By Adeyinka Adeniran
Six years after court ruling, the process of selecting a new traditional ruler for Eruwaland, Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo state has started.
The move follows the sack of the former Eleruwa of Eruwaland, Oba Samuel Adegbola by a Supreme Court’s ruling which was delivered in 2019.
Oba Adegbola was sacked after spending 21years on the throne.
The removal according to the judgement is in consonant with the provisions of the 1957 Eruwa Chieftaincy Declaration.
The people of Eruwa who initiated the process for selecting a new monarch reached the decision during an expanded meeting of Laribikusi royal House comprising of four families namely; Agbaragba, Ajao, Omoni, and Sabi.
At the meeting, the Labirikusi Ruling House also agreed to resolved all its internal family disputes by appointing Chief Dejo Akinlade as the head of the family.
The well attended expanded meeting of the Laribikusi royal House held over the weekend at Oke-Oba, in Eruwa.
With the development at the meeting, Chief Akinlade is expectee to lead a delegation from the ruling house to the executive Chairman of Ibarapa East Local Government, Hon. Kazeem Owolabi Arogundade on Monday, January 13th, (tomorrow), to officially communicate the family’s resolution to him.
It was gathered that the council chairman had earlier issued letters to the four royal families within the Labirikusi Ruling House, requesting the nomination of a leader in accordance with the Chieftaincy Declaration.
The request, sources said led to the unanimous selection of Chief Akinlade as the representative to spearhead the process of selecting the new Eleruwa of Eruwaland.
Addressing the gathering in a remark shortly after he was officially presented to the expanded Laribikusi royal House, Chief Akinlade expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him by his family.
He appealed for unity among members of the ruling house to prevent external forces from exploiting perceived divisions.
He said, “My appeal goes to our people to put the past behind them and forge a common front. We should not allow others to capitalize on our differences to rob us of our rights. It is the turn of the Labirikusi Ruling House to produce the next Eleruwa of Eruwaland.”
He further emphasized that the chieftaincy declaration recognizes two ruling houses—Labirikusi and Akalako, with the throne alternating between them, saying “the immediate past Eleruwa was from the Akalako Ruling House. It is now the turn of the Labirikusi Ruling House.”
Chief Akinlade announced plans to formally communicate the outcome of their meeting to the council chairman, with the expectation that the letter will be forwarded to the Oyo state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters to initiate the selection process.
A widely respected nonagenarian from the Akalako Ruling House, Pa Moses Oyebimpe confirmed to newsmen that the Akalako family had produced the Eleruwa eight times ahead of Laribikusi royal House with only five.
He urged the authorities to adhere to the 1957 chieftaincy declaration in selecting the new monarch.
Pa Oyebimpe also called on members of the Akalako Ruling House reportedly planning to present a candidate for the vacant stool to reconsider their actions in the interest of the town’s peace, prosperity and progress.
“The rules are clear. It is the turn of the Labirikusi Ruling House to present the new king,” he emphasized.
Other members of the Laribikusi royal House including Prince Mukaila Adejumo, Pa Salau Raimi, Pa Lamidi Ojuolape, Dr Ibrahim Okunlola and others expressed satisfaction with the development while expressing optimism that relevant authorities will expedite action on the process of selecting a new Eleruwa for Eruwaland.
Corenews reports that Adegbola who ruled the town for 21years was sacked by the Supreme Court after an Oyo State High Court had on January 26, 2011 removed.
The sacked monarch was installed the Eleruwa in 1998 by the state government amidst protracted protests by members of the rightful ruling house after the last Eleruwa, the late Oba Bolanle Olaniyan, who is from the Akalako ruling house, passed on , on May 1, 1994.
Although Adegbola’s nomination and selection by the kingmakers were challenged by the Laribikusi house, which argued that he was not a member of the ruling arm, but belonged to Akalako where the previous king emerged, the state government went ahead to inaugurate him, prompting the litigation.
