The Owa Oke-Ode Ruling Houses of Igbajo, Osun State has appealed to the State Government, under the leadership of Senator Ademola Adeleke to leave Oba Phillips Adegboyega Famodun as the Owa of Igbajo.
Speaking on behalf of the Ruling Houses at a press conference held on Monday in Osogbo, High Chief Adewunmi Taiwo stated that all due processes were followed in accordance with the Chieftaincy Law of the Land.
The Ruling House said that “The Governor’s order as contained in the recently published White Paper for the re-selection process of a new Oba is against the tradition and custom of Igbajo”.
“It is clear that the government being a continuum and Oba Phillips Adegboyega Famodun been duly enthroned as the Owa of Igbajo, there was therefore, no legal or factual basis for the purported Executive Order of November 28th, 2022 as that would amount to the Osun State Government approbating and reprobating on the same issue.
“When it was known to all and sundry that the enthronement of Oba Phillips Adegboyega Famodun as the Owa of igbajo is a completed act and the same Osun State Government cannot overrule itself by releasing an Executive Order purportedly suspending and subsequently nullifying the lawful selection process of Oba Famodun and questioning his enthronement “.
“We say a capital ‘NO’ to any attempt by the Osun State Government under the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke to be a judge in its own as the state government is a defendant in the subsisting suit on the issue at stake.
“What becomes of the provisions of separations of powers among the Judiciary, the Legislature and the Executive if Governor Adeleke unilaterally decided to usurp the functions of the Judiciary on the Igbajo obaship debacle?
“We won’t encourage any actions or inactions capable of rocking the existing peace in our ancestry town of Igbajo by some princes who showed their intentions to vie for the obaship stool of our town by duly collecting forms and presented themselves for interview and are now making a needless issue out of it because they lost”, they said.
In conclusion, they appeal to the State Government to allow Famodun have his peaceful reign as the residents of Igbajo support him as the king.
Local Govt writes ruling house for fresh process
According to a letter sighted by our Correspondent, the Boluwaduro East Local Council Development Authority has written to the ruling houses to bring forth candidates for fresh process.
The letter, signed by the Director of Admin and General Service, Ladapo B. R., on behalf of the Chairman of the Council was sent to all family head in Owa-Oke ruling house.
The letter partly read, “Following a letter No. CD.4/19/2/Vol.II/798 of 6th Feb., 2024 on above caption, emanated from Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, I have instruction to inform you that Osun State Government has nullified the processes that produce Prince Adegboyega Famodun as Owa of Igbajo as contained in the White Paper order recently released by Government and that a new process(es) of filling the vacant stool of Owa of Igbajo should commence with immediate effect.
“I am to also inform you that your ruling house, Owa-Oke-Ode is to produce the next candidate(s) to fill the vacant stool of Owa of Igbajo in accordance with the 2013 registered Chieftaincy Declaration governing the stool (copy attached).
“You are therefore to fix date for nomination of candidate(s) where representative from Boluwaduro East LCDA, Ajode would be present to observe and witness the process. Kindly inform this LCDA, the date of the meeting accordingly please.”
