By: Oluwatosin Adesola
……Village heads seek Akeredolu’s action on Ajama’s Chieftaincy Report, commends directive to Deji.
Traditional rulers and village Heads under the Association of Olus and Baales in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, have expressed satisfaction with the directive of the state government stopping the Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade to allow the status quo ante to remain in respect of some controversial chieftaincy matters, which include the appointment of some minor chiefs.
The state government through a letter dated 19th April, 2021 from the state ministry of local government and Chieftaincy matters had directed Oba Aladetoyinbo to stay away and maintain status quo over the appointment of minor chiefs at Ago Sonibare in Ala/Ajagbusi, Eleyewo Community, Ago-Ajapada in Ofosu Forest, Ago Tedibomi in Ala/Ajagbusi, Agunla Community in Ayede-Ogbese, Ilado/Elemo and Isinigbo, all in Akure North Local Government Area.
Flowing from this directive, the Olus/ Baales in Akure North through a letter signed by their lawyer, Mr Femi Emmanuel Emodamori and addressed to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, also commended the government’s directive that all actions leading to the creation/carving out in Akure and its environs of new communities from old ones should stop forthwith, while those already created should be reversed immediately, and that the sub-communities include: Ilutoro, Power-line, Igbodudu, Ifedeto, Ogunlade and Ayetoro.
The Community Heads under the chairmanship of Chief Kayode Johnson Ajomole, the Olu of Ilado Igbatoro, also appealed to Governor Akeredolu to give speedy consideration to the Report of Justice Ajama’s Commission of Inquiry as well as the issuance of government’s White Paper on same as a way of permanently resolving the issue and to further consolidate the peace and stability sought to be established among the traditional institutions in Akure North and Akure South Local Governments.
Emodamori said, “Upgrading the Olus and Baales in the duly recognized communities in Akure North Local Government Area to the status of Obas, even if they are categorized in the least grade of recognized chiefs, just as the State Government had successfully done in all the communities now in Ifedore Local Government Area which were formerly part of the old Akure Local Government.
“By so doing, the community heads to be recognized as Obas would automatically become the Prescribed Authority for the appointment of minor chiefs in their respective communities, in line with paragraphs 10 and 11 of the Ondo State Government White Paper on Morgan Chieftaincy Review Commission of July, 1981, which (is) unambiguous.
“Fortunately, the Recognized Chiefs or Obas in Akure North Local Government are fully in support of these suggested measures in the overall interest of peace, and their position in that regard was evident during the public hearings of the Ajama Commission of Enquiry (and) The upgrading of some or any of the Recognized Chiefs or Obas in Akure North Local Government to First Class or category “A” Oba(s),” the lawyer said in the letter.
Below is the full text of the Baales/Olus’ letters;
11th May, 2021
Our Ref: FEE/GOV/ODS/13/21
The Governor of Ondo State
Through:
The Deputy Governor of Ondo State
Governor’s Office, Alagbaka
Akure.
Your Excellency,
RE: COMPLAINT OF THE CHIEFTAINCY COMMITTEE ON THE ILLEGAL INSTALLATION OF BAALES/OLUS IN SOME VILLAGES IN AKURE;
LETTER OF APPRECIATION BY THE ASSOCIATION OF OLUS AND BAALES IN AKURE NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, AND SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO ENSURE PERMANENT PEACE ON THE RECURRING CHIEFTAINCY CRISES.
We act as Solicitors to the Association of Olus and Baales in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, a body duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission through its Trustees, and currently under the chairmanship of Chief Kayode Johnson Ajomole, the Olu of Ilado Igbatoro, hereinafter collectively referred to as “our clients”.
Our clients are fully cognizant of the letter with reference number CD/C6/9/20/T/212 and dated 19th April, 2021, written by the Ondo State Government, through the Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs, to HRM, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi (the Deji of Akure) and copied to the Chairman of Akure North Local Government Area for necessary actions.
The letter under reference, in clear terms, directed the Deji of Akure to allow the status quo ante to remain in respect of some controversial chieftaincy matters, which include the appointment of minor chiefs in Ago Sonibare in Ala/Ajagbusi, Eleyewo Community, Ago-Ajapada in Ofosu Forest, Ago Tedibomi in Ala/Ajagbusi, Agunla Community in Ayede-Ogbese, Ilado/Elemo and Isinigbo, all in Akure North Local Government Area.
