Oyo State government, a word of caution on Alado of Ado-Awaye’s appointment

Ado-Awaye in Iseyin local government area of Oyo State in Oke-Ogun axis is a town whose oba’s stool has been vacant without a substantive ruler since the demise of late Oba Olakisokun Ayisa who died on March 12, 1983. Till date, the town has not had a ruler due to some so called, ‘irreconcilable acrimonies […]

Ado-Awaye in Iseyin local government area of Oyo State in Oke-Ogun axis is a town whose oba’s stool has been vacant without a substantive ruler since the demise of late Oba Olakisokun Ayisa who died on March 12, 1983. Till date, the town has not had a ruler due to some so called, ‘irreconcilable acrimonies or differences’ among the candidates from the ruling house of Maku, whose turn it is to present a candidate. Several attempts have been made in the last 27years to pave the way for the emergence of a ruler but to no avail.

Before I go on, there is need to give a brief history of Ado-Awaye as regardsthe arrangement among the ruling houses that administered the town when it was on the hill. The town, Ado-Awaye, was initially located on the imposing hill called, Oke-Ado where the son of the then reigning Alafin of Oyo called, Obakoyi, founded it. Before Oba Olaogun who moved the town from the mountains to the centrally located valley ascended the throne, people knew whose turn it is to present a candidate as they all supported the rotational system. Among Obakoyi‘s children emerged ruling houses who were rotating ascension on the throne among themselves. The Alados that had ruled the town on the hill, according to history include, Maku, Olusosun and Oladunni, who eventually maintained the rotational system.   Oladunni was the last Alado who ruled the town on the hill before the emergence of Oba Olaogun. The latter took over the throne briefly and began his reign before they decided to move down to the valley in 1876.

According to the story told of the town which can be corroborated by the king makers [Aro, Asaoye, Aselu Balogun and others], the elders and the bonafide sons and daughters of the town including those who have been manipulating and twisting history in order to favour them at all cost. History again has it that an oracle was consulted for the implications and the future prospects of moving the town down the hill. Oba Olaogun and his people were told point blank that, if it becomes necessary for them to move down to the valley, there is a price to pay.

The prime price according to Ado-Awaye’s history was that, Oba Olaogun will not reign more than three years on the land and he agreed that he preferred to move his people to a plain land for the expansion and convenience of his people. Olaogun moved the town down to its present location. It is this same hill that harbour the popular ‘Iyake’ suspended lake. Olaogun actually reigned for only three years on the ground from 1876 to 1879 as it was predicted and died. After his death, Oba Akindele from the lineage of the last Oba Oladunni who reigned and died on the hill, ascended the throne of Alado stool.  Since then till date, this is the only ruling house that has been producing the Oba of the town contrary to the existing arrangement of ascension to the throne by rotation among the ruling houses. What this ruling house is attempting to do is to split the same ruling house into units which was vehemently opposed to by all other existing ruling lineages. The idea was, if they succeed, the following ruling houses: Maku, Olusosun and Olaogun royal families as it was in the history of the town, will be denied the right to produce an Oba and they alone will continue to produce kings. This is the position of things presently which has made it difficult for the people to have a ruler in the last 27-years and other ruling houses went to court.

From the same Oladunni ruling house, Obas Akindele, Oyedokun, Ojeleye and the immediate past Oba Olakisokun Ayisa, emerged in a quick succession. So, when the latter [Olakisokun] died, other ruling houses took up the matter to the government in 1983 in order to revert back to what was in the history of the town as far as enthronement of the new Oba is concerned. To avoid chaos in the town, the then military government in Oyo state in 1984, waded into the matter and resolved the issue of throne ascension amicably without creating enmity, tension and unnecessary disunity in the town.

The declaration of the government of Oyo state on the appointment of Alado of Ado-Awaye as it was agreed upon by the ruling houses then was that, the rotational arrangement over the enthronement of Alado of Ado-Awaye stool be maintained without manipulation and imposition of any candidate on the town. From one ruling house, the next on the line knows it is their turn to produce the next king without any interference and contestation from other ruling houses. It is self-centeredness of those who want to manipulate the history that delayed the enthronement of a new king till today in Ado-Awaye. The point here is that, Oyo State government cannot just wake up today and for whatever considerations best know to it, want to foist and impose a candidate on the people. It is not a matter of I known Mr A or B, but a matter of following peoples’ history and tradition. Ado-Awaye has a tradition and history. This should be followed and the agreement be implemented to the letter.

By that declaration, Maku ruling house is the one to produce the next Alado of Ado-Awaye, follows by Olaogun ruling house, Olusosun ruling house and Oladunni respectively. With this arrangement, Oladunni ruling house from where information has it that Oyo state government wants to appoint an Oba from, is the last on the list according to the arrangement and agreement that each of the ruling houses entered into. This means, the government wants to impose, and rubbish peoples tradition and history. The role and essential input of the King makers in this case is very paramount. Government cannot rubbish the king makers and attempt to impose a king on the town with impunity. Let the government consult with the people if at all the state government is interested in appointing a new Alado of Ado-Awaye. All of us have a sense of history even though we claim to be playing politics with people’s history and therefore, endangering people’s lives and properties. Government officials should be upright at discharging their assignments without bias or favour.

Irrespective of whatever interests anybody in Oyo state government might have, people’s history and wishes take precedence and must play significant roles when it come to the issue of appointing an Oba for  the town.

This piece is contributed by Koleoso Adelowo, No 5, Itire Road, Lagos State.