By SULEIMAN SHEHU

The Laribikusi ruling House, Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government, Oyo State, has insisted that it was their turn to produce the next Eleruwa of Eruwaland, and not the Akalako ruling house.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo had on March 6, presented staff of office to Prince Adebayo Adegbola of Akalako ruling house, as the new Eleruwa of Eruwaland.

In 2011, Justice Muktar Abimbola of an Ibadan High Court had ordered Adegbola’s removal, declaring the process of his ascendancy to the Eruwa throne illegal, null and void.

The Supreme Court on Nov. 29, 2019, upheld the decisions of the High Court and Court of Appeal and affirmed that the Laribikusi royal family was next to produce the Eleruwa after the demise of the Oba Bolanle Olaniyan, who died in 1994.

In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, who announced Adegbola as the new Eleruwa, the government said that the Laribikusi ruling house was unable to submit name of their candidate, as stipulated in Section 15(1) of Chiefs Law Cap 28 of Oyo State.

Oyelade further said that the government after due consideration, used its discretion, and asked Akalako ruling house to nominate a candidate.

“And after thorough selection, the Eruwa Kingmakers, unanimously selected Adegbola,” he said.

Addressing a news conference on Wednesday in Ibadan, the Secretary of Laribikusi Ruling House, Abolade Ijaola, said that government did not give them any stipulated time to produce their candidate.

He said that the government lied against Laribikusi ruling house because of its ulterior motive, and went ahead to nominate Adegbola from Akalako ruling house, as new Eleruwa of Eruwaland.

The secretary said Akalako ruling house, produced the last Eleruwa late, Oba Bolanle Olaniyan.

Ijaola said Eruwa tradition and Eleruwa Chieftaincy Declaration of 1958, recognised two ruling houses which are Laribikusi and Akalako, and the selection of Eleruwa was rotational from amongst the two families.

“Our request is that the nomination process should be returned back to Laribikusi ruling house, and we will approach the court, if government thinks nobody can query it.

“We believe that we have the obligation to respond to a statement credited to the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, that Laribikusi ruling house was unable to present candidates within the 14 days’ notice given to them by the government. And, as a result, government had to shift the nomination proce’s, back to Akalako ruling house.

“This narrative from the government can be best described with a proverbial saying that ” If you want to hang a dog, you give that dog a bad name,” he said.

Ijaola said that after many court cases, and intrigues that followed the ascendancy to Eleruwa throne from 1995 to 2019, when the Supreme court made a final pronouncement on the matter, Laribikusi family were ready to present candidates to fill the vacant throne.

He said that the family expected government to follow the laid down procedure and call them, through the local government, to present their candidates to fill the position. (NAN)