By Our Correspondent
An Owu Prince and contender to the vacant stool of Olowu of Owu Kingdom in Abeokuta North, Ogun State, Prince Sunday Aremu Adelanwa, has appealed to the kingdom's kingmakers to adhere to the cherished age-long tradition of selecting an Oba in Yorubaland in respect of the next Olowu.
The stool became vacant late last year - December 12, 2021, with Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu joining his ancestors at the age of 89 after 16 years reign.
Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu hailed from Amororo ruling family, Totoro Owu, Abeokuta.
Owu Kingdom is traditionally ruled by Princes carefully selected from six ruling houses - Amororo, Otileta, Ayoloye, Akinjobi, Akinoso and Lagbedu
"Who becomes the next Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Abeokuta ? When will the person emerge ? These are few of the questions still agitating the minds of sons and daughters of Owuland and their friends".
The stool became vacant late last year - December 12, 2021, with Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu joining his ancestors at the age of 89 after 16 years reign.
Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu hailed from Amororo ruling family, Totoro Owu, Abeokuta.
Owu Kingdom is traditionally ruled by Princes carefully selected from six ruling houses - Amororo, Otileta, Ayoloye, Akinjobi, Akinoso and Lagbedu
"Who becomes the next Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Abeokuta ? When will the person emerge ? These are few of the questions still agitating the minds of sons and daughters of Owuland and their friends".
Meanwhile, Otileta ruling house is the one to produce the next Olowu of Owu kingdom and the search for a successor - Olowu within the Otileta Royal House has commenced already in earnest with over a dozen princes that had signified interest in the stool from the ruling families pruned to a manageable number of 7 contestants.
Apart from the Oracle and Owu kingmakers, other critical stateholders whose inputs in form of advisory may be required in arriving at the choice of who becomes the next Olowu are the Owu High Chiefs, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is the Balogun Owu.
The head of kingmakers for Olowu stool, Chief Isola Akinsipo had about eight weeks ago, disclosed that after the 'Celebration of Life' of the demised monarch, Oba Dosunmu, a process of selecting the next Olowu would begin.
According to one of the contenders, the process appeared to be fraught with controversy over the nomination of a particular prince by the kingmakers to the State Government for the revered throne.
Prince Sunday Adelanwa, who claimed to unsatisfied with the process, is appealing to the kingmakers to review as well as reverse the method and make it comply with tradition.
Our reporter gathered that former President Obasanjo and Kingmakers of the Owu kingdom had screened seven princes vying for the Olowu of Owu stool.
Obasanjo, who is the Balogun of the Owu kingdom led other Kingmakers in the statutory selection process, which lasted for about seven hours on Wednesday, March 30.
They have however forwarded the list of the elected candidates to the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for approval and announcement of the new Olowu.
Apart from the Oracle and Owu kingmakers, other critical stateholders whose inputs in form of advisory may be required in arriving at the choice of who becomes the next Olowu are the Owu High Chiefs, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is the Balogun Owu.
The head of kingmakers for Olowu stool, Chief Isola Akinsipo had about eight weeks ago, disclosed that after the 'Celebration of Life' of the demised monarch, Oba Dosunmu, a process of selecting the next Olowu would begin.
According to one of the contenders, the process appeared to be fraught with controversy over the nomination of a particular prince by the kingmakers to the State Government for the revered throne.
Prince Sunday Adelanwa, who claimed to unsatisfied with the process, is appealing to the kingmakers to review as well as reverse the method and make it comply with tradition.
Our reporter gathered that former President Obasanjo and Kingmakers of the Owu kingdom had screened seven princes vying for the Olowu of Owu stool.
Obasanjo, who is the Balogun of the Owu kingdom led other Kingmakers in the statutory selection process, which lasted for about seven hours on Wednesday, March 30.
They have however forwarded the list of the elected candidates to the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, for approval and announcement of the new Olowu.
Seven of the princes were, however, cleared and nominated on March 10, including an Archbishop of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Adegbemi Adewale from Ile Aderinoye.
Other candidates nominated along with Adewale are Princes Adelani Oladimeji from Ile Omo’le Efon; Matemilola Adelola from Ile Soke, Olatidoye Olaniyi from Soke, Princes Adeyanju Bakinson from Ile Otopo; Simeon Soyele from Ile Lumosa and Adesina Adelani from Ile Soke.
But reacting to the development, Adelanwa specifically appealed to Baba Obasanjo, who is the head of the Owu Kingmakers to place high premium on tradition over how the next Olowu would emerge by allowing the outcome of the consultations with the Yoruba deities to prevail on the process of enthroning the next Olowu.
Adelanwa, in an interview with newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, alleged that the entire selection process reeks of irregularities, particularly when customs and traditions which hitherto, is the main determinant on the choice of an Oba, was sidelined.
While alleging irregularities in the selection process, Adelanwa further explained that a particular prince, was at the onset, a member of the selection team for the next Olowu stool only for him to make hasty afterthought - driven detour to put himself forward as a contestant to the stool.
Adelanwa alleged that the prince's initial membership of the selection team, had ultimately coloured the choice of the Owu kingmakers.
Adelanwa said the selection process, was a violation of the laid down procedures for the selection of anyone that should occupy the throne as the next Olowu of Owu Kingdom.
He therefore, appealed to Obasanjo to use his position as Balogun Owu and the head of the kingmakers of Owu Kingdom to completely reverse the process that led to the nomination presented to the state government.
He warned that failure to respect tradition in the choice of an Olowu of Owu Abeokuta Kingdom would set a bad precedence for posterity in the kingdom.
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