By ‘Poju Akintayo
July 08, 2015; News Feature
Following the successful coronation ceremony of a new monarch in the ancient Ikorodu town of Lagos State, CityScenes reexamines the intrigues that eventually led to the emergence of the new Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi.
In the dying hours of his tenure, precisely on the 26th of May, 2015, the immediate past governor of Lagos State , Babatunde Raji Fashola, presented the staff of office to the new Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, amidst resounding cheers from his subjects and the numerous invited guests.
According to the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, while installing Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi as the new Ayangburen, the importance of the town in the socio-economic scheme of the state and the country as a whole, largely explain why 24 Princes wanted the throne following the death of the late Ayangburen, Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi last year.
Fashola added that Ikorodu cannot stay for a long time without a King. “It is for this reason I am here today to officially present Oba Kabir Shotobi to you all as the new Monarch of this great town. With this, I am confident that the contest is over and all hands will once again be on deck to propel Ikorodu to greater heights in honour of our departed traditional ruler and father, Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi, who no doubt, was a blessing, not only to Ikorodu, but also to the state and the country as a whole,” he said.
Oba Shotobi is the 20th Ayangburen of the town. The new Ayangburen, is from the Adegorushen arm of Lasunwon ruling House. Although the selection of Chief Shotobi, who was the Odofin of Ikorodu, as the Ayangburen-designate had met some opposition, when some members of the Lasunwon Ruling House, to which he belongs claimed his emergence was in breach of an existing pact.
But following his victory in a court case instituted to stall his installation, the state government, in tandem with the town’s kingmakers, went ahead to install him. Justice Akintunde Savage of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikorodu had upheld the election of Shotobi as the Ayangburen-elect. Savage gave the ruling after taking the arguments of counsels to claimants and respondents in a suit contesting the selection of the oba-elect by the kingmakers of the town.
The judge held that the nomination of Shotobi was valid and that he was duly elected by the kingmakers to ascend the throne as the next Ayangburen of Ikorodu and not in breach of the consent judgement in suit IKD/57/2007. The court ruled that the first to third respondents and all other defendants in the matter are also not in breach of the judgement in suit IKD/57/2007.
The applicants, Mathew Adetayo Shodipo, Omobo Sokelu, Shakiru Shodipo, Nurudeen Fakomaya and Albert Aina had filed a suit, IKD/454GCM/2014 (for themselves and on behalf of the Lambo branch of the Lasunwon ruling house of Ikorodu) and through an originating summon, challenged the nomination of Shotobi by the kingmakers as the oba-elect of the ancient town.
Joined as respondents in the suit are Ezekiel Shodipo, Tajudeen Odofin (for themselves and on behalf of the Adegorushen branch of the Lasunwon ruling house of Ikorodu), the Odofin of Ikorodu, Chief Kabiru Shotobi, the Olisa and regent of Ikorodu, Chief Zacheus Oludele Odusoga; Solomade of Ikorodu, Chief Afolabi Adekayaoja; Apena of Ikorodu, Chief Karimu Ore and Oponuwa of Ikorodu, Chief Jacob Kolawole Adaraloye (for themselves and on behalf of the kingmakers of Ikorodu).
Months after the Late Oyefusi joined his ancestors at the ripe age of 83, the Kingmakers of Ikorodu, led by the Regent, Chief Zacheus Oludele Odusoga, began the process of shopping for a new King. Following announcements by both the kingmakers and the Local Government Council, the Lasunwon Ruling House was called upon to present eligible candidates to the throne.
Finally, the kingmakers received a list of 24 nominees from the Lasuwon family on December 3, 2014. The letter that contained the list was sent from the Olootu of Lasuwon family to Chief Zachaeus who is the Olisa of Ikorodu. The Olisa wrote a notice of meeting to the entire kingmakers, intimating them of the need for an urgent meeting to discuss the issue.
