Tuesday, 9 June 2015

Ondo ratifies Aladetoyinbo as new Deji of Akure

The Ondo State Government has given its approval to the appointment of Prince Kole Aladetoyinbo by the kingmakers in Akureland as the new Deji of the town.

Aladetoyinbo, who hails from the Osupa Ruling House, was appointed by the kingmakers on Sunday, among other 13 princes that contested for the stool.

                                                   Prince Kole Aladetoyinbo

In a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, the State Executive Council gave the endorsement on Monday at the SEC meeting.

According to the commissioner, the approval followed the unanimous decision of the kingmakers to elect Aladetoyinbo, among other contestants, to the vacant stool at their meeting of June 7, 2015.

He stated that the Oba-elect will be presented with the staff of office at a date yet to be announced.


Meanwhile, the Regent of Akure, the Ondo State capital, Princess Adetutu Adesida, has expressed her displeasure for not being informed about the process that led to the installation of the new monarch for the town.

Speaking at the Palace on Monday, she said the kingmakers and other relevant government agencies should have informed her about the process so that she could be psychologically prepared for her exit from the palace. She stressed that it would be wrong for the new monarch to meet her in the palace because of lack of information.

Adesida who assumed the throne following the death of her father, late Oba Adebiyi Adesida, in 2013, however admitted that the Regent played no function in the selection and installation of the new monarch for the town. She said she was supposed to be carried along as a stakeholder in the town.

“The process to me is vague. I was not informed initially. What has been done so far I am not aware. I read that the due process has been followed.

“The kingmakers are the ones that did not carry me along. I am a major stakeholder and I should be informed. I want due process to be followed. Things should be done in a proper manner,” Adesida protested.

Meanwhile, barely 24 hours that the new Deji of Akureland was announced by the kingmakers, the family of the deposed Deji, Prince Adesina Adepoju, on Monday stormed the street of Akure, the Ondo State capital, to protest against the appointment.

The kingmakers on Sunday selected Prince Kole Aladetoyimbo from Osupa Ruling Family as the new Deji of the town, among 13 princes that contested for the position.

The protesters, who were said to be members of the Osupa Ruling House, called on the Ondo State Government to ignore the selection of Prince Aladetoyinbo and reinstate the deposed Deji.

They also demanded that the installation of Aladetoyinbo as the new Deji should be discontinued immediately to avert crisis and instability in the ancient town.

The protesters, who walked from Akure City Hall to the governor’s office, were armed with placards having various inscriptions, such as “Mimiko: bring back our Kabiyesi”, “kole Aladetoyinbo is apari: he can’t become Deji”, “Iroko, save Akure from Fasonranti, Falae, kingmakers”, “ This is injustice “ among others.

One of the protesters, who did not want her name published as a demonstrator, said market women would not accept anybody as their king, except the deposed Adesina.

Another member of the ruling family, who identified himself as Prince Dapo, told our correspondent that the selection of the new Deji when the deposed one was still alive had violated the culture and tradition of Akureland.

On getting to the governor’s office, however, there was no official of the state government to address the demonstrators. However, the Divisional Police Officer in-charge of A’ Division Police Station, Mr. Adekimi Ojo, addressed them, urging them to be law abiding. He promised to deliver their message to the Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.

However, the spokesman of Akure kingmakers and Asamo of Akure, Chief Rotimi Olusanya, said the performance of the traditional rite for the new Deji would continue, stressing that nothing could stop the installation process.

It will be recalled that the deposed monarch had sought an order of the state High Court to stop the nomination of a candidate to occupy the vacant stool of the Deji.

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