Obaship tussle: Akoko community begs govt to install elected candidate as Monarch

The Chairman of Afin Chieftaincy Committee,Mr Demola Ijabiyi

The people of Afin Akoko in Akoko Northwest area of Ondo State have called on the state government to resolve the obaship tussle by declaring the winner of the 2017 election as the king of the town.

The kingmakers had conducted an election to fill the vacant stool of Alafin of Afin on Nov. 2017, which was cancelled after alleged violence by one of the aspirants.

The Chairman of Afin Chieftaincy Committee,Mr Demola Ijabiyi, at a press conference on Wednesday in Akure, said his committee was representing the view of the whole community.

Ijabiyi said his committee had already written to government to re-open the matter when representatives of the government met with the kingmakers.

He said any move to do a fresh election might not go down well with the people of the community, because it was an abomination in the community to vote more than once for the selection of a king.

“On the 13th day of Nov. 2017, an election was held by kingmakers. It was at the instance of one of the aspirants, Abdul-Ganiyu Adegboyega. But unexpectedly, the kingmakers elected his opponent by six votes to three.

People from Afin Akoko

“Mr Abdul-Ganiyu Adegboyega protested to the government alleging violence, an allegation which was unfounded, as a result, government put the process in hold. The major mandate of the committee was to break the impasse and ultimately ensure the emergence of a new oba.

” Once an oba-elect is declared by the e Ifa Oracle and by extension the kingmakers, his declaration cannot be revisited.

“Fortunately the same kingmakers had in 2017 elected this popular contestant, that is Dr Abdul-Rahim Adejoro, as against Aspirant Abdul-Ganiyu Adegboyega.

“We therefore recommend that the lid placed on the election be removed ,the election be upheld and Dr Abdul-Rahim Adejoro be confirmed as subsatnsive Oba,” he said.

Ijabiyi said, as a neutral body with community’s mandate to midwife the process of selecting a new king, said the peaceful way of emergence of new oba was through the respect of the wish of the generality of the people.

He also appreciated the role played by the Commissioner for Urban and regional Planning on making sure that the issue was settled.

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