Osun: Bodeosi Chiefs Seek Adeleke’s Intervention Over Kingship Dispute

Traditional chiefs from Bodeosi town in Olaoluwa Local Government Area of Osun State have appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to officially announce Prince Sabitu Biliaminu Ariyo as the monarch-elect of the community, alleging attempts to overturn the outcome of the selection process.

The chiefs made the appeal during an appearance on the “Issues That Matter” programme on City Mirror TV on Sunday.

Speaking during the programme, the Head of Chiefs in Bodeosi, High Chief Oosa, Kareem Muskilu Olayemi, said the community had already chosen its preferred candidate and was only awaiting government approval.

“I’m here because of the matter concerning our king in Bodeosi. We want the governor to help us announce the person we selected. We are also pleading with the Chief of Staff,” he said.

Olayemi alleged that the Chief of Staff to the governor was supporting another contestant despite the outcome of the selection exercise, which he said favoured Prince Sabitu Biliaminu Ariyo.

He added that the community was dissatisfied with what he described as an attempt to impose another candidate on the town after court order to announce the real winner.

Also speaking, Alhaji Fatai Ayinla, the Chief Agoro of Bodeosi, explained that the selection process was conducted by kingmakers and chiefs in the community.

According to him, six chiefs participated in the process after the government approved additional representatives from some ruling compounds.

“We conducted the election on April 8 and voted for Biliaminu Ariyo. He got four votes out of six,” Ayinla said.

He noted that preparations had already begun following the exercise before the process allegedly became controversial.

“We don’t understand what is going on again. We heard that they want to turn the result of the election around. We are pleading with the government to announce the person we voted for,” he added.

The chiefs further appealed to the state government to respect the wishes of the community and officially recognise the candidate selected by the kingmakers.

Reacting to the allegations, the spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, said the state government was committed to ensuring due process, traditions and existing laws were strictly followed in the Bodeosi kingship matter.

According to him, the governor wants to ensure that the President of the Iwo Traditional Council and the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, are fully carried along in the process, being the prescribed authority in Iwoland.

Rasheed explained that the government was also reviewing whether the process that produced the warrant chiefs and the voting exercise complied with laid down regulations and procedures.

“The Governor wants to be sure that the entire process was authorised and in accordance with the system, regulations and procedures,” he said.

He urged residents and stakeholders in the community to remain calm and avoid taking laws into their hands, assuring that the review process would soon be concluded.

“We should allow the right thing to be done. The reviews will be concluded soon and I know something good will come out for the people of Bodeosi,” he added.