Olufon stool: Osun women stage protest, demand due process

Protesting women in Ifon-Osun town have called on the Osun State Government to apply the 1978 Chieftaincy Declaration in the selection of a new monarch for the community.

The women, who came out enmasse on Tuesday in Ifon-Osun town, Orolu Local Government Area, disclosed that they were protesting the purported plan to select a new traditional ruler for the town without following due process.

They also claimed that the government has failed to allow the legal process to take its course in the selection of a new king.

“The 1979 declaration as affirmed by a court of competent jurisdiction should be used in the selecting a new monarch,” the protesters claimed.

“There are five ruling houses in Ifon-Orolu and if due process is followed, it is the turn of Odunolu ruling house to produce the next occupant of the stool.

“Any attempt to impose a candidate could lead to chaos and complicate the security situation in the area,” they warned.

A protester, Princess Salmot Adenijis said Ifon is a traditional town whose selection of a new king is by tradition.

She pleaded with the State governor to allow the tradition to be enforced.

“Out of the five ruling houses, only Odunolu is left behind. Morounfolu, Orisatoyinbo, Oluyeyin, Olumoyero have all produced Olufon. We’re pleading to the State government to please yield to our cry and not allow those who want to cheat us,” she said.

Another protester, Princess Folashade Oyedotun said Ifon-Orolu people were peace-loving and would not want anything that would truncate it.

“The purported letter issued to Morounfolu ruling house to present a candidate for the stool is illegitimate.

“A letter had been given to Odunolu before then. We were already deliberating on who to be chosen for Odunolu. The second day, they withdrew the letter and we were sued to court by the Morounfolu ruling house and we have been in court since then.

“Due to the strike embarked on by judiciary staff and the communal crisis between Ifon and Ilobu, the government overlooked the court case and elected someone from Morounfolu ruling house,” Oyedotun claimed.