It is no more news that Ogbomoso, the second largest city in Oyo State, South West Nigeria has no Oba (monarch) at the moment.
The ancient city was founded by a warrior known as Soun Ogunlola.
Ogunlola was said to have rescued the old Oyo empire from the oppression of Elemoso.
Ogbomoso is located in the Northern part of the present Oyo State.
The city, which produced one of the former governors of the State, late Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala and a former Inspector General of Police, late Sunday Adewusi, has since December last year been without a monarch.
This was as a result of the transition of the immediate past Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungnade 111.
Oba Oyewumi joined his ancestors on December 12, 2021, at the age of 95. https://dailypost.ng/2021/12/12/soun-of-ogbomoso-joins-his-ancestors-at-95/
The monarch was a successful businessman before he ascended the throne of his forebears on October 24, 1973. He reigned for 48 years.
However, since the transition of the last occupant, the Soun of Ogbomoso stool is still vacant.
This is despite the fact that the kingmakers in Ogbomoso have screened the princes who indicated interest to ascend the throne and have since picked a nominee to ascend the throne.
DAILY POST gathered from prominent indigenes of Ogbomoso that 25 indigenes indicated interest in the throne.
It was learnt that 23 of them purchased the form, but two other people later joined the race.
A source told DAILY POST that the kingmakers have screened the applicants and have since sent the name of the choice nominee for the position to the State government for approval and announcement.
The name was submitted to the Oyo State government in March this year. However, as of the time of this report, the name has not been announced.
Findings by DAILY POST revealed that several factors may be responsible for the delay in the announcement of the new monarch.
Some of the reasons for the delay according to residents of the ancient city included family feuds, 2023 political permutations, religion and litigations.
An Ogbomoso indigene, who craved anonymity revealed that the kingmakers concluded their work on March 22, and promptly dispatched the name of the nominee to Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, through Ogbomoso North Local Government.
The source, who is very close to the palace, hinted that various reasons were responsible for the delay.
One major reason, according to him, is the feud tearing the family apart over the choice of Prince Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye as Soun nominee.
He added that political exigency in the face of 2023 general elections, rationalization of religion and court cases were also responsible for the delay in the announcement of the new monarch.
He said, “Family feuds erupting in the selection of a new monarch is not something strange, it has always been part of the process.
“If the process is repeated hundred times, it will still be dogged by crises; so hanging on to the flare-up of rancour within the family or families as the basis for the standoff by the governor is roundly untenable; it is like the arbiter, that is the voters, holding back from voting because rivals are crying blue murder over the emergence of party candidates through rancorous processes.
“Therefore, l consider the feud as a design that suits and feeds the selfishness of the powers that be. Thus, the inevitable family feud in an enterprise as selection of a new Soun is an alibi to put the process on hold indefinitely.
“Prince Ghandi Olaoye, the Soun nominee, is a Christian but there is a strong indication that a section of the Muslim community is vehemently opposed to his choice on religious ground.
“I am aware there are no less than three suits challenging the process, two from co-contestants and one from the three families of Ologolo, Oluopo and Olukan seeking to be included in the ruling families of Soun dynasty, being from the royal families too.
We don’t know what is causing the delay in the announcement of the new Soun- Areago
The Areago of Ogbomoso, High Chief Sobaloju Otolorin, while speaking with DAILY POST, noted that no one knows what is causing the delay in the announcement of the name of the new Soun.
The Areago added that the name of the nominee had been forwarded to the State Government since March this year.
The Areago spoke with DAILY POST during a telephone conversation on Tuesday.
He said that, “On 23rd of March, we submitted the name, we cannot say what is causing the delay, we don’t know why the government is yet to announce the name. We don’t know what is causing the delay.
“We sent one name, you know when two people are contesting, one person will win and they will write the result on it.
“23 people collected the form and two more people joined making it 25”.
Effort made by DAILY POST to get a reaction from the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Taiwo Adisa since Tuesday proved abortive as calls put through his phone were not answered, while an SMS sent to him has not been replied as of the time of filing this report on Wednesday.
But, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, when contacted on Tuesday, said that he was just posted to the office.
He said that he would check the files and get back to our reporter.
“I have to check. I have just been posted to that ministry. I have just been posted there. I have to check and get back to you.
“You can call me back tomorrow if you did not get a response from me or you just send a message,” he said.
However, subsequent effort made to get further comment from Olaleye proved abortive as calls put through his phone on Wednesday were not answered, while SMS sent to him has not been replied as of the time of filing this report.
