Youths protest against alleged imposition of king on Lagos community

In a bid to demand the restoration of the right monarch to the throne, a youth coalition within Elete Kingdom in Oto-Awori Local Council Area of Lagos State, has protested against the alleged imposition of Oba Nafiu Dauda Odu-Owoiya on them.

Under the aegis of Elete Youth Community Development Association, the protesters alleged that the kingship tussle between the ruling houses was taken before the Lagos State tribunal, headed by then Justice A.O. Silver, which in 2012, ruled in favour of Lawal as the legal king to the throne. They said the tribunal also recommended that Lawal, who was the Baale of Egan Oromi, be approved and installed as Oba-Elete of Elete land.

Spokesperson for the community youths, Fatai Abdullahi Olanrewaju, noted that after several court rulings, Lawal was installed about two years ago, but the Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr. Musiliu Falami Oloruntele, has since then, not given him the staff of office.

The youth alleged that while they were awaiting the installation of Lawal as the Elete, to their utmost dismay, Oloruntele, in April this year, imposed Odu-Owoiya, who was never part of the ruling house of Ete, on them.

According to Olanrewaju, they are, therefore, demanding the immediate reinstatement of their cultural heritage by reinstating Lawal, who was approved by the traditional kingmakers and tribunal.

When contacted on phone, Oba Odu-Owoiya declined comment on the issue, but referred journalists to the protesters.

Olanrewaju appealed to the state government to intervene in the matter before the youths take the law into their hands.

While demanding for a public apology from Oloruntele to the entire community whose cultural heritage was allegedly toyed with, they among others, asked that the throne of Eteland be restored to obaship status; that the Ejimosu, Baala and Omojowo be accepted as the ruling houses of Eteland; and the status of the incumbent Baale of Egan Oromi be restored to obaship since he had once reigned in Eteland.

Olanrewaju said that according to history, Odu-Owoiya was never a part of them, adding that members of the community loved Lawal, who was cleared by the state tribunal as Oba of Eleteland.

The protest letter was received from the youths on behalf of the chairman by his personal assistant.