The youth wing of the Ijebu Igbo solidarity movement, called the Congress of Ijebu Igbo Youths held a congress on 29th May, 2021 over the vacant stool of the Orimolusi of the past 27 years.
The youth in the congress, decided that it is high time the ancient town got a new king ad crave the support of the state government to make it happen.
In a 6-page communique directed to the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the youth demanded that every traditional rite to perform should be carried out at once to choose the anointed candidate for the stool amongst other conditions, read the communique below
His Excellency,
Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR
The Executive Governor,
Ogun State,
Dear Sir,
COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE CONGRESS OF IJEBU-IGBO YOUTHS
ON THE VACANT STOOL OF THE ORIMOLUSI OF IJEBU-IGBO
A General Meeting of the Congress of Ijebu-Igbo Youths was held at Oba Orimolusi Palace, Oke-Tako, Oke-Sopen, Ijebu-Igbo on Saturday, 29th May, 2021 with recorded attendance well above 500 participants. The meeting held simultaneously on Zoom and physically. Participants came from all the five (5) Quarters of Ijebu-Igbo Kingdom, comprising Oke-Sopen, Ojowo, Atikori, Oke-Agbo and Japara. The protracted issue of the installation of the successor to the vacant stool of the Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo featured prominently among others on the Agenda as a matter of paramount concern for the Community. After a thorough deliberation on the matter, the following Communiqué was arrived at as the unanimous decisions of the Congress at the end of the meeting:
THE COMMUNIQUÉ
WHEREAS the traditional stool of the Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo had become vacant 27 years ago after the demise of Late Oba Adetayo Sami,(Kupakude IV)
WHEREAS the process of selection of successor to the throne had commenced immediately after the stool became vacant 27 years ago;
WHEREAS due to the pursuit of selfish interests through several litigations by three major contestants for the throne, the selection of a successor to the throne was held into ransom for 27 years at the costly expense of the primordial interests of the good people of Ijebu-Igbo and its domain;
NOTED that the 27-year old legal tussle deployed as impediment to the selection of the successor to the vacant stool of the Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo has been finally unravelled, determined and dissolved by the Supreme Court in the judgment delivered (virtually) in Suit No…….. and Suit ……… and Suit No…………. on …………….., Upholding the sanctity of the Chieftaincy Declaration on Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo, 19…. and the earlier Court of Appeal decisions in Suit No;CA/I/69/99;
NOTED that the gravamen of the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in all the Suits is that the three contestants for the throne on record were disqualified, not being descendants from the male line as stipulated by the Chieftaincy Declaration;
NOTED that the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal in entirety AND ORDERD A FRESH SELECTION process from the male line of OJUROMI RULING HOUSE in line with the Chieftaincy Declaration;
OBSERVED that in defiance of the Supreme Court Judgment, some elements within the Community have been misinforming, manipulating, mobilising and patronising various interest groups within Ijebu-Igbo and Government quarters to endorse one of the unsuccessful litigants as the successor to the throne in contravention of the Supreme Court Judgment;
OBSERVED that OJUROMI RULING HOUSE itself is presently factionalised into three (3) opposing camps with each faction laying claims and counterclaims to the Headship of the House;
RECOGNISING that whosoever is the Head of OJUROMI RULING HOUSE will play the crucial role of accrediting and selecting the candidates from among the Families constituting the House qualified to succeed to the throne;
RECOGNISING that the role of the COUNCIL OF KINGMAKERS in the confirmation of the preeminent candidate from among the candidates presented by the RULING HOUSE through traditional rites and ceremonials is also reserved in the Chieftaincy Declaration, which is now severely depleted by the demise of majority of its membership;
CONSCIOUS of the sensitivity of and volatility surrounding the selection process and apprehensive of the ploy of some die hard interlopers to derail the process at the slightest excuse with another prolonged legal contest unless there is a quick and decisive intervention to avert such undesirable scenario;
WE; the entire members of this Congress RESOLVED to convey an APPEAL to the Executive Governor of Ogun State, the Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Executive and Officers of Ijebu North Local Government, Political Leaders, Traditional Rulers, Religious Bodies, Eminent Personalities and all stakeholders in the Community TO UPHOLD AND BE SEEN TO UPHOLD THE SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT AND PRESCRIPTIONS OF THE CHIEFTAINCY DECLARATION in the selection of the next successor to the throne of Orimolusi in order to avert another acrimony capable of degenerating to another wilderness journey.
Accordingly, we AGREED AND URGE
- That the process of selection of a successor to the throne of Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo must be in strict compliance with the CHIEFTAINCY DECLARATION from the beginning to the end.
- That the three (3) factions within OJUROMI RULING HOUSE be asked to reconcile and resolve their grievances in-house among themselves immediately and produce a consensus Headship of the OJUROMI RULING HOUSE to Ijebu-Igbo people within 21 days so as not to hold the entire Community to ransom indefinitely. AND in the event of a failure to present a consensus Head for the House, then the selection must go on without the Head of the House through nomination from members of the House to a Panel composed of traditional elders in IjebuHouse whose proceedings shall be held in a public place to ensure transparency and utmost good faith.
- That aspiring candidate(s) of the male line from OJUROMI must be identified, accredited and certified in preference for any candidate from the female line as stipulated by the Chieftaincy Declaration and upheld by the Supreme Court.
- That the traditional consultation of Ifa diety must be complied with to ascertain the preeminence of the candidate(s) at an exercise to be conducted publicly at the Orimolusi Palace Square on a particular date and time agreeable to all the stakeholders in the selection process and in the presence of all Orimolusi Sons and Daughters.
- That the Ifa priests whose allegiance to act honestly and dispassionately must first be extracted by Oath to conduct the findings must be drawn from far and near Ijebu-Igbo Town, AND they must all be in agreement and speak with one voice on the outcome of their findings.
- That any Prince confirmed by the Ifa Oracle shall be presented to the relevant government authorities for final confirmation and installation processes as the new Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo.
- That the above resolutions have become quite expedient in the interest of transparency, equity, fairness and justices.
AND WE HAVE FURTHER RESOLVED to resist any attempt to manipulate or truncate a participatory and transparent process of fresh selection or imposition of any interloper to the revered throne of the Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo, or any covert or overt action calculated or tantamount to delay the speedy emergence of the next and credible Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo by all legal and legitimate means at our disposal without constituting any threat to the security and peace of Ijebu-Igbo.
Long live ……..
Long live …….
Yours in the community service,
——————————————– —————————————-
COMRADE S. A. ADESANYA HAMZAT ABIOLA
President General Secretary
08022046583; 08118606899 08077358525
Cc:
- Secretary to the State Government.
- The Commissioner, Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs.
- The Commissioner, Ministry of Justice.
- The Transitional Chairman, Ijebu North Local Government.
- The Orimolusi in Council and Chiefs.
- Ijebu-Igbo Council of Elders (ICE)
- Council of Ijebu-Igbo Citizens (CIC)
- IseseParapo, Ilu Ijebu-Igbo.
- IlediOsugbonApapoIjebu-Igbo.
- Christian Association of Nigeria, Ijebu-Igbo Branch.
- League of Imams and Alfas, Ijebu-Igbo Branch.
- The Market Men and Women Association, Ijebu-Igbo.
- Trade Union and Coalition of Ijebu-Igbo Groups and Associations.
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