Akala plans to dethrone Alaafin of Oyo
• Ooni, Arisekola battle to save embattled royal father

By SEYI KAYODE

THINGS have fallen apart between Oyo State Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, Iku Baba Yeye.

National Daily sources disclosed that as a result of the intractable bickering, the Alaafin may be dethroned by the embattled governor in an action meant to stamp his authority as the one vested with overriding Administrative authority in the state.

Informed sources revealed that in preparation to implement his intention to de-stool the pre-eminent first class traditional ruler, Alao Akala has allegedly ordered the compilation of what he termed as Oba Adeyemi's misconducts.

The constitution empowers the government to remove any erring traditional ruler from the throne based on clearly established misconduct. Alao Akala's alleged plan to unseat Oba Adeyemi was said to have been motivated by his desperation to secure a second term in office against strong opposition mounted by the Alaafin who sources said preferred one of the governor's rival.

Sources disclosed that Governor Alao Akala initially wanted to remove the Alaafin as the permanent Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Traditional Rulers, but discarded the idea because he thought such a decision will not clinically resolve the Alaafin problem, he is however, convinced that his purpose will be achieved if he dethrones Oba Adeyemi as the Alaafin of Oyo Kingdom.

“The governor's intention is to remove Alaafin from position of influence before he can do irreparable damage to his second term ambition,” an informed source said.

Governor Akala has been having a running battle with some influential politicians and leaders of thought in the State as a result of perceived abhorable style of Administration and his obsession with tenure extension.
“He wants to retain his office at all cost in 2011that is why he is behaving like a bulldozer, determined to crush every obstacle on his way even those who mean well for him.” One of our sources said.

National Daily sources disclosed that in Oyo State today, the fear of Alao Akala is the beginning of wisdom as he has allegedly cowed most of his critics including erstwhile Action Congress, AC, governorship candidate in the State, Professor Taoheed Ladoja who currently serves as a commissioner in his cabinet.
Sources further revealed that as a self-preservation tactics, more citizens of Oyo State a lining up behind the governor whose capacity for vengeance is said to be legendary.

“Alao Akala's ultimate ambition is to succeed the late Lamidi Adedibu as the new strongman of Ibadan politics. You know, he was an erudite student of Adedibu's school of politics. He learnt all the tricks of the game: how to court the naïve masses, with cash and other material things. His famous master also taught him fearsome act of intimidation and violence” our source said.

Among those who have allegedly succumbed to the carrot and stick method of the Oyo State helmsman is Kolapo Ishola, his predecessor in office who openly endorsed his ambition for a second term in office.
The swash-buckling governor is said to be miffed that the Alaafin refused to endorse his ambition despite being retained as the permanent chairman of the Oyo State Council of Traditional Rulers.

Sources said Akala was desperate to secure the Alaafin's endorsement of his re-election bid.
Sources said at first he courted him by seeking his opinion on government policies and actions before they are announced publicly or implemented.

“Alaafin was a regular visitor to the government house at Agodi and always invited as a special guest during state function. The governor on the other hand made courtesy visits to the Alaafin's palace in Oyo.” A knowledgeable source said adding:

“What Alao Akala failed to know is that Oba Adeyemi is very intelligent and independent minded. He has the capacity to match the governor in the art of political intrigues.”

Sources disclosed that when the governor finally mustered the courage to discuss his ambition with the Oyo State pre-eminent monarch he was shocked to his marrows that his Royal majesty asked for time to think about his request for his blessing.

Governor Akala sources said, intensified pressure to break Alaafin's vacillating predisposition but he allegedly remained recalcitrant. This infuriated the governor who then decided to deal with him.
National Daily learned that the Akala and Alaafin feud is rooted in the monarch's displeasure over the governor's earlier attempt to remove him as the permanent chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas.

The Alaafin according to sources perceived this as evidence that the governor does not respect his revered institution and therefore wanted to humiliate him, by making the headship of the Oba council rotational.
Oba Adeyemi was also angered by the governor's decision to pitch tent with some traditional rulers in the State who were fond of challenging his supremacy.

