Following a peaceful protest recently to express their dissatisfaction over the installment of a member of the Moosa family as the Oluponna, the Alara Olaojo royal family of Oluponna in Osun State has called on the state government to look at the petition before the government and regularise what they described as an aberration.
The family asked the state government to critically look at the selection process in accordance with laid down rules and ensure that the right thing is done.
While the two families; Moosa and Alara Olaojo are the chieftaincy families that can ascend the throne of the town, there is a rotational system that ensures that upon the demise of a king from one royal family, the next king must come from the other chieftaincy family.
According to the family, the installation of Abdulrafiu Oyekanmi Mosobalaje Bamgboye from Moosa family as king of the community is not in line with the existing arrangements as the immediate past monarch was from Moosa family and, by arrangement that had been in existence for ages, the kingship should naturally come to the Alara Olaojo family.
“It is known that only these two families – Alara Olaojo and Moosa families are entitled to kingship in Oluponna with Alara Olaojo being the first family with a history of being the first settlers and first king in the community. Indeed, the family produced the first five monarchs and the Moosa got to the kingship line through marriage to a daughter of Oba Olaojo
“The arrangement of kingship in Oluponna is that after the demise of a monarch, the next king will be chosen from the second royal family and that is how it is rotated but this is not the case now because the last monarch, Oba Emmanuel Oyeleso Onaolapo Oyebamiji Fadare II, who joined his ancestors on January 4, 2022, was from Moosa family and the new monarch, Abdulrafiu Oyekanmi Mosobalaje, is also from the same Moosa family.
“We categorically state that it is not the turn of the Moosa family and it is surprising that a system that had been on ground for long is about to be scattered without need. This is the reason we are appealing to the state government to look at the laid down procedure and do what is right,” the family said.
Speaking further, one of the elders in Alara Olaojo family, Prince Ariyibi Waliu Sunday, stated that the method of selection of the new monarch is wrong, adding: “Despite the fact that Oba Rafiu Mosobalaje from Moosa family is on suspension without pay, he is still giving out chieftaincy titles to people.”
The family called on the state government and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters to come to their aid before the system is trampled and a peaceful selection process is upturned.
Others that spoke on behalf of the family were the Baba Osun of Oluponna, Prince Adeniyi Adeagbo; Chief Adetayo Osunmoleso and the Alara Olaojo family head, a 95-year-old Prince Adiamo Ariyibi.
