Ooni came from, no one deprived them of getting their right; it is our turn too to produce Obalufe and we should be given.”

When contacted, the director of media for Ooni’s palace, Mr. Moses Olafare, explained that the appointment of the new Obalufe followed due process.

He enjoined the people of Iremo community and Ile-Ife in general to join hands with Ooni in his dedicated moves to ensure the peace, progress and unity of Ile-Ife.

He said, “The appointment of Obalufe is in order and followed the right process. The appointment was done after wide consultation with appropriate quarters and followed the laid down procedures. We urge the few people that are aggrieved to allow peace to reign. The new Obalufe is capable.”