Odo-Ijesa Residents Demand Removal of Newly Installed Oba Amid Allegations of Violating Due Process
Residents of the Odo-Ijesa community in Osun State have raised concerns over the recent installation of Oba Olufemi Olayinka as the Oluodo of Odo Ijesa. They allege that due process was not followed in his installation and have called on the state government to intervene and remove the monarch.
Protests have erupted within the town, with some residents expressing their disapproval of Oba Olayinka’s appointment and demanding his removal. In an interview with Findwhosabi on Tuesday, Chief Olugbenga Ogunniyi, the head of kingmakers in the community and the Orisa of Odo-Ijesa, expressed growing tension within the community since Oba Olayinka’s installation.
Chief Ogunniyi emphasized that the traditional installation rites of the Oluodo must commence in Ilesa town before other related rites can be concluded in Odo Ijesa. He lamented that the longstanding procedures for installing a monarch were disregarded during Oba Olayinka’s installation.
Regarding the ongoing tensions, Chief Ogunniyi said, “There is a pending case before an Osun State High Court, Ilesa, on the Oluodo of Odo Ijesa stool, and the court has restrained all parties from proceeding with the filling of the stool. Tension is rising in the town. We are calling on the government to intervene before the matter escalates.”
Oba Olayinka, when contacted for a response to the allegations against him, insisted that his installation followed due process and claimed that only a small faction of the community had protested against him. He asserted, “They are lying. Is it possible to install a king without the knowledge of the government?”
Oba Olayinka attributed his installation to the Ogboni of Ipole Ijesa, stating that, “Under the chieftaincy law of Osun State, he is the person with the right to install a king in Ijesa South Federal Constituency, and he was the one that installed me.”
The monarch also urged the protesters to maintain peace, emphasizing that he was not in conflict with anyone. He stated, “If two people are fighting for one thing, it will go to one person.”
The dispute surrounding the installation of Oba Olufemi Olayinka continues to generate attention within the Odo-Ijesa community, and residents are eagerly awaiting the intervention of the Osun State government to address their concerns.