Ibese Obaship: Kingmakers Backs Mulero Emergence, Says It Follows Due Process

The Chairman of Kingmakers, and Somofe of Ibese Land, Chief Tajudeen Aremu Adewuyi has debunked some media reports on the emergency of Prince Rotimi Mulero as the Oba Elect of the community, saying the the process was democratic, void of imposition from any quarters.

Chief Adewuyi said he decided to clear the air on the heel of a protest by some "disgruntled" few, adding that the process of installing a substantive king in the community is already with the state government.

Flanked by the family heads of the two ruling houses, Pa. Nasir Oniyide from the Oloko family, and Alhaji Sulaimon Oladitan from the Alangbo family, other kingmakers, and some Chiefs, he narrated that Prince Mulero's emergence was through a voting system, when the family could not come up with a consensus candidate.

"Ordinarily, it is the family that decides who they want to be their king. Our job as kingmakers is to formalized the process. But when they couldn't come up with a consensus candidate, we as kingmakers had to vote on their shortlisted candidates.

"The family presented six of them, two withdrew. That their spokesman, Hakeem Idowu was also a contestant, he had to withdraw because the first meeting i called he was the person telling me that almost 27 of them at Sagamu that they are going to choose from why should I just call 3 or 4 people that they are the only one that the family should present.

"I said okay, I threw it open to them that was when he registered his own name.

So, they were 6, later 2 withdrew and they were four, and I told them, step down for each other, go and settle this thing it’s a family matter.

"They went, but none of them could step down so they have to go and meet the Local Government Chairman. They called them for peace meeting again. It was when they couldn't resolve it, that they wrote us as kingmakers to come and do our job.

"We got there, and we did the right thing. We scrutinized them, and went into voting where only one person can definitely emerge.

"They that are saying that it was a kangaroo election, they had one vote o!. Even the people who had no vote didn't protest. So, there was no imposition whatsoever in the whole process", he added.

Recall that while addressing the protesters, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Afolabi Afuape had called for peace in the community, saying the the government is doing all within the chieftaincy law to settle all issues in the community.

He added that, " protest is part of the way to show your grievances but I would have appreciated you more if you have sent a delegation letter to me , we are here to resolve crisis, we are here to put record straight and we are here to do justice. 

"I am sure we have 4 kingmakers and three on one side and one on the other side and we can not make someone a king without support of the kingmakers.

"The kingmakers only have the right to chose a king also the family also has the right to present candidates. We need to go back to the drawing board and bring everybody together, go and do things that will unite you more” he noted.