49-Year-old Oil and Gas Magnate, Prince Ademola Oluponle Raphael has been elected as the 16th Aree of Iree Land, Boripe North local council development area of Osun State.
Prince Ademola, born on November 24, 1973 from Oyekun ruling house in Iree was elected by Warrant Chiefs at the selection process supervised by the official of the Boripe North Local Council Development Authority ( LCDA) Headquarters, Iree, today.
He was selected ahead other 11 aspirants who have indicated interest from three ruling houses, Oyekun, Olubonku and Oyegbite ruling houses. Prince Oladepo Moses Akande got 1 vote, Prince Muritala Ibraheem Oyelakin 1 vote while Prince Raphael Oluponle Ademola secured 3 votes to emerge as Aaree-elect. One out of the six warrant Chiefs was absent from the process.
The Aaree elect has Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy from Osun State Polytechnic Iree, and his currently the Managing Director and Cheif Executive Officers of Arise and Shine Global Energy Nigeria Limited, an oil and gas company in Lagos State.
The late Aaree of Iree Oba Jimon Olayonu joined his ancestors in July 8, 2018 but the vacant stool could not be fill in the last four years as result of litigations from different ruling houses.
Justice Jide Falola of the Ikirun State High Court recently delivered a judgement that allows the continuation of the process.
Insightmedia recalled that the absence of kingmakers stalled the process on Wednesday.
Speaking with Insightmedia, Chairman of Boripe North, Bamigbegbin Isaac Oladejo confirmed the development. He said the absence of the chiefs cannot continue to keep the stool vacant.
“Yes, we now have a new Aree of Iree land. The kingmakers have absconder for another time and we wrote the Ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs to select six warrant chiefs.” Oladejo said.
The kingmakers have alleged threats to their lives, a claim Oladejo described as “untrue”.