“Some Obas in Oyo State are vehemently opposed to the appointment of Alaafin as the permanent chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council. They want the office to be made rotational to curtail the Alaafin's excessive powers.” Our source said.

Informed sources disclosed that Alao Akala's plan to dethrone Oba Lamidi Adeyemi suffered a serious setback when some Oyo town indigenes working at a strategic government office revealed the plan to the Alaafin after one of them allegedly stumbled on a document on Oba Adeyemi's alleged misconduct and recommendation for disciplinary procedures.

“The Oyo town indigenes were shocked when they saw the document. They secretly made a photocopy and took it to the Oba.” Our source said.

Governor Akala was disenchanted when he learned that the document on Alaafin's alleged misconduct has been leaked to the monarch. In a swift reaction he ordered the dismissal of about thirty-six Oyo town indigenes employed in the State security and printing company.

National Daily sources disclosed that soon as he received the expository vital document, Alaafin summoned an emergency meeting of Oyo High Chiefs where the matter was thoroughly deliberated upon. The Alaafin was mandated to reach out to other influential and friendly Obas in Yorubaland, religious leaders and contacts in the presidency.

Sources said that Ooni of Ife Oba Okuade Sijuade and the Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola were among those visited by Oba Lamidi Adeyemi's emissaries.

Another group of emissaries was said to have succeeded in debriefing a top rank federal government official who promised to set up a meeting between the Alaafin and President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. It could not be confirmed at press time if the meeting has been held.

However, sources revealed that the Ooni and Arisekola Alao waded into the dispute immediately they were informed in order to nip it in the bud.

“I am aware that the governor is now under severe pressure not to carry out his plan. Ooni and Arisekola are worried about the development, both of them are working hard to resolve the matter and reconcile the governor and Alaafin” an informed source said.

But some sources close to the Oyo State governor are still beating the drums of war. They swore that it is not yet Uhuru for Alaafin whom they accuse of arrogance and disrespect to higher authority.
“The governor is just bidding his time before he makes his final move. Oba Adeyemi must go unless he retraces his step and openly give his support to the higher authority” one of the inside sources said.

Alaafin stirred controversy recently with the installation of Chief Afe Babalola as Bamofin of Yoruba land and Chief (Mrs.) Alaba Lawson as Iyalode of Yorubaland. Many queried why Alaafin would unilaterally confer such sweeping titles on anybody. The Iyalode case was seen as a crude assault on the Alake who had sacked Lawson as the Iyalode of Egbaland. Alaafin used to command authority over the entire Yoruba land and even beyond but he is now restricted to Oyo State, and increasingly to Oyo town, and probably a section of the town. How did this come to be?

Is it the culture or history for the Alaafin to ride in siren blaring state of the art cars, where are the horses and the slaves or abobakus (those who must die with the king); will Oba Adeyemi be on the throne today if the tradition of compelling the Aremos (the king's first son) to die with their fathers had not been abolished?, why did we end the evil of slave trade or the killing of twins; where is it in our cherished custom or history for the Alaafin to run to the law courts for cover, where he will also pay homage to the judge as my lord, what about his own court where he sits as the supreme judge? The modern court can even order an oba to abdicate the throne without the opening or closing of any calabash.

Indeed the mediatory and advisory roles of traditional rulers have come in handy in certain crucial situations. However, is it still kabiyesi (that the king's acts are unquestionable) as usual? Today, how many people will simply keep quiet if an oba should gb'ese le (take over) their belongings? The traditional rulers were holding sway when the white men came to this plan as missionaries, traders (especially slave traders), and finally as our colonial rulers. The coming of the white man via the sea and to some extent, the advent of the Arabs via the north, was the beginning of the end for most of our customs and our traditional institutions. When they left the scene at independence, sovereign power did not return to traditional rulers as we had already imbibed their own system of governance. No one is blaming our pre-Nigeria traditional rulers for allowing the white man to take over; they were ill prepared and equipped for it.