The letter further directed that “all actions leading to the creation/carving out in Akure and its environs of new communities from old ones should stop forthwith, while those already created should be reversed immediately” and that the sub-communities include: Ilutoro, Power-line, Igbodudu, Ifedeto, Ogunlade and Ayetoro.
Our clients stated that it is their collective opinion that the intervention by the State Government in this regard is timely, proactive and absolutely necessary in the interim, to curtail the recurrent chieftaincy crises caused by the arbitrary incursions of Kabiyesi the Deji of Akure from Akure South Local Government into Akure North Local Government, to create ‘autonomous’ communities and/or install minor chiefs there, in spite of the fact that each the communities has its Olu/Baale, under the Akure North Local Government Chieftaincy Committee.
The ensuing crises had, regrettably, led to the loss of innocent lives and wanton destruction of properties in the past, the recurrence of which the government and all stakeholders must forestall, particularly in this challenging and volatile security situation in the country, including Ondo State.
Consequently, our clients express their appreciation to Your Excellency for the expedient directives contained in the letter to the Deji of Akure.
To further consolidate the peace and stability sought to be established among the traditional institutions in Akure North and Akure South Local Governments however, our clients are appealing to the Ondo State Government to consider the following measures:
The speedy consideration of the Report of Justice Ajama’s Commission of Inquiry as well as the issuance of government’s White Paper thereon. In this regard, our clients are delighted that the letter to the Deji of Akure also made reference to the Ajama Commission of Inquiry, and that the Government would in due course address areas of infractions and conflict of jurisdiction in minor chieftaincies;
Upgrading the Olus and Baales in the duly recognized communities in Akure North Local Government Area to the status of Obas, even if they are categorized in the least grade of recognized chiefs, just as the State Government had successfully done in all the communities now in Ifedore Local Government Area which were formerly part of the old Akure Local Government.
By so doing, the community heads to be recognized as Obas would automatically become the Prescribed Authority for the appointment of minor chiefs in their respective communities, in line with paragraphs 10 and 11 of the Ondo State Government White Paper on Morgan Chieftaincy Review Commission of July, 1981, which unambiguously state that:
“10. Government accepts the Commission’s recommendation that there should be no Prescribed Authority over any recognized traditional ruler who, or his recognition, becomes a Prescribed Authority over minor Chiefs in his town. However, where a traditional ruler misused his powers as a Prescribed Authority, the Government could strip him of the Authority and appoint either someone else or a Council of Chiefs to perform the functions of a Prescribed Authority.
“11. ….Government accepts the Commission’s recommendation that henceforth, no Oba shall be made a ‘Consenting Authority’ for the appointment of another Oba…”
It is instructive to note that the Deji of Akure no longer attempts to appoint any minor chief in any of the communities in Ifedore Local Government Area that were part of the old Akure District or Local Government, because the traditional heads in all those communities are now recognized by the State Government as Obas. This has guaranteed lasting peace in chieftaincy matters between the Deji of Akure and the traditional institutions in Ifedore Local Government.
The replication of this commendable feat in Akure North Local Government would not only ensure similar lasting peace between the imperialist Deji of Akure and the communities in the Local Government, but equally ensure similar peace among the recognized chiefs in Akure North Local Government and the Olus/Baales in the Local Government (our clients).
Fortunately, the Recognized Chiefs or Obas in Akure North Local Government are fully in support of these suggested measures in the overall interest of peace, and their position in that regard was evident during the public hearings of the Ajama Commission of Enquiry.
The upgrading of some or any of the Recognized Chiefs or Obas in Akure North Local Government to First Class or category “A” Oba(s), as the Local Government remains the only one in Ondo State without a First Class Oba.
Your Excellency, our clients strongly believe that the implementation of the measures suggested above would guarantee peace and stability at the grass-root all across Akure North Local Government Area, and the greater economic well-being of its people.
Our clients stated that they would, on their part, continue to give their maximum support to the government at all levels, to ensure genuine peace and robust community-driven security and welfare of their people.
Please accept the highest regard of our clients.
Yours faithfully,
Femi Emmanuel Emodamori
