“There’s in no progress, everything remains stagnant. A town without head is more or less lawless and may be driven to anarchy. Nobody remembers us for good.”
The above summarized the mood of the indigenes and residents of Idofian, a town in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara State. The town which is about 15km to Ilorin, the State capital has been without a traditional ruler for about 13 months. InsightMedia pays a visit to the town to unravel the crisis surrounding the enthronement of a new King.
The Agbalaya Royal Family of Idofian community in Ifelodun LGA of Kwara State has appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to reject alleged plans to impose a stranger as traditional ruler of the town.
The people, in different addresses, warned the state government not to set the community on fire over the plan to install the “wrong candidate” as the Oludofian of Idofian, to avoid not only crisis but setting up bad precedence.
InsightMedia gathered that one Jamiu Olarewaju Adedamola Omikunle, who is about to be planted by a retired Permanent Secretary in the State, Rafiu Ayinla is unknown to any of the two Ruling Houses in the town, the Oloyi and Agbalaya Ruling Houses.
The Rudiments
It will be recalled that Oba Zubair Agboola Oyesoro of the Oloyi Ruling House joined his ancestors in June 2021 and the stool has be vacant since then. The monarch was one the longest serving Kings in the history of Kwara State as his reign lasted for over 50 years.
According to documents sighted by this reporter, the two Ruling Houses recognised by the law and the State apparatus are Oloyi and Agbalaya Ruling Houses. History has it that the founders of the two Ruling Houses were children of the same father but different mothers.
One of the documents titled ” THE GRADING AND UPGRADING OF OBAS AND CHIEFS IN KWARA STATE, A CASE FOR THE UPGRADING OF OLUDOFIAN OF IDOFIANTO THE STATUS OF A SECOND CLASS CHIEF”, the document which was authored by the Kwara State government during the administration of the immediate past Governor of the State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, when the Oludofian was upgraded to second class monarch.
The document partly read, “there are 2 ruling houses in Idofian. They are Oloyi and Agbalaya ruling houses. This was brought about by the fact that the first ruler of Idofian married two wives who gave birth to a son each.
“The senior wife was later separated from the junior one because of misunderstandings. When she was going, she left with the son when the son was favoured as the next ruler of Idofian he was made the Oba in the house where he lived was her mother. This was how two ruling houses have been created in Idofian. The first ruling house is Oloyi while the other one is Agbalaya.
“In spite of the setbacks experienced by the loss of its merited administrative headquarters the town had remained United Dynamic and Strategic to the Ifelodun Local Government, Kwara State and even the Federal Government.”
Also, receipt for land of the ruling houses and the bank account of the ruling houses indicated that only Oloyi and Agbalaya are recognised by the town.
Only Two Ruling Houses Recognised – Kingmaker
The Aare of Idofian, Chief Ibrahim Akolade Abioye while speaking with InsightMedia also corroborated the claim of two Ruling Houses. He said insisted that the next Monarch should come from the Agbalaya Royal Family.
Chief Abioye who is one of the kingmakers of Idofian said, “there are only two royal families in Idofian: Agbalaya and the Oloyi. The last Oludofian of Idofian, Alhaji Zubair Agboola Oyesoro was from the Oloyi ruling house, so it is the turn of Agbalaya to produce the next Ọba. I have insisted on this but because some of the kingmakers are corrupt and are after personal gains, they are saying something else.
“Those people just want to install their candidate through the backdoor. Nobody knows him in this town, they however in the depth of their minds know it is Agbalaya’s turn. We must not climb the wrong tree. They are mentioning Baale House, there is no such thing. There is no record of a third party or ruling house in Idofian.
“I call on fellow kingmakers to do the rightful thing. The Agbalaya Royal Family has given us Rasheed Alabi Agbalaya, let’s enthrone him and move on.” Chief Abioye said.
He thereafter called on the state government to intervene on the matter before it escalated.
Agbalaya Ruling House next in line – Oloyi Prince
A Prince from Oloyi Ruling House and youth leader in the town, Kazeem Agboola said that the late monarch (Zubair Agboola Oyesoro) had mentioned it to the hearing of all princes that Agbalaya should produce his successor.
Agboola, who is also Idofian youth leader, said the town has been pensive since the demise of Oba Oyesoro, calling on the government to immediately heed their calls for “an acceptable” monarch.
“Our father, the late Oba Oyesoro did tell us that Agbalaya Ruling House will provide the next Oba after him. We have just two Ruling Houses in our town. I’m a Prince all Princes in Idofian know this.
“Alhaji Abdulrasheed Alabi Agbalaya has been around for a year now. It is his royal house’s turn, I know this, people in this town both the old and young know this too.
