Governor Ademola Adeleke has suspended traditional rulers appointed by his immediate predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola, and ordered the police to take over their palaces.

The affected traditional rulers are the Akrinrun of Ikirun, Aree of Iree, and Owa of Igbajo.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor also ordered that security agencies take over the palaces with immediate effect.

Mr Adeleke’s latest directive was part of the six executive orders issued on Monday on his first day in office. 

“Executive Order number five on Chieftaincy Affairs and appointment of traditional rulers; All appointments of traditional rulers made by Osun State Government after 17th July 2022, are hereby ordered to be reviewed to ensure there was strict compliance with due process of chieftaincy declarations and native law, custom and tradition relating to such chieftaincies.

“In the case of Ikirun, Iree and Igbajo, to avoid further breakdown of law and order, the appointments of Akinrun of Ikinrun, Aree of Ire and Owa of Igbajo are hereby put on hold pending review. 

“Subsequently, the palaces of Akinrun of Ikirun, Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo should remain unoccupied, while security agencies are hereby ordered to take charge,” the statement read. 

Recall that crisis broke out following the enthronement of Olalekan Akadiri as the new monarch of Ikirun while the palace was placed under lock and key. 

The crisis led to the death of one Lukman Olatunji, who was later identified as a ‘prince’ in the troubled community.

At least four other persons reportedly sustained injuries during the crisis.

The police, who stormed the community, had forced re-open the gate of the palace to avoid more trouble among the youths who were against the choice of Mr Akadiri as monarch.  

The angry youths were displeased with the development and set a palace building on fire.

Also, at the tail-end of his administration, Mr Oyetola had installed Adegboyega Famodun as the new Owa of Igbajo in Boluwaduro local government area of the state.

Mr Famodun, until his installation, was the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state. 

The installation of Mr Famodun from the Gbeleru section of Owa Oke ruling house was sequel to the demise of his predecessor, the immediate past monarch, the late Olufemi Fasade who joined his ancestors on December 23, 2020. 

During the presentation of the Staff of Office and Instrument of Appointment to the Owa of Igbajo, Mr Oyetola described him as one of the key players in his administration. 

“As the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, the new Owa was a significant player in our Administration’s good governance model that unleashed sustainable development on Osun in general and Igbajo in particular in the past four years,” he said. 

In Iree, some kingmakers had kicked against the process that produced Raphael Ademola as the new 16th Aree of Iree in the town of Boripe local government area of Osun, 

Mr Ademola was installed by the immediate past government of Mr Oyetola on November 4, following his endorsement by the warrants chief to succeed Jimoh Olayonu, who died on July 8, 2018.

One of the kingmakers, the Aogun of Iree, Saliu Atoyebi, who spoke on behalf of the Aree-in-Council in Osogbo, had claimed they were not in support of the process that produced Mr Ademola as the new traditional ruler of the town.

Mr Atoyebi accused the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Bayo Adeleke, of imposing his preferred candidate, stressing that the Aree-in-Council were not allowed to be part of the election. 

“They have not elected any king in Iree as far as we are concerned. What they should do is bring the contestants who are princes to us (kingmakers) from the four ruling houses for us to consult the oracle,” he alleged. “All these were not done. What they claimed they did was not the proper process by which the Aree of Iree would emerge.”

In his reaction, Mr Adeleke said the kingmakers abdicated their duties, noting that three meetings were called for kingmakers to elect a new traditional ruler, for which he alleged that they refused to turn up on those occasions.

“So, due process was followed in appointing the new ruler,” he said.