Crisis looms in Ondo community over traditional stool

Crisis looms in the coastal community of Ayetoro, in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, over the traditional stool of the town, as the kingmakers of the town described the purported installation of a new traditional ruler as an invitation to anarchy.

Subsequently, the Kingmakers of the town, the Ogeloyinbo in Council, have called on the state government and the security agencies in the State to wade into the matter by removing the self -imposed monarch of the town, Olorunmbe Ojagbohunmi, before escalating to a full-blown crisis, saying the stool is not vacant.

Speaking during a press conference in Akure, Ondo State capital, the spokesperson of the Ogeloyinbo in Council and the Secretary-General of the community and Holy Apostles Church, Dele Kudehinbu, said that installing a new king for the town when there is an existing monarch in the town is sacrilegious and blasphemous.

Kudehinbu said the installation of Prophet Olorumbe Ojagbohunmi, as the new traditional ruler of the town did not receive the blessing of the traditional councils of the town, describing the new monarch as an impostor.

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Ojagbohunmi was reportedly installed by some factional kingmakers in the coastal community a few days ago, following the intervention of the state government, but the new monarch was said to have been rejected by some indigenes of the town.

According to Kudehinbu, Ojagbohunmi had been fomenting troubles in the community for the past three years after the demise of the last Ogeloyinbo, Oba Gad Asogbon on February 13, 2015.

He said Ojagbohunmi was known to the people of the community as a prophet before the demise of late Oba Asogbon, while he was part of the 25-member Advisory Committee and Regency Council, who crowned Oba Micah Olaseni Ajijo as the sixth Ogeloyinbo on August 7, 2015.

Kudehinbu explained that Ajijo was appointed and crowned as the monarch of the community in 2015 by the Board of Trustees of the community and the Ogeloyinbo -in -Council while the state and local governments as well as all stakeholders were duly informed.

But alleged that some elders of the community illegally installed Ojagbohunmi as the king and spiritual head of the community without the approval of the elders and the stakeholders of the town after three years of Ajijo on the throne.

The Council accused the prophet of breaching the peace accords reached by the stakeholders in the town and the state government but expressed dismay over the purported crowning of Ojagbohunmi as the new Ogeloyinbo of Aiyetoro contrary to the tradition of the community.

The members lamented that Ojagbohunmi defied the September 28 and 30, 2018 meetings which resolved that Ajijo should be the king while the former remained the Head Prophet in Aiyetoro community.

They lamented that Ojagbohunmi deceived the people by organising a prayer warrior group in Aiyetoro, an island and theocratic community in Ilaje Local Government Areas of the State.

He said: “It should be emphasized at this stage that Mr Ojagbohunmi has been able to sustain the crisis since 2015 till now by relying heavily on violence, gun-running, sea piracy and cultism.

“The Oluwambe-led Prayer Warrior Group has been used as a recruitment base to execute his violent activities in Aiyetoro community. Members of the prayer group were drawn from unemployed youth in the community and school dropouts.”

“This was a self-coronation at best, a sacrilege to the doctrines of the church and the community. It is also an abomination in Yoruba land in general and in Ilajeland in particular.

“This young man embarked on all these actions in his desperation to become the king of Aiyetoro community and the leader of Holy Apostles Church, even though it is generally well known that the position is not vacant.”

The Ogeloyinbo-in-Council implored the state governor, Akeredolu, and security agencies to “call this impostor, Mr Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi, to order with a view to preventing a complete breakdown of law and order in the community.”

However, the Public Relations Officer of the community, Mr Victor Akinluwa, denied the allegations saying that Ojagbohunmi was installed according to the tradition of the land, insisting that “the coronation was legal and in line with their tradition.”

Akinluwa said: “it is a calculated attempt by the cabals to impede the peace in Aiyetoro Community so that they can cause chaos. The mandate had been given to Oba Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi and we are committed to defend it any time and anywhere.

“Our Fundamental Human Rights must be protected. The people of Aiyetoro community had chosen their king. The will of the people must prevail. We must let the general public know that no amount of intimidation, false accusations and prosecutions can change the mandate and the people’s will.”