Much Ado About Oworo Oba-Elect Emergence As Rival Ruling Houses, Chiefs Raise eyebrows

 

• ·        *Two Chiefs Allegedly Bribed With Cars To Support Installation
• ·        *Rival Ruling Houses May Go To Court
• ·        *Communal Unrest May Erupt At Oworo
•        *Kosofe Vice-Chairman too eyes father's throne
•  

 

The surprise emergence of the purported Oba-elect of Oworoshoki Kingdom in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State barely a month after the demise of the late monarch, Oba Bashiru Oloruntoyin Saliu, has begun to stir dust of fiery controversy in its wake among the inhabitants as eyebrows have been raised over the choice, timing and legality of the purported installation.

 

On Thursday, social media was replete with a video clip of what looked like a royal installation of the purported Oba-elect, Nurudeen Saliu, the son of the late monarch, by some chiefs and members of the Saliu royal family.

 

In the video clip which has been trending on social media, one of the chiefs is heard uttering the statement while performing traditional rite: “Nurudeen Alowonle, La ti eni lo, o ti joba”. Which literally means “ Nurudeen Alowonle, as from today you have become a king”.

 

The statement by the chief with the title of Bashorun seems to confirm the veracity of the installation of Nurudeen Saliu as Oloworo Oba-elect.

Kosofe Reporters however gathered from a reliable source very close to the palace that there are other members of Saliu Royal Family that are interested in becoming the next Oloworo of Oworo.

Our source mentioned the names of Prince Kabiru Saliu, Prince Idris Saliu and Prince Babatunde Saliu, the incumbent Vice- Chairman of Kosofe Local Government.

The source further disclosed that Prince Babatunde Saliu is actually waiting for the return of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to the country in order to actualize his dream of becoming the next Oloworo of Oworo.

 

This development has however not gone down well with some concerned residents and members of the rival ruling houses in the Kingdom as they have come out to condemn the development describing it as illegal and unacceptable.

 

Some members of the community who are very close to the palace who spoke to Kosofe Reporters in separate interviews under anonymity expressed shock and dismay over the video clip making the rounds on social media.

 

They said they were not informed beforehand about the development and that the selection of the purported Oba-elect did not follow the normal procedure as there were no recognizable Kingmakers who could have chosen the Oba-elect.

 

They noted that the chiefs in the viral video clips do not possess chieftaincy certificates and that they had been bribed with money and cars to give their supports to the controversial selection of the Oba-elect.

 

They, however, expressed fear that the latest development in the community if not quickly resolve may lead to a lengthy legal tussle among the ruling houses and can also engender another breakdown of law and order in the community.   

 

But contrary to the statement made by concerned residents that there were no Kingmakers in Oworoshoki, Kosofe Reporters was able to gather from a top government official in the ministry of Local Government and community affairs that the late Oloworo of Oworo Oba Bashiru Oloruntoyin Saliu had made a declaration in 2012 by registering Bashir Oloruntoyin Saliu Ruling House as the only ruling house at Oworoshoki during Lagos State Chieftaincy upgrade exercise.

 

It was further revealed that the late Oloworo also registered five of his children as his chiefs and physically presented them to the committee.

 

The government officials noted that the late Oloworo of Oworo was able to use his membership of the Lagos State Chieftaincy upgrade committee to facilitate the declaration of Bashiru Oloruntoyin Saliu Ruling House as the only ruling house in Oworo.

 

He noted that this was what the family heavily relied upon in taking the bold step to choose a person among them as the Oba-elect.  

 

He however noted that the declaration can successfully be challenged in the court of law as it is out of place in Yoruba culture for one family to be the only ruling family in a kingdom.

   

Kosofe Reporters was however able to get in touch with S. Ayinla Yusufu Mabinuori Ajisegiri Royal Family and Kajola Royal Family to have their opinions over the matter.

 

Speaking to Kosofe Reporters both Ajisegiri and Kajola emphatically declared that there was nothing like Oba-elect yet at Oworoshoki as there are no Kingmakers as well as proper declaration.

According to them, the Obaship of Oworoshoki Kingdom is supposed to be rotated among the ruling houses, namely Elebo1, Jegede, Kajola and Miyaki.

While Kamado and Baani were later included as part of the ruling houses by tribunal.

They, however, noted that the aforementioned ruling houses were not registered by their forefathers when Oworoshoki used to be under Mushin Local Government and later Somolu Local Government.

They further explained that the late Oloworo came through Jegede ruling house just like the first Baale, Saabitu Salau, hence the new Oloworo should come from another ruling house.

 

They stated that the declaration made by the late Oloworo in 2012 was challenged up to the Supreme court level by late Alhaji Mustapha Ajisegiri who died unfortunately before the commencement of the trial in the Supreme Court in 2015.

 

They explained that Late Alhaji Mustapha Ajisegiri had issued an Originating summon in Lagos High Court, explaining how the late Oloworo had come from Ilabiri to settle at Oworo. But Justice Onigbanjo in his ruling ordered both parties to go back home and settle the matter amicably since they are of the same Oworoshoki family.

 

They stated further that on February 19, 2015 following the failure of the late Oloworo to act on the ruling of the High Court, they lodged a complaint at the State criminal investigative department, Panti where terms of the settlement were done.

 

They said late Ajisegiri decided to head to appeal court when the late Oloworo again failed to fulfill the terms of the settlement he had promised to abide by. But the Appeal Court in its ruling upheld the judgment of Justice Onigbanjo, urging both parties to go back home again and settle the rift amicably.

 

The coming days will be quite eventful and revealing at Oworoshoki. But it is however expected that the rival ruling houses may again head to court to get injunction to stop the controversial installation of the Oba-elect.