By News Editor
A Prince of Erin-Ile town, in Kwara State, has appealed to the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazak, to halt the ongoing process for the selection of a successor to the vacant Elerin of Erin Ile stool.
Speaking to the media at the weekend, Prince Joel Omokanye, a descendant and one of the contestants said although the process of selecting and installing a King in Yoruba land is not rocket science, there is so much confusion regarding the ongoing selection process for the new Elerin, and majority of the indigenes are not happy with the process.
“As a Prince, I don’t have a role in the installation of a new King. That is the work of Afobaje (the Kingmakers) but if the process is not right or due process is not being followed, I, as native of Erin, a community leader, and a Prince I have to call on the governor to halt the process because this could lead to chaos and anarchy because the majority of us, when I say us, I mean the youth, the women, and elders are not happy with the selection process”.
Omokanye said what is happening was that the Afobaje are not even properly constituted, many of the houses are not represented, and the few in place want to impose somebody on the community.
“Why the hurry, due process must be followed,” he said adding, “If we don’t have the right people as Afobaje, how will they produce a king that will be accepted by everybody? We need not rush this process because any attempt to impose a person on the community will lead to a crisis
“That is why I am appealing to the Governor to please immediately stop the process which many claimed is already on his table. The governor should send an independent fact-finding team to Erin-Ile to conduct a thorough investigation and feel the pulse of the people. My people and I are appealing to the Governor to please halt move to impose an unpopular person as King because it will lead to crisis.”
The last Elerin of Erin-Ile, Oba Abdulganiyu Ajibola Ibrahim, died in May 2023, and about 30 princes of the town have indicated interest to succeed him.
Trouble began when, in the process of selecting the Afobaje to oversee the selection of the new Elerin, some prominent families like the Inurin and Odofin were excluded.
But the Afobajes met and settled on three candidates, whose names they forwarded to the office of the state governor.
The submission of the names of 76-year-old Jimoh Adeoye, Rauf Usman Aroyehun, and Adewale Omorinoye to the governor, for him to choose one from as the new Elerin, is now generating tension in the community. Elders and youths in the community alleged that a Special Adviser to the Kwara Governor is trying to foist Ferguson Adesoye on the community because of personal interest.
They claimed the Special Adviser’s son lives with Adesoye in Seattle, USA, so he is exploring his office and relationship with the Governor to return the favour to his friend unmindful of the implication of his action on the community.