Ruling houses of Amuwo Odofin land in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria rose from an enlarged meeting on Sunday to reaffirm their support for the Oba-elect Adewusi Kazeem Olawale who had earlier been chosen by the oracle to ascend to the throne of Alamuwo of Amuwo Odofin Land.
The meeting held Sunday afternoon at the Amuwo Odofin Family Town Hall was attended by the elders and members of the five ruling houses that are officially and traditionally recognized in Amuwo Odofin land.
The ruling houses include in order of seniority Ija-Oye ruling house, Idewu ruling house, Omo-Ola ruling house, Amogun ruling house and Erogun ruling.
After the meeting, a press conference was held to alert the world and put the record straight that on no account should anyone be parading himself as the Oba-elect of Amuwo Odofin land outside who the oracle had chosen on 1 September 2022.
On that fateful day, it was gathered that the Ifa, chose Adewusi Kazeem Olawale from Taiwo-Erogun ruling house in the presence of all custodians of Ifa in Amuwo Odofin.
Olawale, it was further learnt, is a descendant of a son of Taiwo-Erogun ruling house.
However, a new twist was brought in to the race of who become the Alamuwo of Amuwo Odofin land when another candidate, Tayo Toyin (Adewusi) who had initially accepted the verdict of the oracle only to turn around and now be claiming that he was the one that the Oracle has chosen.
Tayo Toyin was said to have gone to the town to announce himself as the Oba-elect with the authority of an alleged impostor of a woman named Alhaja Mosunmola Roqibat Azeez, a self-acclaimed family head of Taiwo-Erogun ruling house.
All the attendees at the meeting held on Sunday unanimously denounced and condemned the action of Tayo Toyin for bringing the Alamuwo of Amuwo Odofin Kingship race to disrepute. They also warned Alhaja Mosunmola Roqibat Azeez for not parading herself as the family head, while informing members of the public, including the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Council as well as the Government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu not to recognize anyone except the person the Oracle has chosen for the throne in person of the Oba-elect Adewusi Kazeem Olawale.
Speakers at the press conference included Alhaja Monsurat Adunni Adebisi, the eldest in Taiwo ruling house family, who disclosed that Alhaja Mosunmola Roqibat Azeez is an impostor and doesn’t have the authority to declare Tayo Toyin the Oba-elect.
Alhaji (Chief) Monsuru Ayinla, the Asiwaju of Amuwo Odofin land said that the Oba-elect of Alamuwo of Amuwo Odofin land could not be proclaimed on an alien land when there is traditional ground within Amuwo Odofin where such proclamation should take place.
“We were told that Tayo Toyin was proclaim as the Oba-elect on Lagos Island, which was a taboo in the tradition of Amuwo Odofin land. With that singular action, we want to say categorically that Tayo Toyin is not our Oba-elect, we are not in support of whatever declaration he had made to the public.
“This is unacceptable, we stand with Adewusi Kazeem Olawale who the oracle has chosen for us,” Alhaji Ayinla said.
Alhaja (Chief) Kashimawo Ajiwe, the Iyalode Tolu, who is also the Assistant Secretary of Amuwo Odofin land, insisted that it is only the candidate the families present to the authority of the local council that must be recognized, adding that the traditional process that picked Adewusi Kazeem Olawale was free, fair and transparent.
To Alhaja (Chief) Abimbola Afolabi-Brown, the Yeye Oba Kuje and the Iyalaje of Amuwo Odofin land, those supporting Tayo Toyin and the impostors must realise that what they are doing today has consequences for tomorrow, adding that as old as she is, she can’t wait to see a new Alamuwo of Amuwo Odofin land to break the no king century-long jinx in the land.
“I believe in the supremacy of Ifa and the choice of the oracle Adewusi Kazeem Olawale must be respected by all,” she said.
In his own remarks at the press conference, Adewusi Kazeem Olawale, who is the Oba-elect of Alamuwo of Amuwo Odofin land, he said there supposed not to be a rancour or any crisis because on 1 September 2022, Ifa has spoken in the presence of the heads of the families and other notable priests.
“For me, there is no crisis because we are from this Amuwo Odofin land and the love for our land must be paramount in our hearts. If there is any warring faction at all, they must join hands with me for us to move Amuwo Odofin land forward. We must not allow our selfish interest to hinder the progress of our land. Amuwo Odofin land needs progress and modern development. Our generation must get it right for the future of this land to be prosper,” the Oba-elect said.
