It is over a year since the Idofian community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State has had a traditional ruler.
This development came after the demise of the Oludofian of Idofian, Oba Subair Agboola Oyesoro II in July 2021.
DAILY POST gathered that there are only two royal families in Idofian the Agbalaya and Oloyi ruling houses.
The late monarch who ascended the crown in 1965 was from the Oloyi ruling house.
The Agbalaya Royal family who is next in line to produce the next king alleged that there is a plot by some people to impose a candidate from the Oloyi ruling house through the backdoor.
The Chairman of Agbalaya Royal Family, Mukaila Agbalaya warned the state government not to set the community on fire over the plan to install the “wrong candidate”.
The ruling house accused some people of trying to impose a candidate for the town.
According to them, ‘someone powerful’ is instigating the kingmakers, townsmen and the youths against the candidacy of Rasheed Agbalaya.
“This person is not from here. He is quoted to have said ‘I would use power except if I don’t have power’. Man can be greater than man, but God is supreme to us all.”
In the same vein, a kingmaker, the Aare of Idofian, Chief Ibrahim Akolade Abioye stated that it is the turn of the Agbalaya Royal Family.
Chief Abioye who is one of the kingmakers of Idofian said, “there are only two royal families in Idofian: Agbalaya and the Oloyi. The last Onidofian of Idofian, Alhaji Zubair Agboola Oyesoro was from the Oloyi ruling house, so it is the turn of Agbalaya to produce the next Oba.
“Those people just want to install their candidate through the backdoor. Nobody knows him in this town, they however in the depth of their minds know it is Agbalaya’s turn. We must not back the wrong tree. They are mentioning Baale House, there is no such thing. There is no record of a third party or ruling house.”
“I call on fellow kingmakers to do the right thing. The Agbalaya Royal Family has given us Rasheed Alabi Agbalaya,” Cheif Abioye said.
He thereafter called on the state government to intervene in the matter before it escalated.
Meanwhile, a member of Oloyi ruling house, Prince Kazeem Agboola asserted that the late monarch had mentioned that it is the turn of the Agbalaya after him.
Agboola, who is also an Idofian youth leader, said the town has been pensive since the demise of Oba Zubair.
He dismissed the notion that some people in the Oloyi royal family are conspiring to produce the next king of Idofian.
Earlier, on Friday, some aggrieved indigenes stormed the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftain Affairs in Ilorin, accusing the Commissioner, Aliyu Saifudeen, of working with fifth columnists to impose a new traditional ruler on the town.
In his reaction, the Commissioner denied involvement in the selection process and appealed for calm over the issue.
He insisted that some elements were trying to tarnish his image with the development.
He said, “One thing I can assure you here is that all the people that were presented to us have the endorsement of the kingmakers.
“But if the kingmakers present somebody who is not a prince, that is left for them to resolve with the community.” Continue Reading
