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By Peter Bakare
Itele, a town in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, is in the news again as the Onitele stool crisis gets messier, thereby, causing discomfort in the late Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo family.
The family contested that the alleged Onitele-nominee, Omolaja Sunday Jacob, is not the direct/biological son of late Pa Akapo. They insisted that their preferred candidate remained Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo.
Pa Kafaru Abimbola Akapo, chairman and junior brother to Pa Akapo, said: “We are yet to choose/select a king. Nobody should transact any business with Omolaja Sunday Jacob as king.
“He is our sister’s son. His father’s name is Jacob, not Akapo. My elder brother said, on May 29, 2005, that he preferred his son, Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo, to be king.”
Pa Alani Liadi Oshio, corroborated: “Jacob is not a member of our family. He only happens to be son to our sister, Silifat Akapo, who is daughter to Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo of Oosa family.
“By virtue of the gazette, no one can be selected or chosen without the consent of the Akapos. It is an aberration to have done so. As it is, we are yet to choose or select any one as Onitele. We prefer Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo to be the Onitele of Itele.
Baale Idotele, Chief Adekunle Owofunmi, said: “The preferred candidate for the Onitele stool is Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo. So long the gazette favours their father, late Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo, it is morally right for other ruling houses to support Prince Akapo for the Onitele stool.”
Chief Ahmed Balogun, Baale Ilogun Itele, said: “The gazette considering the labour and efforts of late Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo, for over 60 years, ruled he should be compensated. He would later die and Pa Olowookere took up the case in his stead.
“So, it is paramount to note that Pa Akapo’s children have not abdicated this ruling. They have a preferred candidate in the person of Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo.”
Prince Monday Olumuyiwa Akapo: “Omolaja Sunday Jacob is not a member of our family. Our father, Late Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo was compensated and we the children neither supported anyone in the person of Omolaja to be enthroned as king.
“Omolaja has his father’s house, let him go and take possession of what belongs to him there and not in my father’s house. I prefer Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo to be the Onitele of Itele.”
