THE controversy surrounding the selection of the candidate for the Oshodi royal stool may be coming to an end as ruling houses in the kingdom have finally agreed on an Oba-elect (name withheld) for the stool which has been vacant for decades.
The Oba-elect, it was gathered, was the candidate sanctioned by representatives of all the ruling houses but his identity is yet to be made public so as not to exacerbate the charged atmosphere in the kingdom.
The Oba-elect, it was gathered, “is charismatic, well educated” and has influence in the government and social circles.
We’re not aware of any selection process –Lagos govt
Meanwhile, the state government said it was not aware that attempts had been made to fill the vacant stool in the Oshodi area.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, speaking to reporter on telephone on Friday, said there were processes to follow in selecting an Oba and the government had not been notified of any process regarding the vacant Oshodi stool.
According to him, the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, which should be carried along and through which the Executive Council would receive a memo that would be deliberated upon and pronouncement made, had no information on the said chieftaincy matter.
Omotoso said: “So, without those processes leading to the selection of Oba, I don’t know how that would work.
“I spoke with the Commissioner for Local Government on this matter last week and he said there was no process about this thing they are talking about.
“So, the government is not aware of anything like that. I have not even read it in the paper, apart from social media. The government is not aware. The government has not been involved in it.
“As I have told you, there is a process. It has not been brought to our notice.”
Sources close to the Ologun Arota and Oshodi Tapa ruling houses told reporters that earlier arrangements to present the Oba-elect to the public at a meeting of the ruling houses on Thursday was called off.
With the new development, the rumoured interest of the chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo), in the throne might have been curtailed.
Based on his influence with leaders of the governing political establishment in the state, the transport boss was considered a huge favourite for the throne despite the controversies surrounding his eligibility.
Head of the Arota Ologun and Oshodi ruling houses and the regent of the kingdom, Alhaji Biliaminu Akinola, had, set the stage against the rumoured quest of MC Oluomo to the throne with his declaration that the NURTW boss was a tenant and as such, did not belong to any of the ruling houses in the kingdom.
Akinola declared that Akinsanya had no right to the throne. He said that at the right time, the 11 ruling houses would meet and decide on whom they want as their king.
The promise he made then, as the regent, it was gathered, has now become a reality with the collective choice of the Oba-elect.
Alhaji Akinola said: “If MC Oluomo is allowed, it will amount to desecrating the Yoruba royal tradition. Royal stool is not what you can wake up one morning and decide to buy with money, no. There are procedures to becoming a king. I totally frown on it and the Lagos State government would not want to impose Musiliu Akinsanya on the people of Oshodi land because he does not belong to any ruling house in Oshodi. He is a tenant in Oshodi.
“I have searched our history and I couldn’t find any link of Akinsanya family to the Oshodi royal stool. I am sure the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, would not want trouble to erupt in Oshodi land over the royal stool. He will do the needful.
“I cannot singlehandedly pick anyone but I maintain that when it is time to select our king, representatives from all the 11 ruling houses must be present at the selection. It will be a collective effort and a joint decision.
“My advice for the Lagos State government is to do what is right. They must not be seen supporting a tenant over indigenous land owners. The government must not be caught supporting a unionist based on his role during elections.
“They must prevent bloodshed in Oshodi. None of the 11 royal houses in Oshodi land is ready to take up arms against the other over the royal stool but the government must do the right thing and ensure that the right candidate emerges as the king in Oshodi land at the end of the day.”
Why throne has been vacant for decades
Rulers World was told why the throne has remained vacant for decades despite efforts by the royal families to fill it. Before the emergence of the Oba-elect, the current administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu had been accused of supporting the rumoured interest of Akinsanya to become the first crown-wearing king of the Oshodi kingdom, although past administrations were blamed more for the stool remaining vacant for 52 years.
Commenting on how successive administrations had allegedly frustrated the efforts of the ruling houses to enthrone an Oba in the past years, a source close to the seat of power and the Arota Ologun and Oshodi Tapa ruling houses said on three occasions, the ruling houses met with officials of the state government but nothing meaningful was achieved.
The source said: “We have taken several steps to achieve the enthronement of an Oba for the kingdom. We are not relenting. We were invited by successive administrations in the state on three occasions to discuss issues relating to the royal stool. We presented various documents to support our claims but when it was time for the state government to take a stand, nothing was seen to have been done but they declared that Olushi Onigbesa ruling house had no right to the stool.
“After the meeting, the state government promised to get back to us on the issue but they never did. On the three occasions we were invited by the state government, nothing meaningful was achieved. The government is culpable in the royal brouhaha in Oshodi land. If a decision had been reached by successive administrations and their stand was made known, this issue would have been settled.
“We are now appealing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to write his name in gold in the hearts of millions of indigenes of the state, particularly the Oshodi ruling houses, by resolving all issues surrounding the royal stool. We have an Oba-elect on standby. It is just for the state government to set machineries in motion.”
Oshodi-Isolo LG boss’ involvement
Prominent among the political personalities rooting for the emergence of Alhaji Akinsanya as the next Oba of Oshodi land is a close ally and chairman of Oshodi-Isolo Local Council Development Area, Mr Kehinde Oloyede Al-Maroof.
