Ijare community in Ifedore local government area of Ondo state is currently witnessing disaffection over the selection of new Olujare of Ijare as some key players have been dragged to court for unlawful exclusion of some candidates to the throne such as Prince Kola Oyewole.
The Olujare stool became vacant two years ago when Oba Adebamigbe Oluwagbemigun, Kokotiri II, joined his ancestors and the process of picking new monarch by Royal family and kingmakers has become problematic due to the litigation arising from the illegal exclusion of Prince Oyewole.
In a press statement signed by some concerned indigenes of Ijare, they lamented that members of the Sejeokun Ruling House has been united since the selection process started until some self-appointed adjudicators came on board to elements in the family denied some candidates right to be part of the crucial stage of the process which led to litigation.
The concerned indigenes who exonerated the Ondo State government from the looming chieftancy tussle, fingered the Chairman of Ifedore Local Government, Hon. Alex Oladimeji, who is from the town of allegedly plotting to force one of his cousins in the race on the community as Olujare.
The statement reads, "the purported forwarding of four, out of the thirteen names that applied to be Olujare and initially emplaced before the Kingmakers (Afobajes), was a product of arbitrariness meant to unlawfully nay illegally exclude the names of candidates that are believed to constitute a threat to the candidates some cabals want to desperately force on the people.
The concerned Ijare indigenes said, "It is heartwarming that aggrieved stock of the Sejeokun Ruling House, the Olukekere/Osunpamisi descendants, has gone to court to challenge the purported illegal suspension of Chief Aarinmo, the unlawful exclusion of his candidate, Prince Kola Oyewole, and the moonlight frivolous narratives that seek to dislocate the inextricable link the Olukekere/Osunpamisi stock of Sejeokun Ruling House has to the Olujare stool.
"Traditionally, it is within the purview of the Kingmakers to choose the Olujare, and the leader of the distinguished Chiefs has cautioned himself from embarking on illegality by processing the four selective candidates sent to him, on the receipts of letters of complaints of unlawful exclusion and court processes contesting the legality of the advancement.
"It is needless, to say the least, that High Chief Wemimo Olaniran, the Sapetu of Ijare, has been subjected to vicious attacks by paid agents who want to goad him to treading the inglorious path of injustice, unfairness and illegality.
"Permit us to state, very unequivocally, that the government of Ondo State has since distanced itself from being dragged into legitimizing illegality, as the Chairman of Ifedore Local Government, Hon. Alex Oladimeji, who is prejudicially pushing for one of the candidates that is his cousin, has made the whole world to believe.
"We also call on the leadership of the Ijare Egbe Omo Elewe Obi to be guided by all the documents before it, and to prevail on elements within it to desist from supporting any initiative that could illegally exclude any of the candidates, as the unity of all Ijare indigenes is paramount, even as posterity stands very advantageously to judge the present," they said.
Below is the full text of the press statement;
PRESS STATEMENT OLUJARE SELECTION AND ANTICS OF UNDEMOCRATIC MERCHANTS
This statement would not have been necessary but for the illiterate and desperate dispositions of some jobless town criers and meddlesome interlopers, who have suddenly got busy by poking their noses in matters that have since been placed before a competent court for fair and transparent adjudication.
It is noteworthy that so many shenanigans have greeted the selection of a new Olujare, following the screening and advancement of thirteen names of Omowas to the Kingmakers by the Sejeokun Ruling House.
While the family was united up to the point some self-appointed adjudicators came on board to illegitimately deny some candidates the opportunity of being part of the selection process, some elements within the Sejeokun Ruling House who have since embarked on frolicking self-serving abstractions that are now in seclusion, and authoring correspondences that are teleguided by extraneous forces who are fronting for specific candidates, the Sejeokun Ruling House has been thrown to unnecessary chaos.
The purported forwarding of four, out of the thirteen names that applied to be Olujare and initially emplaced before the Kingmakers (Afobajes), was a product of arbitrariness meant to unlawfully nay illegally exclude the names of candidates that are believed to constitute a threat to the candidates some cabals want to desperately force on the people.
Permit us to state, very unequivocally, that the government of Ondo State has since distanced itself from being dragged into legitimizing illegality, as the Chairman of Ifedore Local Government, Hon. Alex Oladimeji, who is prejudicially pushing for one of the candidates that is his cousin, has made the whole world to believe.
It is heartwarming that aggrieved stock of the Sejeokun Ruling House, the Olukekere/Osunpamisi descendants, has gone to court to challenge the purported illegal suspension of Chief Aarinmo, the unlawful exclusion of his candidate, Prince Kola Oyewole, and the moonlight frivolous narratives that seek to dislocate the inextricable link the Olukekere/Osunpamisi stock of Sejeokun Ruling House has to the Olujare stool.
