Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
A group, Ogun West Liberation Forum has kicked against the plan by the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle to install Senator representing Lagos West, Solomon Adeola as the Aremo Oba of Yewaland.
The forum protested against the candidature of Adeola popularly called Yayi, describing it as “attempt to sabotage collective unity by politicizing chieftaincy process without following due procedures”.
Crisis has continued to trail the recent appointment of Senator Adeola as the Aremo Oba of Yewaland, as many expressed displeasure over the new chieftaincy title.
The Ogun West Liberation Forum in a Press Conference held in Abeokuta of Ogun state insisted that background check carried out on Senator Adeola has given a conflicting revelation with respect to his precise origin or source in Yewaland.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the vice-chairman, Wale Akinwande noted that the origin of ‘Yayi’ has been a source of concern to the relevant stakeholders of Yewaland.
He stressed that the Aremo Oba of Yewaland is highly coveted traditional Chieftaincy title that must be conferred on an indigene of Yewaland whose lineage is known and can be confirmed with proofs that cannot be controverted.
Akinwande maintained that it is “merit defective in tradition, insultive to our culture and absolutely illogical” to installed someone who is not a prince as the Aremo Oba of Yewaland.
He however alleged that Senator Adeola is championing belief that “Yewa is backward, poverty striken and could be bought over in conscience, culture and traditions with money.”
He added, “Having considered the precedence that had been laid on the conferment of Chieftaincies that cover the entire Yewaland on worthy indigenes of Yewa clan, it is instructive to consider the appropriateness of the candidature of Senator Olamilekan Adeola ‘Yayi’ for the highly coveted traditional title of ‘Aremo Oba of Yewaland.’ Most importantly, it is expedient to note that the Aremo Oba of Yewaland Chieftaincy is a traditional title with deeper cultural importance than the honourary Chieftaincies listed earlier.
“Therefore, more consciousness and constraints are expected to be exercised before conferring such sensitive traditional chieftaincies on someone. With all honesty and without being bias, the background check carried out on Senator Olamilekan Adeola ‘Yayi’ has given a conflicting revelation with respect to his precise origin or source in Yewaland.
“It is insultive to the entire yewaland that someone who have been in a neighbouring state less than one and half hour drive would have missed his way to his village.”
The group also accused the Olu of Ilaro of taking decisions without consulting the Yewa Traditional council despite the appointment being an affair of all the traditional rulers in Yewa.
The group noted that it will be unfortunate for Senator Adeola to be installed as Aremo Oba of Yewaland when stools of many first class Obas are vacant.
Akinwande further said, “apart from the contention over the background of Senator Olamilekan Adeola Yayi, the demise of a few number of first class Obas such as Aboro of Ibese, Onisare of Ijanna, Onigun of Odan Abuja and Onijoun of Ijoun e.t.c. have created vacancies within the Traditional Council that have not been filled.
“Unfortunately, majority of the vacant stools are very highly rated Obaship stools which formed the fulcrum of the yewa traditional council and are supposed to be part of the decision making with regards to who should be installed as the Aremo Oba of Yewaland.
“It will be highly unfortunate if Yewa Traditional Council went ahead to appoint the title holder of Aremo Oba of Yewaland in the absence of first class Oba like Aboro of Ibese and the others whose stools are currently vacant.
“It is imperative to note that the operations of the Aremo Oba of Yewaland are binding on the entire Yewaland and as such all notable Obas should be part of the selection process of the holder of the Aremo Oba Chieftaincy title.”
The group however called on stakeholders to intervene to avoid” politicization of the highly coveted Traditional Chieftaincy Title of Aremo Oba of Yewaland.”
The group stressed,” in the event that nothing is done urgently to salvage the integrity of our traditional institution, what it implies is that the title of Aremo Oba of Yewaland will be conferred on a personality whose paternity and indeed his entire origin have not been traced without disparities to a particular settlement in Yewaland.
“We therefore humbly implore all and sundry especially the Governor of Ogun State, through the ministry of chieftaincy affairs to kindly put machinery motion to carry out a fact-finding investigation on the lingering Chieftaincy tussle over the appointment process into the Traditional Chieftaincy of Aremo Oba of Yewaland to put the whole process of installation of the new Aremo Oba of Yewaland on hold until all gray areas are straightened before the whole issue degenerated into chaos within the already divided your clan because a stitch in time saves nine.”