There were reports on social media of ruling houses in Oshodi purportedly agreeing to install Akinsaya as Oba of the kingdom. The purported agreement to install MC Oluomo, according to reports, was allegedly reached among Arota-Ologun families, MC Oluomo and the council boss at the residence of the regent of Oshodi kingdom, Alhaji Akinola.
At the end of the alleged meeting, MC Oluomo, who, according to the report, was from the Al-Maroof family, was chosen as the next Oba of Oshodi.
Reacting to the report, the chairman of the Oshodi-Tapa ruling house, Maroof-deen Oshodi, said during the week that the family was not aware of any claim to the throne.
While reaffirming the position of the ruling houses, Oshodi said: “Neither MC Oluomo nor anyone else has been endorsed to become the Oba of Oshodi land. We have not endorsed anybody. We have not even called for candidature.
“The candidacy of MC Oluomo could best be described as a rumour because he was not from any of the ruling houses in Oshodi kingdom. MC Oluomo is not a member of the Oshodi-Tapa Chieftaincy Family and has no right to the stool of Oshodi town.”
The council chairman has consistently called for peace over the vacant throne.
‘Why royals are angry’
Lending his voice to the claim that the transport unionist isn’t from Oshodi, a member of the Arota Ologun family who craved anonymity alleged that Akinsanya was trying to bite the fingers that fed him.
The source said: “He (Akinsanya) is one of the beneficiaries of our magnanimity in Oshodi kingdom. He came to Oshodi and he benefited from the numerous blessings of the kingdom. But rather than being kind to the people of Oshodi, he chose to use his influence against his benefactors. As a transport union boss, he is not the first to exert such power. The late Adebayo Success wielded such power but he was loved by all Oshodi indigenes. He was loyal to Oshodi land.
“Dania was also good to everyone. So, why is MC Oluomo so different? Why did he choose to wage war against his benefactors by attempting to usurp their rights? He came to Oshodi and he was supported by everyone. He was shown love and acceptance. MC Oluomo is not one of us. The people rooting for him to be installed as the king may feel indebted to him but the truth of the matter is that whatever benefits they must have got from MC Oluomo that is their right because Oshodi is their ancestral home.
“As far as the throne is concerned, Kendoo has nothing to offer MC Oluomo. Although he is from Al-Maroof family, he cannot offer what is not within his reach and capability. That he is the council chairman does not confer on him the authority of a kingmaker.
“In Orile-Oshodi, we have our unique approach to handling issues as laid down by our forefathers. We know our history and we know ourselves. Rather than flying the kite of fake news on the social media platforms, Kendoo ought to have come back home and inquire about how things are done.
“He has no such power to push MC Oluomo forward for the throne. He cannot suddenly wake up and believe he could impose his benefactor on the people of Orile-Oshodi. No! It’s not done. He has no such power.”
When contacted, regent of Oshodi kingdom, Alhaji Biliaminu Akinola, declined to comment, saying, “When the time is right everything will be unveiled.”
Oshodi LG boss pressuring me –Regent
Meanwhile, in an earlier chat, Akinola had insisted that no reconciliatory meeting took place among the ruling houses in Oshodi and the transport boss, MC Oluomo.
To further clear air on the controversy, the regent said: “MC Oluomo is not from the Al-Maroof family or any royal family in Oshodi land. But there was an agreement between Kendoo and MC Oluomo during the last local government election when he promised to assist MC Oluomo to the throne, which explains why MC Oluomo suddenly belongs to the Al-Maroof family. Kendoo did that to fulfill his promise to MC Oluomo.
“The duo of the chairman of Oshodi LCDA and MC Oluomo paid an unscheduled visit to my residence where they requested that I plead with all the ruling houses to support the aspiration of MC Oluomo to the royal stool. But I was surprised when I saw a report on social media claiming that I, the regent of Oshodi land and other ruling houses, had agreed to install MC Oluomo as our Oba.
“The report is false and misleading. It was invented to manipulate the entire process and misinform the general public. MC Oluomo is not from Oshodi kingdom and neither is he from the Al-Maroof family as suggested in the online report. The case is already in the court of law and therefore whatever we are going do will be after the court has decided the matter.
“So, there was no formal meeting between the council boss, Kendoo, MC Oluomo and any of the ruling houses. It was a mere courtesy visit to my residence by the council boss and MC Oluomo and none of the ruling houses mentioned in the online report was present at the meeting. Those that were present at the meeting were our neighbours from the community and the entourage of the council boss and some passersby who heard that the council boss and MC Oluomo were at my residence.
“We have not concluded on who our king is going to be. All the ruling houses will decide who they want. Kendoo only requested me to speak with members of other ruling houses to allow MC Oluomo to be crowned the Oba of the kingdom.”
Akinsanya’s spokesperson, Mr Jimoh Buari, had said his principal would make his intentions known at the right time.
“He will make his intentions known at the right time but there is a possibility that consultations are ongoing and from the consultations, there could be rumours.”
