The absence of an Oba (monarch) in Ogbomoso, the second-largest city in Oyo State, South West Nigeria, is no longer news.
The legendary warrior Soun Ogunlola is credited with founding the old city.
According to legend, Ogunlola delivered the old Oyo kingdom from Elemoso’s rule.
The northernmost region of the current Oyo State is where Ogbomoso is situated.
The city, which gave birth to the late Sunday Adewusi and one of the State’s previous governors, Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, has been without a king since December of last year.
This was due to the succession of the recently deceased Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungnade 111, the Soun of Ogbomoso.
At the age of 95, Oba Oyewumi passed away to be with his ancestors on December 12, 2021. https://dailypost.ng/2021/12/12/soun-of-ogbomoso-joins-his-ancestors-at-95/
Before taking the throne of his ancestors on October 24, 1973, the King was a prosperous businessman. He had a 48-year reign.
The Soun of Ogbomoso stool is still empty nonetheless, having lost its last tenant.
This is true even if the Ogbomoso kingmakers have chosen a candidate to take the throne after screening the princes who expressed interest in doing so.
According to information obtained by DAILY POST from well-known Ogbomoso natives, 25 locals have shown interest in the kingship.
It was discovered that 23 of them bought the registration, but two more subsequently signed up for the race.
According to a source who spoke with DAILY POST, after screening the candidates, the kingmakers forwarded the name of their preferred candidate to the State government for endorsement and public declaration.
In March of this year, the name was presented to the Oyo State administration. The name hasn’t been revealed as of the time of this story, though.
According to research by DAILY POST, a number of causes may be to blame for the delay in the declaration of the new monarch.
Residents of the historic city cited family disputes, 2023 political reversals, religion, and legal disputes as some of the causes of the delay.
An Ogbomoso native who wished to remain anonymous said that the kingmakers finished their job on March 22 and immediately sent the name of the nominee to Engineer Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, via Ogbomoso North Local Government. The extremely close to the palace source made a few suggestions as to the causes of the delay.
He cites the family feud caused by the selection of Prince Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye as the Soun candidate as one of the main causes.
He continued by saying that other factors contributing to the delay in the proclamation of the next king were political pressure due to the 2023 general elections, the rationalization of religion, and legal proceedings.
According to him, it is not unusual for family disputes to surface during the nomination of a new king because this has always been the case.
Holding on to the escalation of hostility within the family or families as the basis for the governor’s standoff is wholly untenable; it is similar to the arbiter, which is the voters, holding back from voting because rivals are screaming blue murder over the emergence of party candidates through rancorous processes.
Therefore, I see the quarrel as a plan that serves and nourishes the egotism of the ruling class. In order to put the procedure on hold indefinitely, the enterprise’s anticipated family strife during the choosing of a new Soun might be used as an excuse.
Prince Ghandi Olaoye, the Soun contender, is a Christian, yet there are clear signs that some Muslims are passionately opposed to his decision on religious grounds.
“As far as I’m aware, there are at least three lawsuits contesting the process—two from co-contestants and one from each of the Ologolo, Oluopo, and Olukan families, who want to be counted among the Soun dynasty’s governing families as members of the royal families as well.
The reason for the delay in the unveiling of the new Soun- Areago is unknown.
In an interview with the DAILY POST, the Areago of Ogbomoso, High Chief Sobaloju Otolorin, stated that no one is aware of the reason for the delay in the announcement of the new Soun’s name.
The Areago also stated that from March of this year, the State Government has been sent the name of the nominee.
On Tuesday, The Areago phoned DAILY POST and chatted with them.
He stated, “On March 23rd, we submitted the name; we are unable to comment on the reason for the delay; we are unaware of why the government has not yet announced the name. What is causing the delay is unknown to us.
We only supplied one name because, as you are aware, when two contestants are involved, only one will be declared the winner.
“23 persons filled out the form, and two more joined, bringing the total to 25.”
The Chief Press Secretary for the State Governor, Taiwo Adisa, has not responded to calls placed to his phone since Tuesday, and an SMS sent to him as of the time this story was filed on Wednesday has not received a response either.
However, when reached on Tuesday, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, stated that he had just recently been assigned to the position.
He promised to investigate the records and get back to
“I must investigate. I just received a posting to that ministry. I recently received a posting there. I must investigate before responding to you.
If you don’t hear back from me by tomorrow, please leave a message or give me a call, he added.
However, additional attempts to contact Olaleye for more comment were unsuccessful since calls placed to his phone on Wednesday went unanswered and SMS messages sent to him as of the time this story was filed had not received a response.
