New Monarch Faces Battle For Survival

THE newly installed Deji of the ancient Akure Kingdom, Oba Kole Aladetoyinbo, obviously has many battles to contend with, if he wishes to enjoy his reign as the 47th monarch of the town.

Though, he has extended olive branch to all aggrieved parties opposed to his emergence as a crown monarch with a promise to join hands with them to promote peace and tranquility, but the protests that trailed his nomination is of great concern to observers.

It should be recalled that on June 10, 2010, a former Deji, Adesina Adepoju was dethroned by the state government for allegedly assaulting his wife, late Mrs. Bolanle Adepoju.

The development led to the installation of late Oba Adebiyi Adesida from Ojijigogun ruling house who was installed in 2010 as the 46th Deji of Akure, but died on December 1, 2013, after reigning for only three years. This made his daughter, Princess Adetutu Adesida to occupy the throne as the regent of Akure Kingdom, as the custom of the land dictates. 

The nomination for the position was recently thrown open following a letter by the state government through the Akure South Local Government Area and addressed to the head of Osupa Ruling House.

At a meeting held at the residence of the head of the Osupa Ruling House, Dr. Ade Ogunleye, under the supervision of officials of Akure South local government, 13 candidates indicated interest. They include Aladetoyinbo, Samuel Adegoro; Kayode Oluwole; Adegbola Adelani; Kayode Adegbite; Femi Adejuyigbe and Adeolu Adepoju.

Others are Patrick Aladetoyinbo; Leye Agbebi; Ojo Awimoro; Oluyemisi Bello; Damilola Adeyemi, Oluwole Oguntuyi and Ade Falodun.

However, the deposed traditional ruler, Adepoju, who is currently sojourning in the United Kingdom and still interested in the throne, dragged the ruling house to court, seeking an injunction restraining government, the ruling house and the kingmakers from approving any candidate for the stool pending the determination of his suit.

The deposed monarch who is also from the Osupa ruling house claimed that he was still entitled to the throne as according to him he was wrongly removed.

After government’s announcement on Monday, supporters of the deposed Deji staged a protest for several hours at the entrance of the governor’s office, vowing not to accept any other king except Adesina. They also affirmed that a new king shouldn’t have emerged when the deposed monarch was still alive. 

Many of them, who spoke to journalists, said the emergence of the new Deji when the deposed monarch is still alive, violates the tradition, culture and norms of Akure kingdom and Yorubaland at large. 

But the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko through his deputy, Lasisi Oluboyo, ‎said the emergence of the new monarch, after three years demise of Oba Adesida, conforms with the guidelines of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Rep