Traditionally, it is within the purview of the Kingmakers to choose the Olujare, and the leader of the distinguished Chiefs has cautioned himself from embarking on illegality by processing the four selective candidates sent to him, on the receipts of letters of complaints of unlawful exclusion and court processes contesting the legality of the advancement.
It is needless, to say the least, that High Chief Wemimo Olaniran, the Sapetu of Ijare, has been subjected to vicious attacks by paid agents who want to goad him to treading the inglorious path of injustice, unfairness and illegality.
We also call on the leadership of the Ijare Egbe Omo Elewe Obi to be guided by all the documents before it, and to prevail on elements within it to desist from supporting any initiative that could illegally exclude any of the candidates, as the unity of all Ijare indigenes is paramount, even as posterity stands very advantageously to judge the present.
As we await the adjudication of the court, unbiased guidance of the government, and leading of our forebears for direction, we appeal to all Ijare indigenes to be circumspect, and avoid receding toany provocative volatility, as we deploy all mustered strength and breath to seek peace in our beloved Community, state, and pray for the good health of our dear Arakunrin Akeredolu, an unalloyed disciple of justice and fairness.
Thank you. E-Signed
Concerned Ijare Indigenes
DON'T DRAG ME INTO IJARE OBASHIP WRANGLING —SAYS COUNCIL CHAIRMAN, HON OLADIMEJI
The Chairman of Ifedore Local Government in Ondo State, Hon. Alex Oladimeji, has cautioned stakeholders especially kingmakers and Princes who candidates battling to become the next Olujare of Ijare Community to stop dragging his name into the selection process of a new monarch.
The Council Boss insisted that he had no power to impose new monarch on the town considering various Chieftaincy laws in the state.
Reacting to a report that he was sponsoring one of the candidates, Oladimeji told newsmen that the allegation by some concerned Ijare indigenes against him as unfounded.
Olujare stool became vacant two years ago when Oba Adebamigbe Oluwagbemigun, Kokotiri II, joined his ancestors and the process of selecting new monarch by Royal family and kingmakers has been causing differences in the town as nine out of 13 candidates such as Prince Kola Oyewole were screened out.
Some concerned indigenes in a press statement signed by Elder Ojo Bamidele on Sunday, fingered the Chairman of Ifedore Local Government, who is from the town of allegedly plotting to force one of his cousins in the race on the community as Olujare.
The press statement reads, "Permit us to state that the Chairman of Ifedore Local Government, Hon. Alex Oladimeji, who is prejudicially pushing for one of the candidates that is his cousin."
However reacting in an interview with newsmen, the local government Chairman, Hon. Alex Oladimeji, said due process would be followed, noting that a mass protest in the town at the weekend was not against him but against the Head of the kingmakers, the Sapetu of Ijare, High Chief Wemimo Olaniyan, for delaying the process of picking new monarch.
Oladimeji said, "I need to respond to this because all they wrote against me is a blatant lie. As a local government Chairman, there is a rules and regulations guiding selection of Obas, not only in my community (Ijare), all communities have their declaration/laws that govern them and there is an Ondo State Chieftaincy Law, nobody can influence and even me as the Council Chairman, there is no way I can influence anybody to emerge as the King or force anybody on my town.
"I am not a member of the (Ijare) Royal family, I am not part of the people that screened (Princes), I am not part of the Kingmakers (Afobaje). I don't have any role to play rather than whatever they do they send it to my office and i will follow up with what the law says.
"I find it strange that I was being fingered that I want to force one of my cousins on the community. I don't know how; i don't have any cousin among the people that are contesting (for Olujare stool); But the truth of the matter is that on Saturday there was a protest and the protest was against the Sapetu of Ijare (High Chief) Barrister Wemimo Olaniyan, alleging him that he didn't allow the selection of new Olujare to continue.
"The community people are not protesting against me. I am not doing anything against the wish of the community, I can only guide the community to avert security breach," Oladimeji said.
The Council Chairman confirmed that it was true that the Royal Family (Omowas) actually screened out nine out of 13 of the candidates, clearing four of them for the kingmakers to pick from and the family decision sent to the local government; "I don't know why these people are accusing me wrongly. They protested against Chief Wemimo, not me. I am surprised these people fingered me.
He said, "the truth is that there is a problem among Omowas and even among the kingmakers, they should not shift their problem to me.
"I am not supposed to be dragged to this issue at all. The people accusing me wrongly should go back to their family and resolve their problems and stop dragging my name. I am a local government Chairman and i work with established laws, i can't create laws by myself," Oladimeji said.
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