Osun State government has said it will not reverse the sack of some traditional rulers.
Spokesperson to the governor, Olawale Rasheed gave this revelation in a statement obtained by DAILY POST on Friday in Osogbo.
The government in a White Paper made public on Thursday ordered fresh selection processes to fill the stool of Aree of Iree and Owa of Igbajo, having nullified the processes that produced them.
The government also declared the stool of Akirun of Ikirun, Oba Olalekan Akadiri vacant, calling on all parties to wait for the determination of a suit on the stool currently pending before the Court of Appeal.
Rasheed, in the statement also said the clarification became necessary following fake news purporting that the government was going back on the decisions contained in the White Paper.
“The attention of the Media Department of the Osun State Governor has been drawn to fake news about the government going back on the decisions contained in a White Paper on chieftaincy matter released yesterday.
“The purveyor of falsehood credited the factually incorrect claim to the spokesperson for the Osun State Governor.
“There is no truth in the report and it should be regarded as the handiwork of beneficiaries of illegality perpetrated by the previous administration.
“We want to reiterate that the government stands by the decision of the White Paper and urge the public to discountenance any report to the contrary. I did not at any time make or issue any statement as credited to me. The public should disregard it entirely.
“Mr Governor appreciates the warm reception of the outcome which is premised on due process, rule of law and customs and tradition of the people.”
Meanwhile, the Owa Oke-Ode Ruling Houses of Igbajo in Osun State have unanimously faulted the nullification of the selection process of Oba Adegboyega Famodun as the Owa of Igbajoland.
Their resolution was made known after an emergency meeting.
They also resolved that the order of re-selection by the state government was against the custom and tradition of Igbajo.
The resolutions signed by High Chief Adewumi Taiwo, the Babaloye Akeran of Igbajoland, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemo, Secretary to Omo Owa Oke-Ode Ruling House of Igbajo and fourteen others, said the kingmakers selected Oba Philip Adegboyega Famodun as the authentic Owa of Igbajo in November 22, 2022.
According to the resolutions: “All the due processes were followed in accordance with the Chieftaincy Law of the land, starting from the ruling houses to the kingmakers, to the local government and to the state government before the king was announced and installed.
“The tradition of installing the Owa of Igbajo cannot be reversed because the traditional rites cannot be performed twice.
“All the aggrieved princes are already challenging the emergence of Oba Philips Adegboyega Famodun in the competent court of law via suit No. HIK/1/2023. Prince Olaniyi Akande and ors Vs The Executive Governor of Osun State and Ors.
“We appealed to the government not to disturb the peace and tranquillity the town has been enjoying for years; the tradition and culture of Igbajoland are sacred and must be sustained.
“During the installation of the Owa of Igbajo, all the sons and daughters, including the non-indigenes of Igbajo trooped out for the celebration.”