Ondo community alleges breach of Oloba selection process, seeks intervention

By Boye Oyeyemi

Youths and women in Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, have protested what they described as an attempt to abandon the community’s traditional process for selecting the next Oloba.

The protesters marched peacefully to the Oloba’s palace on Sunday, alleging that the six kingmakers were taken to the local government secretariat in Iju-Itaogbolu, where they were asked to conduct an election to determine the next monarch.

They maintained that the procedure was contrary to the established tradition of the community, which requires the two ruling houses to nominate candidates before the kingmakers consult the Ifa oracle to determine the person considered suitable for the vacant throne.

According to the protesters, the two ruling houses had each nominated a candidate for consideration by the kingmakers. They said the kingmakers were expected to undertake the traditional consultation and subsequently present the selected candidate to the community for the required coronation rites.

One of the protesters, Pastor Fagoroye Omoboyede, alleged that the traditional process was disrupted after the kingmakers were taken to the council secretariat and an election was conducted. He further claimed that an aspirant who had previously been dropped by his ruling house was declared the winner of the exercise.

“We are protesting peacefully because we do not want the wrong person presented as the Oloba. The kingmakers should follow the established process and respect the outcome of the traditional consultation,” Fagoroye said.

Similarly, another protester, Princess Oluwabusola Omodara, appealed to the kingmakers to uphold the community’s tradition. The protesters also called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to intervene before the disagreement escalated into a crisis, saying the demonstration was intended to prevent hoodlums from exploiting the situation to cause unrest.

Responding to the protesters at the palace, the Regent, Foluke Agunbiade, urged them to remain calm and assured them that the kingmakers would take the necessary steps to resolve the controversy.