Soun of Ogbomoso: Family protests selection of successor to throne

The family of the late Mofoye Oyetunde of the Laoye Ruling House has kicked against the selection of Gandhi Olaoye, a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, as the next Soun of Ogbomoso.

The family, in a letter dated April 4, 2022, urged the chairpersons of Ogbomoso North and Ogbomoso South local governments not to ratify Mr Olaoye’s candidacy.

Mr Olaoye is one of the 23 candidates jostling to ascend the throne since the passing of Jimoh Oyewumi last December.

Mr Oyewumi, who spent over four decades on the throne, died at 95.

In their letter, the Oyetunde family alleged non-adherence to the state’s Chiefs Law and bias in the nomination of the crown prince.

The letter comes days after the Head of the Kingmakers, Sobaloju Otolorin, maintained they followed due process in the emergence of Mr Olaoye as the next Soun of Ogbomoso.

The family said that according to the law, a candidate nominated by the ruling house would be sent to the kingmakers. If the kingmakers find the nominee unsuitable, the ruling house would nominate a fresh candidate.

The family added that they have neither nominated candidate nor the head of the ruling house consulted about the selection of Mr Olaoye.

Usman Akano, who signed the letter on behalf of the Oyetunde family, also sent it to the Oyo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters and Abdulwahab Oyetunde, Head of the Laoye Ruling House.

The Oyetunde family said it is not the turn of Mr Olaoye’s family in the ruling house to produce a candidate for the Soun stool.

“For the record, it is not the turn of the Kapelaye (‘Kape’) family to produce the next Soun, a fact that is well-known to all members of the Kape family having produced the last Laoye Soun, Soun Olanipekun Laoye who was the second son of Prince Oyekola Laoye, the first son of Soun Laoye Atanda Orumogege.

“In conclusion, the founding fathers of Ogbomosoland understood the need for rotation to foster internal peace and justice, hence the creation of the five ruling families.

“They also understood the need for checks and balances between the Kingmakers and the Ruling Families to check future abuses of process.

“In the absence of these checks, internal rotation, and justice, the likelihood of chaos, disorder, and breakaway branches become inevitable with new litigation being instituted by the marginalised branches within the Ruling families.

“We urge you to use your good offices to bring the process back on the path of justice, the rule of law, and adherence to Native law and custom.”