Monarch installation: Osun community protests lack of due process

Residents of Odo-Ijesa community in Osun State have called on the state government to remove the recently installed Oluodo of Odo Ijesa, Oba Olufemi Olayinka.

They alleged that the installation did not follow due process.

Some residents of the town, who staged a peaceful protest within the community, denounced the appointment of Oba Olayinka and called on the state government to remove the monarch.

During the protest, the head of kingmakers in the town, the Orisa of Odo-Ijesa, Olugbenga Ogunniyi, said tension has been on the rise in the community since the installation of the monarch.

The head of the Kingmakers lamented that the age long laid down procedures for installing a monarch was jettisoned when Oba Olayinka was installed.

While demanding an immediate intervention from the state government, Ogunniyi said the protesters represented the interest of the community.

“There is a pending case before an Osun State High Court, Ilesa, on the Oluodo of Odo Ijesa stool and the court has restrained all parties from going ahead to fill the stool.

“Tension is rising in the town. The security men called me as the next in line to the monarch and advised that we should plead with the protesters. They are afraid that the protest may be hijacked.

“I am the head of the kingmakers in the town. I don’t know about the installation of this new monarch. We have been invited by the officials of the Osun State Government and they all denied knowing about the installation. We are calling on the government to intervene before the matter goes out of hand,” he said.

Reacting, Oba Olayinka insisted that his installation followed due process.

The monarch also said only a few people staged a protest against him.

“They are lying. Is it possible to install a king without the knowledge of the government?

“The only person that has the right to install a king in Ijesa-South federal constituency is the Ogboni of Ipole Ijesa and he was the one who installed me. Under the chieftaincy law of Osun State, he is the person with the right to install a king in Ijesa South Federal Constituency and he was the one that installed me.

“You know there is no way someone will have 100 per cent. Those protesting have the right to protest once they are not satisfied with the process.”

Oba Olayinka urged the protesters to let peace reign.

“There is no problem in the town like I said in my acceptance speech that day, I am not fighting anybody. If two people are fighting for one thing, it will go to one person,” he added.