The Deji of Akure, the Ondo State capital, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, has blamed disunity among Akure-speaking people for the inability to produce a governor for the state since its creation in 1976.
The monarch said it was high time the Akure-speaking area, including Akure South, North, and Ifedore, produced the successor of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Speaking at a media parley in his palace as part of activities marking his tenth year on the throne, Oba Ogunlade explained the challenges he faced in the process of selecting him and after he emerged as the 47th Deji of Akure.
Oba Ogunlade said it was disunity that had cost the Akure division the governorship seat, saying he was working towards bringing about unity among the people.
His words: “When I ascended the throne ten years ago, I visited all traditional rulers across Akure division. I told them we must unite, and they should stop competing with the Deji. It is like me competing with the Ooni. It does not make sense. Deji was already ruling before governors came into existence.
“The staff of the office was not given to us by anyone, we brought it from Ife. Communities like Iju, Ogbolu, and Ijare were put there by Deji. They are our sons. No one from Akure North or South should compete with the Deji. If we come together, we can achieve great things. We have the numbers.
“Everybody wants their sons to be Governor or President. Look at what Late Muhammadu Buhari did for Daura. The problem is that there is no unity among Akure-speaking communities. If we had that unity, we would have had a governor long ago. But I believe the next Governor, by God’s grace, will be from Akure and when I say Akure, I mean Akure North, Akure South, or Ifedore. We are one. It is our turn.”
Speaking on the challenges he faced since he assumed office, the monarch said “For the past ten years, the challenges have been enormous. Right now, we have over 100 cases in court.
“People challenge Deji’s authority, some say I am not the prescribed authority over certain areas. But let us be clear: any community speaking the Akure dialect belongs to Akure. Whether Akure North, Akure South, or Ifedore, we are one people. I am not forcing myself on anyone; the Deji has always been the head. Just like you can’t compare yourself with the Ooni of Ife, the same applies here. But God has been faithful to me.
“Akure is peaceful, especially compared to other state capitals. After Lagos and Ibadan, I believe Akure is next in line in the Southwest. We have made progress, but more needs to be done. My list of wishes for Akure is long. If I start, we won’t leave here today.”
The monarch said he contested three times before he was chosen as the 47th Deji of Akure. He also said it was wrong for monarchs to jettison tradition after their emergence.
His words”When I ran the second time, I was the only one the kingmakers selected, so I assumed it would be the same process the third time. But the announcement still came as a surprise to me. I didn’t expect it to be that way. The whole journey humbled me.
“You all know me. Before my coronation, when the Afobajes asked if I would obey all the traditions of Akure land, I said yes. And since then, I have kept that promise.
“Whether it’s Isese or any other rite, I participated fully. We have the House of Esu here, and every nine days, we do rituals. We also have 30 Irumole statues in the palace where I pray with my Awos. I still go to church and mosque, but tradition must be upheld. If you can’t keep tradition, don’t become an Oba. Even when we go to Esu, we pray for peace, not evil.”
