Elders and leaders of the Ikorigho community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have reaffirmed the choice of businessman Isinmidun Eko as the Olu of Ikorigho-elect, warning impostors parading themselves as Olu-elect to desist or face the wrath of the law.
The elders’ position was outlined in a statement jointly signed by Pa Idowu Morighanfe, leader of the Ikorigho Elders Council, and Momuseghan Oludewa, leader of the Ikorigho Youth Congress.
The statement emphasised that Eko is the authentic Olu-elect, having been traditionally accepted by all members of the royal families.
The statement was issued in response to reports circulating that one Busayo Erejuwa had been parading himself as the Olu-elect in the ancient kingdom.
The elders explained that Eko is a legitimate indigene of Ikorigho, describing him as a descendant of the great Ayeren Ajanaleguru, the ancestor of the Ikorigho people and custodian of the Ikorigho dynasty, as documented in various records available in the archives.
They further noted that Erejuwa and the self-proclaimed Oloja, along with other accomplices claiming to be the Olu-elect, are descendants of Ehinmosan, the younger brother of Ayeren.
They noted that historically, the leadership of the Ikorigho communities had been under the Ayeren descendants, apart from a special arrangement that allowed Pa Erejuwa from the Ehinmoghan family to administer the community until his passing.
The statement added that the children of the late Erejuwa, supported by outsiders, were attempting to usurp power from the Ayeren descendants with a fabricated history that would make their ancestors turn in their graves.
“We, the people of Ikorigho, feel compelled to respond to a disclaimer posted by one disgruntled individual named Shegun Aiyemibuwa, through his social media handler, Jacob Sunday Erejuwa, who is the brother of the usurper, Busayo Erejuwa.
“This disclaimer seeks to discredit the Olu elect, Isinmidun Eko, by branding him a sojourner and illegitimate. Such claims are an aberration and a taboo to the gods of our ancestors.
“It is incomprehensible how greed for power can lead siblings raised by the same mother to turn against one another. The Aiyemobuwa family should learn from history that those who undertook similar actions in the past were not favoured by our ancestors.
“We urge this group to refrain from labelling the Ayeren descendants as sojourners and other dehumanising terms in Ikorigho—all for the sake of power.
“The charcoal should not call the pot black. There is no monopoly on violence or hate speech. We have far more to reveal to the public than they may realise in their attempts to discredit the Ayeren lineage.
“We, the people of the Ikorigho dynasty, disassociate ourselves from the disclaimer sponsored by Busayo Erejuwa and his immediate family, which has been published against Omo-Oba Isinmidun Eko, the Olu elect of Ikorigho.
“We strongly condemn such writings and any actions that could unearth buried family history and jeopardise the fragile peace within our community.
“We call upon the good people of the Ehinmoghan family to advise their members to stop colluding with outsiders who seek to set us against one another, undermining our legacy and burning down Ikorigho for their gain.
“We shall defend our land with all our strength, and history will be the judge of us all,” the statement read in parts.
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