Ikorodu has eight kingmakers: Lisa, Odofin, Solomade, Oponua, Apena, Oluwo, Losi and Aro; but it was gathered that two of them, Aro and Losi also joined their ancestors after the demise of Oba Oyefusi.
These high chiefs are also in charge of traditional rites in the land. The meeting held on December 24, 2014 at the Osugbo shrine, where the kingmakers have special seats.
After the meeting, they went home to do some investigations. The following day, they consulted the Ifa oracle over the matter. According to the kingmakers, the name of each contestant was put forward one after the other to know what each of them has in stock for Ikorodu town. The Ifa Oracle revealed the results to them and the kingmakers took the result into consideration. Afterwards, they met again to decide on the matter and arrived at the choice of Adewale Kabiru Shotobi as the next Ayangburen of Ikorodu.
But nearly a month after his installation and with the new Monarch getting ready for his coronation ceremony, some aggrieved persons are still claiming that Shotobi’s selection did not follow due process. In a June 3 letter to Ambode, Prince Tajudeen Odofin and Chief Joseph Aluko said Shotobi should revert to the Odofinship chieftaincy title he was holding before his purported selection.
The petition was copied to the Chairman, Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs; Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Adeniyi Sonariwo; Ranodu of Imota, Oba Ajibade Agoro; Oba of Igbogbo, Johnson Fatola Adeboruwa; Olubeshe of Ibeshe, Oba Richard Ogunsanya; Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; Executive Secretary, Ikorodu Local Government; Secretary, Chieftaincy Committee of Ikorodu; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice.
The petitioners noted that since the creation of Ikorodu, an Odofin has never been made an Oba and challenged Shotobi and the kingmakers to cite a precedent. They maintained that the process adopted by the kingmakers was alien to the Oba and Chiefs Law of Lagos State.
They alleged that Shotobi refused to resign as Odofin as instructed by a committee set up in November 2014 by the Council of Obas and Chiefs, Ikorodu Division, before vying for the stool.
But Chief Babatunde Aluko, a member of the Lasunwon ruling house and traditional ruler of Owutu community in the area, said Shotobi’s emergence as Oba is a settled matter. Reacting to the petition by some Lasunwon Princes, Aluko who was named as one of the authors of the said publication said it is not true that himself and some other erstwhile contestants to the throne, called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to withhold the approval of Shotobi as Ayangburen of Ikorodu. “The report is nothing but outright lie,” he said.
The traditional ruler said the publication is the handiwork of trouble makers who are not even members of the ruling house. “The authors are mischief makers who are obviously not members of our family. That is why they wrongly and criminally named me as one of the authors of the fictitious publication. If they are members of our family, they will not need to lie against anybody who is not party to their allegations,” Aluko said.
He added that though he was one of the contestants for the throne, he is satisfied with the emergence of the new Ayangburen, as the process that produced him was satisfactorily done by all the parties involved. According to him, all those who contested the throne with Oba Shotobi are now ready to work with him in the interest of Ikoroduland.
“There is no row whatsoever. All contestants’ names were forwarded by the ruling house to the Kingmakers for consideration. And the Kingmakers unanimously chose Shotobi as the next King, in accordance with Obas and Chiefs law of Lagos State.
His selection was subsequently approved by the Lagos State Executive Council on the 25th of May, 2015 and former Governor Fashola presented him with the Staff of Office the next day,” Aluko said.
I think with that, the process was duly concluded and all matters rested. That is why I actively participated both morally and financially in his installation process and I will continue to support him as long as I live,” Aluko explained. He then called on Governor Ambode to ignore the antics of the faceless authors of the mischievous publication while also calling on the perpetrators of the act to shun sentiments and embrace peace in the interest of Ikorodu.
With such position as Aluko’s and the fact that the Kingmakers and other concerned stakeholders have taken the new Monarch into the traditional palace to undergo the necessary rites, it is expected that the emergence of the new Monarch has come to stay.
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