Setting the records straight
By Alhaji Bashiru Saminu
I wouldn’t have wanted to give a reaction to the above piece, but for posterity. The most pertinent questions here are: Where was this writer and other selfish agitators when the chiefs and king makers requested the Ajanaku Royal Family (ARF) to present/nominate candidates for the stool? Where were they when the chiefs and king makers picked one of the candidates presented by ARF. Or was this same historian not alive then?
I also would have contested his fictitious/distorted history, but that may not be relevant as he was unable to mention the names of the children of Ajede, especially from the lineages of Oreshemowo and Akinniwa that were kings before the last century. Neither was he able to mention the king that was on the throne when Sookun came to Ijede. Thus, his rendition of history is, at best, a story!
An important consideration of the history of Yorubaland is that of displacement of people from their original locations to their known settlements now, especially after the Yoruba Civil wars. Ask our historian to give us the origin of Ajede or did he (Ajede) spring up from the ground at Ijede. Did he not migrate from somewhere? So, what stops other migrants from occupying the stool if the government gazette recognises them.
I recall that my forefather, Balogun Odunbaku, a migrant from Abeokuta, rescued Ijede from being overrun when one of its neighbours waged a war against her and had the opportunity of making himself the king had he been covertious as some are now. Of course, nothing would have happened had he done that as the most powerful person in town then. After all, isn’t might is right one of the most pronounced political theories? Yet, he was not sired by Ajede.
Come to think of it, even if the stories were correct, will Ijede be the first place where migrants aside earlier/ first settlers would be king. Of course not! The most annoying part of this treachery is those people who participated in picking one of the candidates that have now fraternised with the agitators of “ARF can not be king.” Would they have supported the gangsters if their preferred candidate had won the court suit? A question begging for an answer!
Personally, I see all these as mere gang up and a high level of conspiracy. Funny enough, most of us are believers who mouth the sacrosanct fact that whatever Almighty God ordains, none can truncate. We all know the end of such people who thought otherwise in the religious books.
I’ll only implore those dissatisfied individuals and groups within and outside the community to see Prince Kazeem Adetoro Amusa’s emergence as purely God at work. We should ask ourselves who Adegbola Amusa family is, for Prince Kazeem Adetoro Amusa to have won against a respected politician in the ilk of Hon. Hassan.
Remember that between March 2024, when the court delivered its judgment, and now, a lot of moves were made to truncate prince Adetoro’s installation. First was the Shokun family, followed by various unnecessary and unwarranted cases that can best be described as abuse of court processes. They’ve all been futile. What power or influence has the Adegbola family got that Prince Kazeem Adetoro Amusa got the approval of the State Executive Council (SEC) as the next Oloja of Ijede. Can’t we see the hand of God in it?
Don’t allow your desperation to becloud your rational thinking to the extent of insulting the government of the state. The government is not imposing an Oba on us but rather following due process. The state has legal gurus with a sound Attorney General. Thank God we don’t have people like you in charge.
In summary, Oba Fatai Oresanya died. End of an era. Requesting the next ruling house to present/nominate candidates is the beginning of a process leading to a new era. You don’t change a goal post in the middle of a football match. The process must be followed to a logical conclusion. What on earth would stop the state government from completing the process. All your efforts to get a court injuction through the back doors failed. The same declaration you and your cohorts are now condemning was used by the last two Obas. Why now?
APPEAL/ADVISE
TO THE “OMO OKOs” – IJEDE’S TRUE SONS AND DAUGHTERS
Let all the true sons and daughters of Ijede who truly love the community come and reason together. We are indeed backward. Let’s salvage the town from selfish people. Let the process continue. Let us have a king. All the court suits can continue. If, eventually, Ajanaku Royal Family is not entitled to the stool, so be it. The king installed will not be the first to be removed if the court / inquires say so.
LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT
Your excellency and your rational, fair, and hard-working team should stay on the side of justice and fairness. Please help to complete the good work. Our ancestors will forever be grateful to you.
Your Excellency, sir, you need to see how people were happy after the court judgment last year. The community was agog at the news that approval was granted by the State Executive Council. Social media is not left out of the mass jubilation. He is indeed ILUFEMILOYE . All information that Ijede was on fire is an orchestrated misinformation by the gangsters and high-level conspiracy to truncate the process.
Hon. ADEFARASIN HASSAN.
You are indeed an elder statesman. Your singular act of not appealing the court judgment really shows your commitment to the progress of the community. I am sure our ancestors and the entire true sons and daughters of Ijede are ever grateful.
Please, don’t allow anybody to make you believe that if the case should be consolidated back and fresh trials commence, you will be installed as the king. They already vowed not to allow ARF to get to the throne. You will only be used to achieving their selfish agenda and then being discarded.
OUR AMBASSADORS AND REPRESENTATIVES IN GOVERNMENT CORRIDOR
This is a Clarion call to the sons and daughters at management levels in the state, our political leaders, the LCDA chairperson, our House of Assembly member, MHR and our Distinguished Senator to release Ijede from those holding her by the jugular.
OUR ROYAL FATHERS IN THE DIVISION.
The true sons and daughters who are really committed to the progress and welfare of Ijede are grateful. All your individual and collective efforts are appreciated.
Please keep supporting us to achieve having the struggle. Eyin jiwin jiwin ileke, a kii dupe lowo alaseku, Ori Ade a tiyin lehin, E o ni se aseti
THOSE MISLED.
Those people who fell for the antics of the conspirators, through various fictitious means and misinformation (stories called history), return to reasonable path justice to prevail.
TO YOU ON THE OTHER LANE.
It’s never too late to retrace/retract your footsteps if truly you love this community and your agitation is not selfish.
Thank you all.
Alhaji Bashiru Saminu, MMP, FCNA, writes from Ijede
