By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
Members of Gboleru Ruling House of Ikirun, in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State, on Sunday, staged peaceful protest to register their grievances over the rumoured selection of Prince Olalekan Akadiri from the Obaara ruling house as Akirun elect.
According to the aggrieved family, they promised to continue the protest to press home their demands, saying they would not allow anybody to infringe on their rights.
Hundreds of Gboleru Ruling House, who had earlier converged on the compound hall thronged the major streets of the ancient Ikirun community in potest.
Some of the areas visited by the protesters are Oja-Oba, Oke Iroko, Ila/Iree Road, among others.
While speaking with The Conclave, the head of Gboleru Ruling House, Prince Olatunji Mudasiru, appealed to the state Governor, Mr Gbboyega Oyetola to intervene in the matter as a matter of urgency and ensure that the appointment of new Akinrun follows the existing rotational arrangement.
The stool of the Akinrun became vacant following the demise of Oba AbdulRauf Olawale Adedeji who died in February after a brief illness.
Oba Adedeji ascended the royal stool in 1991.
With the death of late Oba Olawale of Adedeji Ruling House, it was the turn of the Gboleru Ruling House to produce the new traditional ruler of the town, according to the rotation system as specified in the Ikirun District Chieftaincy Declaration and Gazette of 1959, approved in 1960, re-registered in 1970, during the reign of late Oba Lawani Adeyemi from Obaara Ruling House
Olatunji, who said going by the dictate of the Ikirun Chieftaincy Declaration, Gboleru is the next ruling house in line to produce Akinrun, adding that the government was hiding behind a court judgement, that claimed that since there was a division in their ruling house, the government could move to another ruling house to pick the new monarch.
He declared that Gboleru had resolved their differences and was ready to produce the next monarch for the town, and urged Governor Oyetola to intervene and stop the move to bypass the family.
“Obaara Ruling House produced the last Akirun before the immediate past one, who was appointed from Adedeji Ruling House and it is now the turn of Gboleru Ruling House to produce the next Akirun in accordance with our rotation arrangement. We have just three ruling houses in Ikirun, namely, Obaara, Adedeji and Gboleru.
“But we were surprised that the state government, through a letter from the Ministry of Chieftaincy Matter requested Obaara Ruling House to nominate a candidate for the vacant stool. We appeal to the Governor to intervene and stop the move by some elements to manipulate the process,” Olatunji said.
“There is a rumour making the round that one Prince Olalekan Akadiri from Obaara Ruling House has been elected . We want the Governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola to look into this issue and ensure they follow due process in the selection because it’s our turn, he said.
As at the time of filling this report, no official statement has been released to affirm the selection of Prince Akadiri as Akinrun elect
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