-says it would cause crisis in Ikorodu
-Obaship title included under Chieftaincy law
Going by the press conference held on Thursday, January 29, 2015 at the traditional Lasunwon Ruling house in Isele, Ikorodu, it is very clear that three other branches of the ruling house are not prepare to back down soon on their opposition to the installation of High Chief Kabir Sotobi from Adegorushen branch as next to succeed the Ayangbure throne.
The press conference which was a reaction to the one held on Tuesday, January 27, 2015 by the Kingmakers, was primarily to issue official position of the three branches on the controversial Ayangbure stool and warned the Lagos State government against installation of any Oba-elect from Adegorushen branch.
At the press conference were the three Olootus (family heads) of Lambo, Odujumo-Araba and Odusajo branches and other chieftains and youths. They are Chief Mattew Adedayo Shodipo, Olootu Lambo-Lasunwon and Vice Olootu, Lasunon Ruling House; Alhaji Taoreed Olanrewaju Shokunbi, Olootu Odusajo branch; Prince David Omotunde Ogunjimi, Olotu Ewujebe branch and Alhaji Mukaila Alade Adekogbe, Secretary-General, Lasunwon Royal family.
The three branches stated that due to the consent judgement entered into with Chief Kabir Sotobi and Adegorushen branch of Lasunwon Ruling house, the former is not entitle to contest the Obaship title with other branches and they warned of dire consequences in the event that he is forcefully installed.
“We are calling on the Lagos State Government to stop whoever is parading himself as Oba-elect to desist and we have been hearing rumour that the person will soon be taken to Ipebi (traditional house where an Oba-elect stays for weeks before installation). We want to appeal to the government to help prevent the occurrence of 1952 when someone paraded himself as Oba-elect and forced himself into Ipebi. I hope Odofin Sotobi do not want to be a king over a burnt town?” Alhaji Adekogbe stated during press conference.
In the Press release given to reporters, the family also stated that Chief Sotobi and his supporters were wrong to have stated that the consent judgement in which the next Chieftaincy title was ceded to Lambo-Lasunwon branch in the DSuit No: IKD/57/2007 does not include Obaship title.
“The present tussle is caused by the misconception of Chief Sotobi and his supporters as to what the word, “Chieftaincy” embraces. His view is that the stool of Ayangbure is not included in the word Chieftaincy. He is in error. To help matters, we refer to government White Paper, Volume II, No 7, Wednesday, 5th May, 1982 issued pursuant to the proceedings of the inquiry into the Otunba (Ikorodu Chieftaincy Dispute, Conducted by the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Local government and chieftaincy affairs at page (4) paragraph 7, ‘that there are ten recognized chieftaincy titles in Ikorodu, two of them, Aro and Odofin are yet to be installed. The other eight now functioning are the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, the otunba of Ikorodu, the Bale of Agura, the Balogun of Ikorodu and the Oluwo of Ikorodu.”
The family also has harsh words for the Kingmakers who they alleged to have claimed ignorance of the consent judgement, “We the Lambo, Odujumo Araba/Owujebe and Odusajo branches of Lasunwon Ruling House, predicate our stand on the definition of Chieftaincy. We therefore hold that the Kingmakers who are fully aware of the consent judgement quoted above are desirous to upset the Applecat. This is mischievous and we urge the government of Lagos State to call the Ikorodu Kingmakers to order so as to avoid a repeat of the disaster of 1952 which engulfed Ikorodu after the demise of Oba Adenaike Alagbe”, they warned.
At the press conference, the three branches also alleged that the kingmakers do not hold any meeting to deliberate on the list sent to them by the Lasunwon Ruling House but only picked Chief Sotobi as Oba-elect without following due process, “We can confirm to you that they did not seat at all. There are laid down procedures for the Kingmakers before holding such meeting. Did they tell you that they requested the presence of them to have State Security Service (SSS), police and the Council officials in such meeting? They do not even consult Ifa Oracle as stated by the law and if they do, they should tell us the Ifa priest that performed the consultation since we are sure that it was not the Araba of Ikorodu whose primary duty is to do that”, the families alleged.
Also at the press conference were Alhaji Omobowale Sokelu, Chief Awotunde Ogbe, Committee Member; Alhaji Mufutau Alejo, Chieftain of Odusajo branch, Prince Sulaimon Babatunde Awolaja, Chieftain of Odusajo branch, Barrister Munir Olakunle Odesanya, accredited representative from Odujumo-Araba and Prince Durojaiye Olakunle Ekundayo Alejo, one of the candidate from Odusajo branch among many others.
