OSUN Govt accused of selling traditional titles to highest bidders in Ikirun community

VOICE AIR MEDIA News Update

THE ruling houses of Sooko of Ita Akun, Ikire Chieftaincy has accused the Osun Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs of selling traditional title to highest bidders by smuggling a ruling house, Molaja into the existing ones.

Speaking on behalf of the four ruling houses, Chief Dairo Adeoye of Ademuyiwa Ruling house disclosed this during a press briefing in Osogbo on Monday. Adeoye listed the four ruling houses as Ademuyiwa, Falade, Metiku, Atere, stating that molaja was never part of the ruling houses .

“There are four ruling houses of , Sooko Awodeyi chieftaincy family , Ita Akun, Ikire and the four ruling houses are ADEMUYIWA, FALADE, METIKU AND ATERE.

The Sooko of Ita Akun chieftaincy is exclusive to these four ruling houses and only their member can be made Chief Sooko of Ita Akun”, he explained.

“The four ruling houses of Sooko Awodeyi vehemently fought and resisted this declaration which led to the setting up of the J.B Abegunde commission of inquiry to look Into the matter.

“The report of the inquiry was as follows: That there are four ruling houses for the Sooko of ikire chieftaincy, That their identities are Ademuyiwa, Falade, Metiku and Atere, That the Momimi ruling house who’s member allegedly reigned about 200 years ago is too remote and is therefore affected by section 4(4) of the chiefs Law, cap. 19; That Molaja house is not a ruling house for the purpose of the chieftaincy”

“The traditional rulers have discovered that the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs has approved the installation of Morufu Fabowale as the new Sooko of Ita Akun, which comes from Molaja ruling house and it isn’t among the four ruling houses in Ita Akun”.

The ruling houses have called on the Osun State Government to look into the matter. They stated that the blatant refusal to follow customs and tradition by the ministry and the usurpation of the powers of various prescribed authorities by surreptitiously upgrading minor chieftaincies to recognised chieftaincies in favour of strangers across the state will only spell doom for the traditional institutions of the state and create crisis and desecrate the traditional authorities of our revered royal fathers.

“The actions of the chieftaincy department of the ministry of Local Government and chieftaincy Affairs will plunge Osun State into avoidable crisis if the open bazaar and hawking of chieftaincy titles going on there now are not halted.

“The Osun State Government should revert the appointment of Morufu Fabowale as Sooko Ita-Akun and the traditional rulers should be informed before any appointment was made.

The Government should also create a committee to sensitise the Ministry before they sell out traditional institutions to highest bidders.