The Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, on Monday, said he has the right to appoint monarchs and minor chiefs in towns and communities in both Akure North and South local government areas of Ondo State.
Addressing a press conference at his palace on Monday, the immediate past Chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers said the delineation of the old Akure Local Government into two was for administrative purposes and not to whittle the influence of the Deji of Akure.
Speaking through the Chief Press Secretary to the monarch, Mr Michael Adeyeye said that the Deji of Akure remains the prescribed authorising appointment of minor chiefs in Akure North Local Government.
The Oloba-in-Council, through Otunba Omoniyi Omodara, had said Oloba Oodaye “is the prescribed authority and paramount ruler over Oba-Ile kingdom, and is second to none. The Oloba and his community have always been a succour to Akure and the Deji in particular.”
However, Deji, who was represented by Adeyeye, said, “Without mincing words, only the Deji has the prerogative to appoint minor Chiefs in Owode, Eleyowo, Araromi, and other communities of Akure North and South.”
In his reply to Oloba-in-Council over the right to appoint monarchs in Akure North, the spokesman of the Deji said, “For avoidance of doubt, it is on record that the State Government had settled the issue of prescribed Authority through the issuance of circular No. CD/C.6/9/20/96 dated the 19th of August, 1999, which was addressed to the Oloba of Oba-Ile, Late Oba Joseph Oluwadare Agunbiade.”
The circular, according to him, stated that ‘the bifurcation of Akure to two local governments notwithstanding, the Deji of Akure land still retains consenting authority based on traditional and historical background which is not negotiable.’
The Deji of Akure said, “We do not intend to join issues with people who are ignorant of history and are bent on distorting facts and putting logic on its head.
“For the sake of setting the record straight, Akure had long been in existence before the coming of Asodeboyede, who later became the progenitor of Akure, being a direct descendant of Oduduwa.
“Additionally, the Ondo State High Court, in two separate judgments by Justice W.A. Akintoroye and Justice A. Osadebay, had resolved the matter of prescribed authority by affirming the Deji as the consenting and prescribing authority over minor chieftaincies in Akure North.
“The Judgment of His Lordship Justice W.A. Akintoroye dismissed the suit challenging the Authority of the Deji (SUIT NO: AK/28/2017) over the appointment of Minor Chiefs in Akure North Local Government in the judgment dated 28th March, 2018.
“The court in its judgment held that, from time immemorial, the entire Akure Land has been under the hegemony of the Deji of Akure. By virtue of his said position, the Deji was the paramount ruler over the entire Akure land, as well as being the consenting authority over all minor chiefs, Olus, and Baales under him.
“That before the bifurcation of Akure Local Government, the Deji of Akure by virtue of his position was empowered traditionally and in law to appoint and consent to the appointment of minor chiefs within the land, not minding the bifurcation of the old Local Government into Akure North and South.”
The Deji of Akure said the Appeal Court had unanimously upheld the two decisions of the lower court about the consenting authority in separate judgments.
His words “We wish to make it abundantly clear that the issue of the paramountcy of the Deji of Akure Land is about the entire Akure land, irrespective of how many Local Governments that are carved out of Akure land for government administrative convenience.
“The Government never intended to destroy traditions and culture through the creation of local governments. Rather, their unhidden intention is to bring governance and development closer to the people. This good intention and gesture of the government should not be misconstrued as an attempt to cause friction.”
