Ruling House rejects new Oba of Ipokia, warns against looming crisis

Chief Obanla Oteni, the Head of Oteni Dodo ruling house in Ipokia Kingdom in Ogun State has rejected the installation of Oba  Yisa Olaniyan Adeniyi as Onipokia of Ipokia by the state government.

Oteni explained that the people of Ipokia would not allow a foreigner to be there King.

The chief told newsmen in Ipokia on Monday that when politics is brought into the custom and traditions of a people, there will definitely be resistance.

Oteni said that crisis was looming in Ipokia Kingdom as it appeared that the Ogun state government under the leadership of prince Dapo Abiodun who was a royal blood himself was  surprisingly playing politics with the Oba Ipokia Chieftaincy.

He added that the installation of  a foreigner as the Oba of Ipokia Kingdom was in total disregard to the Customs and Traditions of the Ipokia Kingdom.

“Reports in several media outlets  has it that the government of Ogun State on Wednesday, 12th of August, 2020 presented the Staff of Office to the Oba Ipokia Kingdom,  one Yisa Olaniyan Adeniyi who is not a member of the Iwaye Dodo Ruling House, whose ruling house is entitled to produce the next Oba of Ipokia Kingdom by virtue of the Oba Ipokia Chieftaincy Declaration.

“According to the Oba Ipokia Chieftaincy Declaration, 16 Kingmakers together with the Aro and Ogboni Olisa are required to participate in the selection and appointment of an Oba of Ipokia Kingdom, of which the functions the Aro and Olisa Ogboni are to play cannot be dispelled with, such that no valid selection and appointment can be made in the absence of the two positions. 

"However, in the instant case, only five Chiefs, namely: Late Chief Bolaji Ojo Ramon ( Osunba of Ipokia), Chief Dada Ogabi (Osuwo of Ipokia), Chief Fatai (Esemo of Ipokia), Chief Abdul-Ramon Okiji (Sarun of Ipokia) and Chief Adefalu Alabi (Ogalu of Ipokia) constituted themselves as Kingmakers and purportedly appointed the said Yisa Olaniyan Adeniyi as the Oba of Ipokia Kingdom, in flagrant disregard to the Customs and Traditions of the Ipokia People, as enshrined in the Oba Ipokia Chieftaincy Declaration.

“To make matters worst, the said Yisa Olaniyan Adeniyi is a foreigner to the Ipokia Kingdom. Yisa Olaniyan is the great grandson of Hunjenukan, who is the father to Akanbi Olaniyan Adelakun, who in turn, gave birth to Yisa Olaniyan. Hunjenukan is from Egun Extraction of Cotonou, now Republic of Benin, who migrated with his family to Ipokia Kingdom, and was granted stay by the then Onipokia of Ipokia Kingdom.

"Akanbi Olaniyan became a servant to the Oba Oteni Bori Otemole, acting as the drummer, whose duty it was to wake the king every morning with his drum as the "Igbe" of the Oba Ipokia.

"Expectedly, there are several actions in court challenging the selection and Appointment process of Yisa Olaniyan as the Oba of Ipokia Kingdom, of which the Ogun State government are parties.

"However, the Ogun State Government choose to disregard the judicial process, and still went ahead to present the staff of Office to the said Yisa Olaniyan Adeniyi.

When Interviewed, Prince Hakeem Bankole, the sole candidate of Oteni Bori Otemole Royal Family, which was one of the Chief Components of the larger Iwaye Dodo Bioke Ruling House, stated that he cannot comment on the matter as the High Court is now seized of the matter. Consequently, any action taken outside may be contemptuous to the powers of  the court to take complete proceedings of all the facts. 

From the facts stated above, there is clear desire to desecrate the Customs and Traditions of the Ipokia Kingdom, worst all, the Government of Ogun State, who ought to be neutral parties, are being biased. It is therefore, submitted that, the rule of law cannot strive, if the judiciary is not allowed to carry out it's judicial functions, and Government should quit playing politics with the customs and Traditions of a people, which often results into bloodbath.