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Elders and other family members of the Akinlalu Ruling House, Ode-Erinje, Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, have kicked against the state government’s choice of regent for the town.
Speaking on behalf of the family, a former Supervisor for Works in the council, Chief Gbenga Akinyode, lamented that the selection and appointment of the regent appeared to have been hijacked as government had announced another person different from the one nominated by the family and presented for confirmation:
“It is very unfortunate that some elements have misled the state government in the choice of a regent for Ode-Erinje town. The government had announced somebody whose candidacy does not agree with the consensus opinion of the 13 segments making up the Akinlalu ruling House. Chief Akindele Omosule is our choice, and he is the one we recommended as the regent.
“Unfortunately, government announced a name strange to us and who is also not our choice. We had expected government to respect the choice of the family in this regard. What government has done is a clear and complete violation of the laid down tradition and procedure for the appointment of Regent for Ode-Erinje kingdom.”
Akinyode who was also a contender for the Regency stool said at the expanded meeting of the Akinlalu Ruling House, he was asked to step down as 11 out of the 13 families / segments making up the extant ruling house built a consensus selection around the candidacy of Omosule, the Otun Luda of Erinje from Tawojobi segment of the ruling house.
Tracing the laid down traditional selection process, he maintained that, “consequent upon the demise of Oba S.A.O Akinkalu II, the Orungberuwa of Ode Erinje on July 3, 2016, tradition demands that a Regent must be put in place prior to the selection or appointment of a substantive Oba. In pursuance of the aforesaid, a call was made to the ruling house where the Oba had died to produce someone who would be made a Regent pending the time a substantive kabiyesi would emerge.
“It is the custom and tradition of Erinje that when an Oba or Oloja dies, his brother from the same lineage is enthroned as the Regent. This was the case upon the demise of Akinlalu 1, whose brother, Lisa koko succeeded as a Regent, as well as
Oloja Akinyemohun whose brother, Ifatola Obaterun succeeded as a Regent.”
Akinyode stressed that shortly after the death of Oba Akinlalu II, all the family segments constituting Akinlalu ruling House met and decided to present Omosule as the ruling house’ choice candidate to occupy the Regency stool, being the most acceptable and most qualified among all the contestants.
He said this decision was presented to the Council of Chiefs at “ Ogwa” under the leadership of Chief Lijirin, the Head of “Dosu” for announcement and alleged that, that was where the music changed. While opposing the choice of Prince Adekanye Ipinsanmi Emmanuel as the Regent by the state government, Akinyode maintained that in the tradition and custom of Erinje kingdom, it was not the statutory responsibility of government to dabble into the appointment of a Regent for the town.
He added that the choice of who becomes the Regent is within the purview of the ruling house of
the deceased Oba, which the Council of Chiefs simply has the sole function of approving.
Akinyode appealed to the local government committee set up on the Erinje Regency matter and state government to do the needful by recognizing the candidate that has the consensus of the majority of segments of the Akinlalu Ruling House.
Revealing that during the meeting of Akinlalu ruling House to select a Regent, Omosule’s younger brother, Adekanye, who also indicated interest in the stool, disagreed with Omosule’s choice. But Omosule had the backing of 11 out of the 13 segments/families making up the ruling House.
Akinyele said another person who showed interest, Chief Oyegun Mathew, was unequivocally disqualified by the ruling house on the strength of his sensitive position as the Bojutoro of Erinje as well as the Olori Egun, head of the masquerades.
In his appeal, Omosule said it would amount to injustice if his choice as Regent supported by the majority is not honoured and approved by government.
