The ancient town of Igbajo, in Boluwaduro local government area of Osun state on Wednesday witnessed a peaceful protest from aggrieved ruling houses of the community who trooped out to express their grievances against the occupation of the town’s throne by Prince Adegboyega Famodun who claimed to be the next Owa of Igbajo-land despite an order of the state government that, every intending contenders for the stool should keep off the palace untill further notice.
The ruling houses which comprise of Loye Oke Odo, Aworoosun, Nigemo, Omokan and Baba Owa, all of the Owa Oke Ode side among others, staged a peaceful protest round the town and later converged at the town’s palace to frown at continuous occupation of the place by Prince Famoodu as against the directive of the governor.
The angry protesters who stated that, the acclaimed incumbent monarch was imposed on the town by the immediate past administration of Gboyega Oyetola and that Famodun’s continuous stay at the palace was negatively affecting the peace and progress of the town.
According to them, “Governor Adeleke had signed Executive Order among which is the nullification of all traditional rulers installed from July 17 to date and specifically ordered that,the new monarchs of Igbajo, Iree and Ikirun communities should vacate their palaces pending the determination of their status by government after the submission of the report of a Panel of Enquiry on Chieftaincy Matters that would review their installation.
Armed with placards with different inscriptions that read: “Famoodu should vacate the palace with immediate effect”, “Why must Famoodu occupy the palace illegally despite the directive of the governor that, nobody should be in the palace pending the determination of their status by government after the submission of the report of a Panel of Enquiry on Chieftaincy Matters that would review their installations”.
Others were,”Igbajo People Do Not Want Famodun as Owa of Igbajo,” “The Selection of Adegboyega Famodun to the Throne of Owa of Igbajo Did Not Follow Due Process,” “Famodun, Stop Parading Yourself as Owa of Igbajo,” “Igbajo Says No To Imposition of Famodun”, “Emergence of Famodun was a Fraud/Scam,” “Prince Famodun was Forced on Igbajo by Former Governor Oyetola,” among others.
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One of the aggrieved Princes, Prince Adeyemi Ajakaye, from Oyiigi ruling house, said, “we are all from Omo Owa Oke. We are not in support of the imposition of Adegboyega Famodun as the Owa of Igbajo. We don’t want him. The Bible says in Proverbs that you should not depart from what your forefathers had established. Our forbears believed in Equity, Justice and fairness whereby none of the ruling house will not be marginalized or cheated in the selection and installation of the King.
“We the Omo Owa of Oke Ode won’t fight because we are illustrious indigenes of this town and we won’t support its destruction and that’s why we are being peaceful. So, we beg our Governor and the security agencies to ensure that he vacates the palace and stop parading himself as Owa of Igbajo pending the outcome of the committee’s report and subsequent approval of Mr. Governor. God will choose the right monarch for us,” he said.
In his own remark, Prince Adeyinka Adereni Ademola from Omokan ruling house, said, “We do not support the imposition of Adegboyega Famodun as our king in Igbajo. We are law abiding citizens and we don’t want chaos in our town. Adegboyega is not our king.
The President of Igbajo Development Association (IDA) had informed members of the public on Tungba 90.3FM radio station few days before the alleged illegal and dubious installation that there is a suit pending on the Igbajo stool and he said the final determination of the case will now begin a normal process for the selection of Owa Igbajo.
“He (IDA President) said we should be peaceful. But we are shocked to hear that Gboyega Famodun was made king and we don’t understand it. Adegboyega Famodun is not our king and that’s why we are here. He should vacate the palace for us and those who collected money from him should return it and he should drop our crown because he is not our king. We heard that some elders and Kingmakers collected money from him cum the influence of the past administration and made him king.”
Also, Prince Babatunde Dada from Nigemo ruling house bemoaned continuous stay of Famodun at the palace despite the step aside order by the state governor and asked the monarch to desist from parading himself as Owa of Igbajo.
Dada said, “We are not pleased with what has happened. We are three zones and two zones had enjoyed the throne, remaining one zone which is Loye Oke Odo ruling house should be allowed to produce the next Owa but they cheated us because of the political influence. His father HRH Adelani Famodun ll left the throne in 1988 and now his biological child at the detriment of other 8 ruling houses. Chief Nigemo of Igbajo land. The way the selection was done was crooked. The emergence of Adegboyega Famodun did not follow due process at all.
“Among the six kingmakers we have, five are alive while one is dead and that is Chief Obaala of Igbajo land. The third person in heirachy, Chief Loogun Lemikan, High Chief Joseph Fasiku was completely sidelined by other 4 Kingmakers just because he cannot be bought over. Those who are supposed to perform some rites for the kings didn’t participate because they couldn’t compromise the tradition of the community,” he submitted.
