Murder - Controversies Surrounding Olufon Selection Process - By Kemi J

#aspromised #olufonofifon 

The pattern of controversy and situation surrounding the installation of the Olufon of Ifon, has for some time become the norm during any selection or appointment of most monarch in Yorubaland.

All the recent appointed kings ended up in court at some point in time before they were finally confirmed as the selected monarchy.

It has also become a trend that every recently appointed kings must go through some form of contest by the opponent.

The obvious question here is “why?”

Ifon-Orolu is an ancient Yoruba Kingdom, founded by Olufon, the only son of Obatala who founded Ile-Ife. Olufon Aladikun Olaosa Akogun Erujeje Adugbo was the first recorded Olufon (1488 – 1521 A.D) in history.  The stool of Olufon is, therefore, a First-Class stool with a beaded crown right from inception and up to the Western Region, the Old Oyo State, and now Osun State.

Sometimes ago the late Oba Israel Adeusi, the Olufon of Ifon was murdered on the 26th of November 2020 at Elegbeka along the Ifon-Benin highway, the Olufon stool became vacant.

According to the news surrounding the Olufon of Ifon’s death, he was shot by Fulani herdsmen, these strange men that have been terrorising the rural part of Nigeria.

Fully armed men dressed in turban stepped out onto the road from the bushes then signalled at the Oba’s upcoming car, rather than the driver to stop, he was instructed by the late Oba to reversed which the driver humbly obeyed; suddenly the Fulani herdsmen started shooting sporadically towards the car.

The Oba’s driver later revealed that bullets smashed the wind screen, the glass splattered into pieces, the driver lost control of the car, wail, screams, and cries were heard from afar.

Spatter of bullets continued; a bullet hit his royal majesty; the back seat of the car was soaked with blood, according to the Oba’s driver revelation of the tragic incident.

Moreover, the disastrous news triggered trepidation within the Ifon indigenes, neighbouring villages, and farmers when the murdered Oba’s identity was revealed.

Many were amazed at how these ruthless, callous, and iniquitous men could have brutally killed a first-class Oba, even though they have been killing travellers and farmers.

May the Oba’s soul continue to rest in peace.

Over the years a significant number of people have been killed along the same Elegbeka, Ifon Benin highway after the late Oba tragedy including a political chairman, and no measures were put in place for security or protection.

With the circumstances surrounding the way the late Olufon was murdered, one would have expected the Ifon community and neighbouring villagers to stage a mass protest asking for stringent security.

However, the question above needed an answer.  Today, in Yorubaland, the monarch selection process is full of anomalies.

Talks about state government to follow due process and traditional rules in the appointment of a new traditional ruler surfaced, in today’s world what is the due process? Every royal ruling family in Ifon town gave different account of traditional rules or due process in the selection of an Oba.

Which exactly is the right selection process? Oracle/Ifa, rotational, or political? Which one is it? If any of the option mentioned were to be chosen as the due process in the selection of an Oba, none in today’s world is consistent.

Even though rumour has it that some self-acclaimed families decided to join the royal ruling houses in Ifon, from two ruling families to three, four, five, then seven with no history of royalty.

Ifon recognizes Umaugba, Adaniken, Ogenuwa and Erunogbe as the ruling houses entitled to the stool of the Olufon of Ifon, four ruling houses where did the extra three ruling houses surfaced from?

In Ifon one particular royal house has ruled seven times, some ruling houses were crowned once while the others have never been crowned since the creation of the Ifon town.

So how do one justify the selection or appointment of the royal kings, is certainly not rotational, not political way back then maybe the Obas were appointed by the oracle/Ifa.

Even if we are to go by the oracle/Ifa selection, the fact that the oracle kept choosing from one specific family also raises suspicion.

The king makers could be bribed, they could select any Oba of their choice in the name of (Ifa) oracle, also the same process goes with political.

When there is no structured, transparent, and accountable process across Yorubaland in the selection of Obas, there are bound to be anomalies, people would take advantage of these gaps.

This is the situation we find ourselves in Yorubaland today, apart from the economy woos, as mentioned above, every recently appointed king would first go through some lawsuit filed by another ruling family.

Until the gap is bridged, going to court, battling for the royal crown, bribing, and the highest bidder, or the person with the right powerful connection wins.

Although, the factors mentioned above are not supposed to be the right selection process but in Yorubaland of today or even across some part of Nigeria it’s the trend.

Most people within or even sometimes outside the ruling family would not hesitate to use the money or connection power as a means to the throne if privileged, let the truth be told and will you blame them, NO!

Even, the opponent who filed for lawsuit would take advantage if  the opportunity arise, buy his way to the throne, or use connection, and if privileged to have both the better for the candidate; not insinuating that this is the right selection process but highlighting the bitter truth, the mentality, our ways, and conduct.

The late Olufon of Ifon died, farmers were murdered and chased away from their farms out of fear nobody protested on the street of Ifon, suddenly when it was time for the selection of the Oba, Ifon people allegedly came out to protest. Something was not right, incredible very difficult to believe, this was the narrative sold to the newspapers.

These narrative echoes doubt or even lies, the protest could have been staged if any, Nigerian economy is bad, people are hungry, no jobs, cost of living is expensive, a country where people sell their vote for a dime, bags of rice, gari, palliatives etc.  

If the protest was staged the people behind it are as guilty or even worse than those candidates’ using money or connection privileges, note not justifying wrongdoing but stating today’s reality.

Moving forward, the Yoruba monarch system needs a consistent, unvarying, structured, clarified, uniform, accountable and transparent selection process, if not the current trend will continue.

Written By K Jinadu

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