Ofatedo kingmakers reject warrant chiefs, demand transparent monarch selection

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

Three kingmakers in Ofatedo, Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, have rejected the involvement of warrant chiefs in the selection of the next monarch of the town, insisting that the three surviving recognised kingmakers are sufficient to determine the new king.

The Balogun of Ofatedo, High Chief Timothy Bolarinwa, who spoke on behalf of the kingmakers in Osogbo on Friday, appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to closely monitor the process to prevent anything that could lead to a crisis in the community.

Bolarinwa said the kingmakers were surprised to see two persons introduced as warrant kingmakers when they arrived at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, stressing that they were neither informed nor invited to any meeting where such appointments were discussed.

According to him, the community traditionally had five kingmakers — Eesa, Balogun, Otun, Ojomu and Sawo — but the Ojomu and Sawo positions are currently vacant, leaving three surviving kingmakers.

He said one of the persons introduced as a warrant kingmaker was from Ilobu and not an indigene of the town, while the other was not from the Ojomu House, adding that elderly members of the house were allegedly unaware of the development.

“We are three in number as kingmakers that are alive in Ofatedo. We have two candidates for the throne, so three kingmakers are enough to vote either 3-0 or 2-1. The three ruling houses in Ofatedo are Olawuyi, Okunloye and Olayode, with the Olayode Ruling House next in line to present a monarch,” Bolarinwa said.

He said the process for selecting a new Olofa began last year, with two candidates from the ruling house emerging in the race — Prince Zakariyau Olabode Muritala and Prince AbdulRamah Rafiu Olabode — but the kingmakers were surprised when two warrant chiefs were also invited to the election scheduled to hold at the ministry.

Bolarinwa insisted that no election had taken place, contrary to any suggestion that a new Olofa had been selected. He appealed to the state government to intervene, saying the kingmakers would accept the outcome of any transparent selection process conducted in accordance with the tradition of Ofatedo.