…..Accuses Abiodun of disregarding court process to impose his favorite
All is not well in Ipokia,headquarters of Ipokia local government of the state as Iwaye Adodo Ruling House one of the contestants to the stool has kicked against the installation of newly installed Onipokia, Oba Yisa Olaniyan on them by Governor Dapo Abiodun despite the fact that the case was in court.
The royal family stated that the governor overruled their requests in series of letters sent to his office over the Onipokia stool, adding that the governor also acted against court order.
ALSO READ: OGSG appoints Olaniyan as Onipokia
Secretary to the Ruling House, Ruth Okeleye said this in a statement issued and made available to Newdawnngr.com Tuesday.
Okeleye who spoke on behalf of Iwaye – Adodo Ruling House described the installation of the current Onipokia of Ipokia Kingdom, Oba Yisa Olaniyan as ‘nullity and contempt of court’, noting that Gov. Abiodun was ill-informed on the issue.
She insisted that, the stool of Onipokia remains vacant until the Court gives judgement.
Okeleye maintained that, the newly installed Onipokia of Ipokia kingdom, Yisa Olaniyan was not a descendant of the Iwaye-Adodo Ruling House and thus, not eligible to ascend the throne.
She however called on members of the family to remain calm, shun violence and expect justice from the court.
The statement partly reads “Reacting to what they termed, the nullity and contempt of Court perpetrated by Governor (Prince) Dapo Abiodun led administration in Ipokia, Ogun State on the 12th of August 2020 during the alleged “installation” of one Mr. Yisa Olaniyan as the Onipokia of Ipokia kingdom. As far as the families were concerned, the stool remains vacant.
“In as much as there is a pending case on the said stool before a competent court of jurisdiction, any action taken by the government or its representatives is void before the law.
“The laws guiding nominations and installation of Obas in Ogun State clearly state that the only case where an individual can be nominated or considered from a female line (Omolobinrin) to the throne is where there are no capable male children from male line (Omolokunrin) to the throne.
“In this instance, the said Mr. Yisa Olaniyan is neither from a male nor female descendants of the Iwaye-Adodo Ruling House of Ipokia. In fact, there are prominent and capable sons from the Ruling House to ascend the throne and they submitted letters of expression of interest but were not considered
“Despite all the letters of appeal to Prince Dapo Abiodun and proof of litigation on the said matter, the administration still went ahead to perpetrate this spite-induced act”.
Full statement by the ruling house….
REJECTION OF IMPOSITION OF YISA OLANIYAN AS 46TH ONIPOKIA
We the undersigned, on behalf of Asade,Adekanbi,Oteni and Okeleye families write to reject the installation of Yisa Olaniyan as 46th Onipokia of Ipokia Kingdom, the event that took place on Wednesday, 12th August, 2020 at Iwaye Adodo Ancestral Meeting Hall Ipokia.
The presentation of Staff of Office which was hurriedly and secretly done by Hon Commissioner Afuwape, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Ogun State on behalf of the state government has confirmed our statement of June 15th,2020 in our protest against the Ogun State government’s approval for installation of Yisa Olaniyan as the king of Ipokia in which we cried out loud and clear that Ogun state Government under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun was turning Ogun State to a Banana Republic.
The government which annulled the selection process via a letter reference number CHM.3/18vol.IV/84 dated 10th May 2019 through the Ogun State ministry of local government and chieftancy affair has one year after retracted its nullification order and overruled its decision to uphold the process which it has declared null,void and of no consequence.
Our protest of June 15 2020,was premised upon the letter of 30th March, 2020 from the Ministry of local government and Chieftaincy Affairs to Transition Chairman, Ipokia Local Government and Ipokia Council of Chiefs to begin the process of installation of Yisa Olaniyan as next Onipokia despite pending litigations over the matter in court.
Whereas, Hon Justice Ogunfowora at the High Court Ogun State sitting at the Ilaro Division on 19th August, 2019 declared the stool of Onipokia vacant due to gross non-compliance with the chiefs law of Ogun state 2006 and directed the parties to maintain status quo pending the final decision on the matter.
Whereas, the Ogun state lawyers led by Barr O.A.Lawal from the Ministry of Justice representing the governor, Ministry of Local government Chieftaincy Affairs, Ogun State ministry of Justice, and Ipokia Local Government affirmed to the nullification before the judge, yet the state government went ahead to de-annul the nullification order and eventually presented staff of office and Certificate to Yisa Olaniyan, a non member of Iwaye Adodo Ruling House as substantive King of Ipokia on 12th August, 2020 against all appeals despite our petitions to His Excellency and the Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly on the controversy surrounding the Onipokia stool.
The purported installation has now confirmed the actions of Olu Ilaro,Oba Kehinde Olugbenle,alongside His allies: Ambassador Isiaka Abolurin, and Chief Akeem Adigun and the cohorts who have brazenly continued to boast that they will use all means possible within Government circles and staff of the Ministry of Justice/Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs to install Yisa Olaniyan, a non-member of Iwaye Adodo Ruling House by do or die machination.
This Government action has also confirmed that the Ogun state government under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun has used political sentiment to settle a rather more serious matter which could snowball into a serious crisis and unrest if not wittingly handled.
Installation of Yisa Olaniyan as the 46th Onipokia in a do or die manner was an illegality capable of breaching the public peace and tranquility which Ipokia is noted for to cause anarchy, disorder, serious crisis, unrest and pandemonium in IPOKIA Land.
However as matured, progressive, reasonable and law abiding citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we have resorted to allow peace to reign supreme in Ipokia in spite of all provocations by the government and Yisa’s supporters to wait for the Court’s verdict over the matter.
We believe in justice and that justice will be done in our favour as it has been done in the cases of Olupoti of Ipoti,Ekiti State after 24years on the throne and Eleruwa of Oyo state after 21years on the throne among several others.
It is only Almighty God that gives power and takes power away from any creature He wishes. Power belongs permanently to God and power and position is ephemeral to man. We wait unto God to return our mandate to us through the instrumentality of court of competent jurisdiction and put to shame the likes of the Ogun State Director of Civil Litigation of the Ministry of Justice, Barrister Akinside who has overruled the court order and has advised the state government to install Yisa Olaniyan. The Lord will also put to shame the likes of Olu of Ilaro,Oba Kehinde Olugbenle alongside Ambassador Isiaka Adesola Abolurin, Mr Obanla Musibau, Chief Akeem Adigun (SOCOPAO),Hon Isiaq Abiodun Akinlande, Hon Kabiru Abolurin and Titus Babajide (Oppressor) who have connived to impose an alien on the good people of Ipokia as King thus desecrating the revered, jealously guided, preseved and protected culture and tradition of Ipokia on Onipokia stool.
We hereby call on the good people of Ipokia to remain on the path of truth and stand by the truth and remain calm and steadfast and not to breach the continued peace and tranquility subsisting in Ipokia while the Lord arrests our detractors.
We remain on the pathof truth.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY.
Signed by AGUDA, RUTH OKELEYE.
SECRETARY, IWAYE DODO RULING HOUSE. And Elders of the ruling house.
PRINCE ADENLE ASADE
PRINCE JIMOH ADEKANBI
PRINCE AJIBOLA OTENI AND
PRINCE HEZEKIAH OKELEYE
