Bode-Osi Obaship Tussle: Kingmakers, Indigenes Urge Adeleke To Call Akinleye To Order

The Kingmakers and people of Bode-Osi town in Ola-Oluwa Local Government area of Osun State have called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to call the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye to order to prevent chaos over the alleged manipulation of the selection process of their traditional ruler.

They lamented that Akinleye’s insistence to manipulate the result of the selection process to favour his candidate is capable of disrupting the peace of the community.

One of the Indigenes of the town who prefers anonymity told our correspondent that the Chief of Staff has allegedly insisted that he would not recognize the selection process by the Kingmakers and that he was determined to allegedly use the state Exco to impose his candidate on the people of Bode Osi.

The indigenes of the town during a peaceful protest at the Government Secretariat in Osogbo accused the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye of manipulating the process against the will of the people.

They called on the Governor, Ademola Adeleke to intervene in the matter and declare the candidate freely elected by kingmakers, Prince Sabitu Biliaminu Ariyo as the new Oba.

They maintained that the plot by Akinleye to impose another person on them would be vehemently resisted and called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to call him to order to prevent chaos in the town.

Sequel to the demise of the traditional ruler of Bode-Osi, the process of selection of new traditional ruler commenced in earnest.

But the process was stalled owing to the death of two among the six kingmakers as the remaining four could not proceed with the process.

However, a letter signed by the Director of Administration of Ola-Oluwa Local Government, Mrs Onaleye T.O confirmed the appointment of two warrant chiefs, Alhaji Akibu Alidu Abiodun and Mr Liadi Oluwafemi Samuel by Osun State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for fill the vacancy among the king makers.

Eventually, the kingmakers voted to select the new Oba. During the voting by kingmakers to select the new Oba, four of them voted for Prince Sabitu Biliaminu Ariyo.

Meanwhile, the delay in the official announcement of the new Oba of Bode-Osi led to the protest by indigene of the town. They alleged plot by the Chief of State, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye to manipulate the process.

The Head of Chiefs in Bodeosi, High Chief Oosa, Kareem Muskilu Olayemi, said the Kingmakers have chosen the next Oba and appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to approve their traditional ruler without further delay.

Olayemi said “We want the governor to help us announce the person we selected. We are also pleading with the Chief of Staff to do the right thing by accepting our choice.”

He 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, Agoro of Bodeosi, High Chief Fatai Ayinla explained that the selection process was conducted by kingmakers in the community according to the tradition and that it followed due process.

He said, “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”.

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 manipulate the result of the election. We are pleading with Governor Ademola Adeleke to announce the person we voted for,” he added.

The Kingmakers further appealed to the state government to respect the wish of the people and officially recognise the candidate selected by the kingmakers.

The indigenes of the town said they are in full support of the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke and that they are loyal to the Governor and his party. They promised to vote for him again to be re-elected as Governor of Osun State.

The kingmakers commended the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State Barrister Oluwole Jimi-Bada, SAN and officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for their fairness and sincerity in the matter.

The kingmakers and indigenes of the town also commended Yeye Dupe Adeleke for her commitment to ensuring the success of the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke and betterment of Osun State.

They however called on Yeye Dupe to caution the Chief of Staff to be cautious so as not to cause avoidable embarrassment for the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The Commissioner for Information, Barrister Kolapo Alimi and the spokesperson to the Governor, Malam Rasheed Olawale assured people of Bode-Osi that the right thing would be done.

Reacting, the spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, 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 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.

The Kingmakers and indigenes of the town said the voting and selection of Prince Prince Sabitu Biliaminu Ariyo followed the due process and appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to uphold the result and announce the appointment of Prince Sabitu Biliaminu Ariyo as the new Oba for Bode-Osi.