
( Those who the gods want to destroy, they first make mad).
Any time from now, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state will shock the world.
He will re-enthrone a King who the Supreme Court of Nigeria removed from the stool as the Eleruwa of Eruwa.
Let me explain why this decision by Governor Makinde is novel and unheard of.
Samuel Adebayo Adegbola spent over twenty years on the throne as the Eleruwa of Eruwa and was removed by the Supreme Court some years ago.
For the benefits of those who are not from Eruwa or those who might be from Eruwa but do not have facts about the Eleruwa stool, I will provide a background.
There are two ruling Houses recognized by the Chieftaincy Declaration.
They are: the Akalako Ruling House and the Olaribikusi Ruling House.
This two Ruling Houses rotates the stool between themselves in a way that if an Eleruwa is picked from the Akalako Ruling House, when he dies, the next Eleruwa would automatically be picked from the Olaribikusi Ruling House.
Each of the two Ruling Houses also have four Branches.
When the late Eleruwa, Oba Bolanle Olaniyan died from the Akalako Ruling House, it was the turn of the Olaribikusi Ruling House to produce the next Eleruwa.
At the time, the Olasubu-Agbaaragba Branch of the Olaribikusi Ruling House claimed that they were the only descendants of Olaribikusi who were entitled to present candidate for the vacant stool.
The issue of ” Mayeloye” was also in dispute at the time.
Eventually, the court ruled that Olaribikusi Ruling House consists of four Branches, namely: Olasubu-Agbaaragba, Omoni, Sabi and Ajao.
The courts also defined the role of the “Mayeloye” as being one who must convey the name/names of the candidate/candidates from the Ruling House whose turn it is to produce the Eleruwa to the Kingmakers, headed by the Odofin of Eruwa.
Then, the selection process began and each of Olasubu-Agbaaragba, Omoni, Sabi and Ajao Branches submitted a candidate each through the Mayeloye.
For the Ajao Branch, the name of Alhaji Rashidi Olasunkanmi Oyedepo was submitted through the Mayeloye while a particular member of the Branch, now deceased, submitted the name of Samuel Adebayo Adegbola directly to the Kingmakers.
Interestingly, Samuel Adebayo Adegbola was selected by the Kingmakers as the Eleruwa of Eruwa and he was eventually crowned as such.
I must say that the selection process was interfered with by a class of elites in the town.
There was a long process of litigation because Alhaji Rashidi Olasunkanmi Oyedepo, the original candidate submitted by the Ajao Branch of the Olaribikusi Ruling House and the other three Branches challenged the process that produced Adegbola.
It was alleged that Adegbola was not a member of the Ajao Branch of the Olaribikusi Ruling House and that his name was not validly submitted having not been submitted through the Mayeloye.
It was further claimed that if at all, Adegbola is connected to the Eleruwa stool, he is connected through his maternal affinities with the Akalako Ruling House.
The case went up to the Supreme Court and also on a review by the Supreme Court and Adegbola lost all through.
The Supreme Court agreed with the Plaintiffs, that is, the Olaribikusi Ruling House as represented by the validly nominated candidates as follows:
The Court agreed that Adegbola is not from the Ajao Branch of the Olaribikusi Ruling House and that Alhaji Rashidi Olasunkanmi Oyedepo was the validly nominated candidate of Ajao Branch.
The Court further held that the Kingmakers should proceed to select an Eleruwa from amongst the validly nominated candidates from the Olaribikusi Ruling House.
The Governor of Oyo state is a party to the suit.
Sadly, Governor Seyi Makinde, just as he did with the Alaafin matter started foot dragging about the matter until recently when he gave an absurd directive to the Chairman of the Local Government.
Governor Makinde, in violent breach of the Eleruwa Chieftaincy Declaration and the judgment of the Apex Court of the Land has ruled that the Olaribikusi Ruling House, whose turn it is to produce the Eleruwa has forfeited that right and that the Akalako Ruling House should now submit a name to fill the vacant stool of the Eleruwa of Eruwa.
Guess what? Governor Makinde would re-enthrone Samuel Adebayo Adegbola, who usurped the rights of the Olaribikusi Ruling House for over twenty years as Eleruwa, he will be re-nominated through his maternal affinity with the Akalako Ruling House as the Eleruwa!
For Governor Seyi Makinde, both the Chieftaincy Declaration and the Supreme Court be damned.
Note, that the Chieftaincy Declaration stipulates that the stool should be rotated between Akalako and Olaribikusi Ruling Houses and that the late Oba Bolanle Olaniyan was from Akalako.
Also note that the Supreme Court specifically ruled that the Kingmakers should select from amongst the validly nominated candidates from the Olaribikusi Ruling House, having declared the selection of Adegbola null and void, meaning, it never happened in the face of the Law.
However, Governor Makinde would have none of that.
I am not surprised at all. I am only happy. Extremely happy.
I have in the past written about the dictatorial and ruthless tendencies of Governor Seyi Makinde.
Some of us know that he has always been taking the Local Government Election in Ibarapa East as a do or die affair just because of the illegality he intends to perpetuate.
He requires a Dundee Local Government Chairman to perfect the absurdities he has been planning for long.
In 2021, PDP thugs led by Auxillary caused mayhem in Eruwa during the Local Government Election and in the end, four lives were lost.
His penchant for disregarding court processes and orders are becoming legendary.
How did he not describe the judgment of the Supreme Court that granted financial Autonomy to the Local Governments?
Unfortunately, he occupies an office that is temporary and that gladdens my heart.
I only pity those who are preparing to enjoy the fruits of Governor Makinde’s illegalities.
I don’t know why our people forget so soon.
We have an almost similar case in Lanlate.
You can not build something on nothing.
Governor Makinde might and even might not be able to maintain the illegalities for a period of time but the certainty is that it will crumble for sure.
A King illegally installed through the fiat of a desperate Governor is easily removable through the fiat of another Governor, even, without having recourse to the Court again.
The judgment of the Supreme Court doesn’t lapse like the tenure of a Governor.
It happened in Lanlate. Didn’t it?
It’s unfortunate that some greedy individuals who see themselves as Leaders and elites within the town are in cahoots with Governor Makinde.
A Governor who has abandoned the only road that leads to Ibadan from Eruwa and who has taken delight in selling our Land to foreigners is also planning to prolong disunity within the community and some shameless people are proud of that?
” Oba to je, ti Ilu roju…”.
Like I said, I am so happy that Governor Makinde has kept proving me right on a daily basis.
Let me remind him that with every passing minute, his own day of reckoning draw nearer.
As an athletic individual, I am sure he won’t have issues scaling the fence if there would be need for him to confront the men in red.
Kogi on my mind.
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