This trend of royal rumblings is also on course in the Gateway state but with the intervention of Governor Gbenga Daniel, it appears that a Daniel has come to judgment. In the Sunday Tribune of 28 May 2000, the royal trio of Oba Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso (Osile Oke Ona Egba, formerly Oloko of Oko [Abeokuta]), Late Oba Olawale Adisa Odeleye (Olowu of Owu Abeokuta), and Oba Alidu Laloko Sobekun (Agura of Gbagura, formerly the Alagura of Agura) signed an advertorial where they ran a detailed analysis to counter the claims of Oba Sikiru Adetona (Awujale of Ijebuland) which was published in the Punch of 04 April 2000. The protests and arguments of the trio were also not unconnected with the Egba crisis of who is the paramount or supreme oba in Egbaland between them and the Alake of Egbaland.

The Awujale was quoted to have declared that he was superior to the Osile, Agura, and Olowu. They found Awujale's statement contradictory to his earlier stance in the Guardian of 25 March 2000, where the Awujale had said among other things, "Any attempt to create a traditional rulers forum at the national level would end in chaos. It is not possible for say, an Emir from the north to be head over Awujale and vice versa. For me, I will not take that from anybody." Awujale said further that he preferred a situation where everybody would reign in his domain.
The royal trio also stated that there are four sectional obas in Egbaland - origun merin l'egba ni. They explained further that due to inter tribal wars between 1830 and 1834, they came together as four sovereign individual crowns from Oduduwa to form Abeokuta. They then jointly secured and run the territory of Egbaland as a federation in a cooperative way. They also averred that the Alake clandestinely and perfidiously schemed himself to be imposed by the colonial administration as the head of Egbaland in 1938. Alake later manipulated and monopolized the government of Egbaland for himself alone. They stated that their predecessors and ancestors had always fought against the imposition, sometimes paying with their lives. This is what their Oke Ogun counterparts have failed to do. Oba Tejuoso confirmed this when he was promoted last year as a first class oba that he has achieved what his predecessors had been clamouring for over 100 years.

The trio cited the Colony of Lagos Gazette of 24 February 1903 to puncture Awujale's claim of superiority. In the said Gazette, the Ooni of Ife, Olubuse I gave evidence of the distribution of the 21 beaded crowns that were given by the house of Oduduwa. The list included Osile, Agura, Olowu, Alake, and Awujale, with this they declared Awujale's alleged superiority over them as only existing in his imagination. The trio also observed that the Awujale settled in Ijebu division while Akarigbo settled in Remo division, but none settled in Egbado division. Yet government promoted the Olu of Ilaro, who was not on the 1903 Gazette list, from Egbado division as a 1st class oba and co-chairman of the Ogun State Council of Obas alongside Alake, Awujale, and Akarigbo. They wondered why Awujale didn't protest against the elevation of the Olu of Ilaro to his equal in the council. They reminded Awujale that he and the Akarigbo of Remoland were not paramount rulers until the Ijebu and Remo divisions were carved out of Abeokuta province. The three royal comrades have however been promoted to the status of a first class oba on 19 August 2004 alongside 18 others.

In the old Oyo state, while Ooni was the Chairman of the Council of Obas, Alaafin was only struggling for the chairmanship by the sidelines. Now that Ooni's suzerainty has been limited to Osun State, he cannot extend it to Oyo State. Why then should Alaafin extend his own suzerainty to Oke Ogun? It is arguable that Ooni cannot due to state differences, then, Alaafin too cannot due to local government differences. Alaafin has just three local governments to contend with in Oyo town, how do we expect Olubadan with 11, Ogbomosho with four and Oke Ogun with 10 local governments to be subjected to Alaafin? Even in Osun State, it is not a bed of roses for Ooni. At the height of the impasse between him and the Owa Obokun, the latter wrote a letter to Ooni wherein he stated that "Perhaps, you need to appreciate the fact that I, as the Owa-Obokun of Ijesaland, can never be a satellite to the Ooni of Ile-Ife."

Lol. These pathetically confused Yoruba people are finished.

On the road to destruction, people must do tins dey cant handle.
Pharao did, and end up in d RED sea.
lets see wear dis will END.

I think Alaafin will now appreciate ooni's efforts as his father and stop being pushed against his father on political acrimony. If all Yoruba Obas should know and acknowledge Ooni of Ife as Oduduwa, their father, Alaafin MUST learn to respect and submit. To be frank we would urge the governor to pardon the Stool.