Selection of Olupo-elect in order, there’s no controversy — Ige

The selection of Prince Rafiu Mosobalaje as Olupo-elect of Oluponna in Osun State by the kingmakers is in order and there is no cause for alarm.

This is the position of a prominent lawyer and an indigene of the town, Chief Bola Abimbola Ige, in a statement on Thursday.

National coordinator of Advocacy for Advancement of Peace and Harmony in Africa (ADApHA), Suleiman Suberu, was quoted in a statement calling on Governor Gboyega Oyetola to distance himself from the decision of the kingmakers that saw the emergence of Prince Mosobolaje as Olupo-

elect.

Countering the position, Ige, who volunteered to make himself available for fact-checks, said the kingmakers did not err or run foul of any known law in the selection of the Olupo elect.

He said the call on Governor Oyetola to withhold the approval of Prince Mosobalaje as Olupo-elect was borne out of mischief.

According to him, the calls by the national coordinator of ADAPHA and his co-travellers to withhold approval of Olupo-elect is “illegal, unlawful, callous, unwarranted, mischievous, vexatious, self-seeking and antithetical to the peace and tranquillity and development of the town.”

He disclosed that there are two ruling houses in Oluponna, in accordance with the Declaration made in pursuant to Section 2 of the Chief Laws Caps 2 of the Customary Law regulating the Oluponna Chieftancy, Momiloye/Ayelabowo and Aregbesola ruling houses.

Ige posited that rotation of who becomes Olupo has always been between the two ruling houses in succession, to the exclusion of any other ruling houses.

He submitted that it was based on this premise that Prince Mosobalaje was elected as the next Olupo by the kingmakers.

The Principal, Mayegun Law Firm, Osogbo, therefore, urged Governor Oyetola to discountenance the calls for non-approval of Prince Mosobalaje as Olupo-elect.

The statement reads in part: “This rejoinder seeks to clarify some weighty but unfounded allegations raised in the press statement against the stool of place of my birth with regard to the selection and appointment of the Olupo-elect, Prince Rafiu Oyekanmi Mosobalaje.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Mr Sulaiman Suberu wrote, among other things, that the kingmakers did not select Prince Mosobalaje on merit (whatever that means), having jettisoned the time-honoured rotational process among the ruling houses.

“He accused the kingmakers of compromise and disregard for the customary heritage of the good people of Oluponna.

“On the ground of the above scenario, Mr Suberu posited that some aspirants allegedly shortchanged (who and who if I may ask?) in the process are in conjunction with some vested interests in the town, threatening its peace and tranquility.

“He, therefore, recommended non¬approval of the Olupo-elect by Governor Gboyega Oyetola as the only panacea for the perceived tension in Oluponna.

“To every discerning reader, there is more to the press statement of ADAPHA than meets the ordinary eye, as positions canvassed by it are strange, disjointed, neither here nor there and absurd.

“One expects it to come out clean on who takes what to compromise the rotational system as well as the affected persons whose rights to the stool were trampled upon by the kingmakers.

“Perhaps, ADAPHA fails to realise that Oluponna is peopled by reasonable and well-read persons who cannot allow unlawful act like the one credited to the kingmakers go unchallenged.

“I make bold to say that the press statement is untrue, fictitious, unwarranted, unsolicited and, therefore, should not be accorded any sense of believability by the general public.”

He added that the last Olupo, Oba Emmanuel Oyeleso Onaolapo Oyebamiji, Fadare II, was from Aregbesola ruling house and there is no doubt that it is the turn of the Momiloye/Ayelabowo to

produce the next Olupo of Oluponna.

Ige added, “When the chips were down and the selection process took off, three princes, to wit, Prince Rafiu Oyekanmi Mosobalaje, Prince Ayodele Oyewumi Oyedokun and Prince Oludele Oyebode Oyediran (all from Momiloye/Ayelabowo ruling house), purchased expression of interest form from Ayedire South Local Council Development Area, interviewed by the kingmakers and eventually, the 13 kingmakers found Prince Mosobolaje worthy of the stool by unanimously electing him as the Olupo-elect on the 30th August, 2022.

“Where then comes the issue of compromise in the process of selection?

Contrary to the claim of tension in the town after election of Prince Mosobolaje the whole town, including those in diaspora, went into frenzy of jubilation expressing their joy, enthusiasm and conviviality over his choice.

“Even those who contested the stool with him had congratulated him, making him the choice of all and sundry.

“So, the call on our amiable Governor Gboyega Oyetola to withhold his approval of Prince Rafiu Mosobalaje as Olupo of Oluponna is, therefore, illegal, unlawful, callous, unwarranted, mischievous, vexatious, gold-digging, self-seeking and antithetical to the peace, tranquility and development of my dear country home.

“I, therefore, urge Mr Governor to discountenance same.”

He promised to make himself available for fact-checks on any grey areas about the town or its stool if the CSO so wish, adding that he was aware of the suit filed on the matter before Iwo Division of High Court of Justice in Osun State.

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