•As Supreme Court Delivers Judgement
Ijebu Igbo indigenes are in a happy mood right now, as the Supreme Court has delivered its judgement, which favours Male lineage. In its judgement a few days back, the Supreme Court ordered a fresh contest.
This is coming many years after intense legal tussle. It was on Friday 7th May, 2021 that the Supreme Court laid to rest the issue that has made the crowning of a new King difficult to realise.
In its judgement, the Supreme Court upheld the judgement of the Appeal Court which ruled that the Kingmakers, in consonance with the Chieftaincy Declaration are to consider only the Male line in the new process, towards the emergence of a new king.
With this Supreme Court judgement 2 weeks back, a new contest among the Princes in the Male lineage of the Ojuromi family and others has begun. With the final judgement by the Supreme Court concerning the Orimolusi kingship in Ijebu-Igbo land, the five (5) zones namely:
(i) Oke-Agbo, (ii) Ojowo, (iii) Oke-Sopin, (iv) Olokinni and (v) Japara have all returned back to drawing board to select candidates from the lineage due (i.e Ojuromi).
City People learnt that the late Orimolusi, Oba Adetayo was from Oke-Sopin. Also, all other zones have presented past Obas except Oke-Agbo.
To refresh us, the Obas in the 5 zones were installed by the help of a late political icon from the ancient city with the support of an influential oba in Ijebu, against the wish of the then highly indisposed Orimolusi.
So, right now in Ijebu Igbo, the race for a new Orimolusi has been renewed, with new candidates preparing to join the race. The race had, actually been on, before now, for about 27 years, as about 5 contestants for the throne had been battling themselves and many of them have died in the process, leaving only one contestant, the son of popular Lace merchant, Prince Wale Kassim (Shokas).
Several cases have been in court before now. At some point the Appeal Court ruled that all the ruling houses laying claim to the throne should go back to the drawing board to choose candidates to contest. As you read this, more and more candidates are now preparing to slug it out with the Kassim family. At the beginning, the Elders and some reconciliatory committees sometime back approached Prince Kassim then appealing to him to withdraw his appeal.
Inspite of all the appeals made, he was said to be adamant and he had at some point requested for details of the out-of-court settlement to enable him determine if he would withdraw.
Ijebu Igbo has been without a traditional ruler for 27 years as the throne of Orimolusi has been embroiled in intrigues and has thus remained vacant. The seat of Orimolusi had become vacant since 28th May, 1994 when Oba Sami Adetayo, the (Ikupakude IV) joined his ancestors. Since the death of Oba Adetayo, the ancient town, has been without a monarch. The selection of a successor after the death of Oba Adetayo led to serious divisions. It tore the quiet town into half and divided the citizens so much that they were unable to speak with one voice, at least as far as the monarchy issue was concerned.
In the last 27 years the people have lived in mutual suspicion and mistrust due to the rivalry among the contestants to the throne. The level of mistrust and animosity is so palpable that the issue of the monarchy is discussed in hushed tones behind closed doors. Feelings of gloom and mixed feelings enveloped the town. Many of the elders and chiefs refused to speak to the press for fear of reprisals.
Due to this fear and mixed feelings, the hitherto magnificent palace was abandoned and it has now become an eye sore. The big palace which was once the envy of other neigbouring towns has been abandoned and deserted; it is today a home for wild plants! Trees have sprouted from its walls! The palace that once played hosts to the high and mighty of society, both from home and abroad, has almost turned to an animal den where all sundry animals go to sleep at night. The once beautiful and massive gate has fallen apart, thus every being has free access to its once hallowed chambers. The palace has become a meeting point for the okada riders. All sorts of people now organise party and entertain guests there and as if that is not enough, goats have turned the place to their abode since there is no gate and any form of security.
What led to the contest for the throne was because someone who was not entitled to the throne was chosen. The case was taken to court and this led to several adjournments which led to the delay thus elongating the vacuum. Then came the June 14 judgment by the Court of Appeal in favour of Prince Saliu Adebisi Sadiku. Because of the almost 2 decades of not having a paramount ruler, Ijebu Igbo had been divided into 5 Quarters and having zonal Obas. These 5 Obas cannot speak for the town as a whole to the extent that there was near anarchy in the organisation system. On why no regent was chosen to stand in place of an Oba, it is because it is not in the custom of the town to have such. Again those who should be kingmakers have all died. About 2 years after the demise of the last monarch, about 13 kingmakers were alive then, 9 of them sat down and deliberated, unfortunately they chose from the female lineage instead of a male lineage in accordance with the tradition of Ijebu-Igbo. So, the person in the male lineage went to court and the decision was quashed. Along the line, due to several adjournments, all the kingmakers died one after the other. Today, there is none alive! In history, this is about the 2nd time the town would be without a monarch. The first was in 1914 when the then monarch died shortly after ascending the throne. This incident led to a loss of interest in the throne. This lasted for 15 years, until the people cried out to the then British Colonial government. And now for another 18 years. During the first time the Osugbos acted on behalf of the king between 1914 and 1929. When Adetayo Ikupakode Orimolusi (the late monarch) died in 1994, all the members of the family picked Sadiku Orimolusi but another camp came up to contest, and they went to bring a man who is from a female lineage which is not acceptable and not in our culture”, said an indigene of the town
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