Concerned youth of Kuole Oloje ruling house in Okeigbo in IleOluji Okeigbo Local Government Area of the State, on Tuesday, protested against imposition of a traditional ruler in the town.
The group who took their protest to the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy titles, noted that Kuole Oloje Ruling house is the next in line to produce the next Oluoke as the kingship is based on rotation basis.
The protesters mostly youths led by Chairman, Dare Ojetayo said their house is the next to produce the next Oluoke of Okeigbo Kingdom after the reign of Oba Lawrence Oluwole Babajide.
“We need to inform that occupation of Oluoke stool is on rotational basis, from one ruling house to the other as contained in our chieftaincy declaration.
“The last occupant was from Aare Kugbayigbe and the next one should naturally and legally come from ‘Kuole Oloje Ruling House”‘.
The youths alleged that some people are determined to retain kingship in the same ruling house that just left the throne.
“We are aware of the clandestine moves by some people in government working with members of the Kugbayigbe ruling house to impose a person from the ruling house as the next Oluoke, justifying their decision on a high Court judgement which has been appealed against.
“Once a case is at the appellate court, it is known fact status quo ante remains. In this case, the status quo being that Bamigbala remains, until the appellate court rules, any attempt to foist anyone on the throne is subjunctive and illegal”.
They further said, “Aare Kugbayigbe cannot reign twice thus depriving our ruling house, Kuole Oloje our inalienable right to occupy the throne at this auspicious time.
“We want to appeal to the state government, not to allow some people to throw Okeigbo kingdom into another round of crisis, the magnitude of which no one can predict, no ruling house has occupied the throne twice in succession in the history of Okeigbo. The Kugbayigbe people want to eat their cake and have it”.
While reacting to the protest, the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government, Amidu Takuro , said the community should settle out of court and come to an agreement.
He stressed that the government position is to give staff of office to a king chosen by the people.
“We always follow due process, what the citizens want is what we give them, We follow their customs and traditions”
“There are some people that even go to court because of Obaship, we always tell them to sort it out, we don’t like a system whereby there would be a vacuum in the stool.
“If there is another person contesting for Obaship and it not their time, let them go and resolve it and come back with their fact and figure, we only give Staff of Office, we are not the one that give them the king, we believe in the peace of the community,” he added.
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