“It is the news age now. There is no need to have incapable king. Everyone who is vying for the position must at least be financially successful. No one wants to crowd-fund a monarch.
He dismissed the notion that some people in the Oloyi royal family are conspiring to produce the next king of Idofian.
Why it’s our turn – Agbalaya Royal Family
The Chairman of Agbalaya Royal Family, Alhaji Mukaila Agbalaya said the two royal families enjoyed robust relationships with each other before some people started using the stool to cause problems between them.
“In the days of the late king, the two royal families in Idofian always converged there to do things together because in the history of Idofian, it is said we are descendants of one father. He married two wives, the Oloyi are descendants of the senior wife and Agbalaya, the junior wife. We have been rotating the stool since then.
“When the last monarch joined ancestors, instead of calling us to produce our candidate for the throne, the kingmakers hijacked the process and said they would be the one to decide. We told them this was imposition but they won’t bulge. They continue their shady processes.
“But we remain resolute in our bid to enthrone our candidate, Rasheed Alabi Agbalaya as the Oludofian of Idofian.
An indigene of the town, Abdulyakeen Adunasi added that the community is unhappy with present vacancy in the town, stating that it has significantly affected their economy.
“We are not happy with the fact that there has been no king in this town for a long time now. It has been 13 months now and every effort are being eschewed by conspirators.
“There is no progress, everything seems to be on a stand still. A town without head is more or less lawless and may be driven to anarchy.
“We arrive here due to dishonesty and conspiracy at the high level. It is surprising that people who know how things are supposed to be are not doing the right thing. According to the rotation it is our turn, Oloyi has had theirs. The state government has the record.”
Adunasi pleaded with the kingmakers to have the fear of God, also asked Kwara State to intervene.
The Rafiu Ayinla Factor
The Chairman of Agbalaya Royal Family, Alhaji Mukaila Agbalaya and several others that spoke with this reporter mentioned one retired Permanent Secretary during the administration of Former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Rafiu Ayinla as being the brain behind the crisis.
It was gathered that during the protest held last week at the government house in Ilorin, his (Ayinla’s) name was also prominent as protesters kept on chanting his name as the alleged kingmaker.
Mukaila Agbalaya said, “Ayinla is not from here. He is quoted to have said ‘I would use power except for if I don’t have power’. Man can be greater than man, but God is supreme to us all. He’s the one hellbent on imposing a monarch on us.”
Also Yekeen Adunasi said, “Ayinla is said to come from Igbotele. He wants to bring political coloration into the town. Ayinla is a known member of the PDP. I don’t know what he wants with us in Idofian. There are many in the conspiracy but he is the ring leader. We are not using politics to enthrone our king. We say no to political colouration.
“The whole world should know that Ayinla is an associate of former Governor Bukola Saraki. He’s a PDP member and we don’t want politics in the selection of our monarch in Idofian.”
InsightMedia also found out that Ayinla was appointed Permanent Secretary of General Services in February, 2017.
He has served as Permanent Secretary on Political Affairs, Local Government Service Commission, Ministries of Finance and Health.
IT IS MY TURN – ALABI AGBALAYA
Prince Abdulrasheed Alabi Agbalaya said it is his turn to become the Oludofian as his Royal Family has presented him as the consensus candidate for the throne.
Speaking with this correspondent at his country home, Agbalaya laid bare his plans for the community, stating that he has been part of the town and has contributed immensely to the development of Idofian and its people.
“I am a contender for the throne. You can say we are 2 in 1 ruling house in Idofian because we are both descendants from one man. This is evident in the fact that my father was one of those who went to Lagos to call the last monarch of Idofian to come and occupy the throne of his forefathers.
“I am here. I live here. I built houses here and people see all I do. The people don’t want a stranger and that is why they chose me. It is my turn. I was nominated by my family members.
“We princes and princesses converge for meetings. This other person, no one knows him. He has never come to any occasion concerning the royal family.
“I won’t mention names but we know those people who went to instigate the other person to stand up for the post too. But the whole community people have rejected him and pitched tent with me. May Idofian succeed.” he said.
He continued, “I have great agenda for the youths and old in our town. As a businessman, I know what my people want and I’m ready to give them. We have been here for years today and I know where we should be.”
When contacted, Rafiu Ajakaye, the press secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq declined to speak on the matter, he however directed our reporter to the Commissioner in charge.
Reacting to the protest at his ministry on Thursday, the commissioner absolved the government of any complicity, blaming the crisis on the kingmakers.
He insisted that some elements were trying to tarnish his image with the development.
He said, “One thing I can assure you here is that all the people that were presented to us have the endorsement of the kingmakers.
“But if the kingmakers present somebody who is not a prince, that is left for them to resolve with the community.”
