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In reaction to a recent press release by Íkòyíland Vanguards, a forum claiming to consist of prominent elites and professionals who are sons and daughters of Ikoyi-Ile appealing to the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde to take a dispassionate look at the issue of filling the vacant stool of the Oníkòyí of Íkòyí-Ílé, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, some Princes from the Ruling Houses in Íkòyí-Ílé have admonished the forum to stop gaslighting the Governor.
The forum in a bid to hoodwink Governor Seyi Makinde urged him to prevail on parties to await the decisions of the court on the matter of appointment of a new Oníkòyí on the one hand while on the other hand, they are also compelling the Governor to declare their own choice as the next Oníkòyí of Íkòyí-Ílé.
For onlookers, their intentions would appear altruistic but in actual fact, it is nothing but an attempt to immorally review Íkòyí history and the eligibility of candidates to ascend the vacant Oníkòyí Stool.
In a counter statement by Prince Adeniyi Kehinde, Prince Abdulrauf Kolawole and other Princes from two of the three contending Ruling Houses, it was noted that ‘the forum which has no significant contribution to the development of Íkòyí-Ílé’ is only trying to be clever by half knowing fully well that their preferred candidate is not in anyway qualified to sit on the prestigious Onikoyi stool.
The statement reads, ‘In setting the records straight, we the Princes of Íkòyí-Ílé wish to bring to the awareness of the general public the fact that the Oníkòyí Stool has no officially gazetted declaration approved by the Oyo State Government hence, it was an error on the part of the Warrant Chiefs constituted as Kingmakers to have announced just one single person who is not even an Íkòyí Prince as their choice. This action absolutely invalidates the process by the Chiefs. One of them, the Olotefon is not even qualified to sit as a Kingmaker.
The contest for the Oníkòyí Stool is open to all eligible Princes who have shown interest in the race, have been properly nominated by their families in the presence of officials of the local government and have gone through the preliminary process. It is now left for the Governor of Oyo State to appoint the next Oníkòyí from the lot after proper scrutiny since the Warrant Chiefs erred by not doing the proper thing.
The attempt to blackmail Governor Seyi Makinde to lockdown the process in favour of the forum’s candidate is ridiculous and inappropriate to say the least.
It is important to note that the candidate being promoted by the forum is not even an Íkòyí Prince as none of his forebearers in the entire history of Íkòyí-Ílé have ever sat on the Oníkòyí Stool.
Also, there is an Oyo Government gazette that indicted their preferred candidate for abuse of office and barred him permanently from further holding any public office. Both the candidate and his sponsors are aware of this.
The Oníkòyí is a first class King and the Stool is not for questionable characters. Íkòyí-Ílé needs development and only a credible and versatile King with traceable link to the Oníkòyí Stool can bring wholesome development to the community and the entire Íkòyíland and Kingdom.
The cases in Court have no bearing on the ascension process, the forum is just pushing that narrative to box the Governor to a corner and drag the process.
The Forum cannot speak for all Íkòyí sons and daughters as we have more distinguished elites and professionals who have excelled in their various endeavors who do not share the views of the forum and who are not part of Íkòyíland Vanguards.
We urge the Governor to investigate all candidates properly before appointing the next Oníkòyí.’
