Traditional headship tears Ondo community apart

Tension is currently brewing in Iku quarters of Ikare Akoko in Akoko North East Local Government Area of Ondo State over the traditional stool of the community as two families have been laying claims to the headship of the community.

This impending unrest looks set to lead to division within the town if not given proper attention, as there are frayed nerves in the community following the friction between the two opposing sides laying claims to the headship of the Oniku of Iku, despite the installation of Mukaila Bello as the Oniku of Iku by the Owa Ale of Ikareland, Oba Samuel Adegbite -Adedoyin.

While the Ayeni family of the Oniku quarters maintained that the installation of Chief Mukaila Bello was illegal, Bello insisted his installation followed the traditions and customs of the land, saying his selection and installation was upheld through his coronation by Oba Adegbite-Adedoyin.

The cold war over the rightful ownership of the stool recently worsened when the Ayeni family alleged that some suspected hoodlums invaded the Ayeni compound in a desperate bid to force the family to back out from a suit instituted against the installation of Bello as the Oniku of Iku.

In a petition written by the Ayeni family and addressed to the state police commissioner, through its counsel, Tolu Olowoyo and Co., the family alleged assault, battery, stealing, malicious damage and attempted murder on the lives of members of the family.

They explained that some people suspected to be thugs invaded their compound on the February 27, 2019 with cutlass, guns, knives, and other dangerous weapons while they beat, harassed and sent people out of their homes.

They said apart from invading the homes of the Ayenis, the hoodlums were said to have invaded a cement shop, destroying goods at the shop, injuring people and going away with money, adding that “the sum of N700, 000 was carted away by the hoodlums from one of our client’s shops.”

They linked the attack on the suit instituted by the family challenging the eligibility of Bello as the Oniku of Iku, saying “who by tradition is not entitled to the position.”

The family said a letter had been written earlier by the family to the area commander in Ikare Akoko, intimating him with the incessant attacks on the Ayeni family by some hoodlums.

But the Oniku of Iku, Chief Mukaila, denied all the allegations, saying there was no crisis in the quarters. He said the community has not experienced any attack, saying “the whole community has been peaceful, the Ikare Akoko community has been peaceful and everyone is going on with their normal businesses.

“How will I disrupt the peace being enjoyed by our people? I am a peace loving person and I believe a community can only develop in the era of peaceful coexistence and as the traditional head of this place, I pray for nothing else but the peace of this land.

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“We will do everything to sustain the peace here and will not contribute to anything that will truncate the peace we are currently enjoying.”

Bello however refused to react over the challenge on his installation as Oniku of Iku.

He explained that he became the Oniku of Iku after he went through a selection process and was picked as the traditional head to the stool. He said he was installed by the Owa Ale, Oba Adegbite- Adedoyin, the sole traditional authority who is in charge of installing the Oniku.

All efforts to speak with Oba Adegbite-Adedoyin were not successful as the traditional ruler was said to have travelled out of town for an official engagement.

But a source within Ikare community who spoke to Nigerian Tribune on condition of anonymity told Nigerian Tribune that the Ayeni family has been living in the Iku quarters as tenants from time immemorial but said they were co-opted into the traditional lineage when there were no male children from the Iku compound to head the house.

He said there was an agreement between the families as they had become one but said the Ayeni family had been the only occupant of the stool for a very long time while the real Oniku family kicked the continuous occupation of the stool by the Ayeni family.

According to him, “With the traditional evidence before the court, the Ayeni family might lose the suit and said the best thing is for the two families to settle amicably and rotate the stool or else the Ayeni might lose out completely.

He recalled that the new Oniku was installed in an elaborate ceremony where  the Owa Ale dressed in his full regalia which is the normal tradition of the Ikare Akoko whenever a king is being installed.

“There is no controversy on the selection of Oniku, which is one of the traditional kingmakers in Ikare Akoko. The Ayeni family needs to retrace their steps and toe the line of tradition and custom in order not to ignite another unwarranted war in the land. They should reject being used as an instrument to fight the Owa Ale,” he said

He however tasked the security agencies in the state to wade into the impending crisis to avert another communal crisis in Ikare Akoko in order to sustain the peace being enjoyed by the people of the ancient town.