Oro Kingdom’s Ruling House Drags New Oba to Court

“…He’s not From Royal Family, he Presented Forged Documents” – Lawyer

…Return our Stolen Crown – residents cry out

The crisis brewing in Oro Kingdom, an ancient community in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State has taken a new twist following a court suit filed against the newly installed monarch, Oba Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye Titiloye challenging his eligibility.

In a ceremonious manner, Oba Titiloye was given second class staff of office by the State Governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq who was represented by his deputy, Mr Kayode Alabi yesterday l.

Meanwhile, the Afin Oro ruling house, has earlier filed a suit against the candidature of the monarch claiming he’s not a member of the royal family that can lay claim to the traditional stool of the kingdom.

The Afin Oro family, in their claims stressed that Oba Titiloye is from Iludun and traditionally from historically, no one from that axis qualifies as Royal lineage carrier to occupy the reverend Oro Kingdom stool.

Barrister Akin Akintoye SAN, who is representing the Afin Oro Royal family including Prince Clement Ogundokun Adegbola who was reportedly and initially chosen by the kingmakers informed this medium that the case will be coming up on the 4th November, 2024.

According to him, the installed monarch forged the documents he presented to the government through the Ministry of Local Government Chieftaincy and Community Development that his client, Prince Adegbola, has stepped down for him in the race to the stool.

Barr Akintoye however expressed surprise over the installation of Oba Titiloye when the case challenging his eligibility is still pending before an High Court presided over by Justice Adegbite.

He described the installation as an aberration, unwarranted and unconstitutional saying it is a development that can further instigate crisis.

According to him, the installed monarch, out of guilty, couldn’t enter the Afin Oro maintaining that he didn’t have a single property in Oro where he could reside as King.

“I’m representing the Afin Oro including the candidate whom the royal family chose to be Oloro of Oro Kingdom against the Oba Titiloye and the head of the kingmakers. My clients hold the position that the said Oba is not from Afin Oro and not from Olufayo compound.

“They claimed he comes from Iludun. His father and grandfather leaved and died in Iludun Oro, on this basis, we expect thr court to determine he’s not from Iludun Oro and he is not entitle to the Oloro of Oro seat.

“That case has been pending in court, meanwhile, we’ve earlier informed the chairman of the traditional council, Oba Olupo in writing and the Ministry of Local Government affair of the wrong intention to install Oba Titiloye.

“Olupo called meetings of all the party in the palace and became Clare that he’s not from Afin Oro and he’s only know in Iludun Oro who do snt have right to the stool. Olupo, in his resolution said they should settle among themselves.

“But along the line, we understand that Oba Titiloye has gone to meet some people that they’ve settled and they’ve made him the preferred candidate. Some people went to forge documents that our client has agreed to step down. We got this information and we refuted it that the matter is still in court.

“That case is still pending in court that and the ministry is aware of it, so, installation of Oba Titiloye is an abberation, unwarranted and unconstitutional. Some people went to the government to lied that the case has been struck out but there was nothing of such.

According to some elders in Oro Kingdom who spoke with this medium, installation of Oba Titiloye was illegal and sacrilegious as the process allegedly flouted ancestral traditions and constitutional procedures.

They said the kingmakers who are six in number had initially chosen Prince Clement Ogundokun Adegbola as King and even asked him to start coming home from abroad for the traditional rites into the stool.

Our correspondent who visited the community yesterday witnessed widespread unrest as residents wailed profusely expressing discontent through different playcards that has inscriptions of ‘Bring back our stolen crown’, ‘We don’t know Oba Titiloye’ and many more.

In an exclusive interview, Prince Wasiu Olaniyi Oloyede, family head of Afin Oro’s Olufola ruling house, expressed heartfelt anguish over the installation of Oba Titiloye.

“We’ve been cheated, tricked, and disenfranchised of our rightful place,” Prince Oloyede lamented. “Our family’s traditional heritage, passed down through generations, has been brazenly disregarded.”

Meanwhile, suit has already been filed at the Kwara State High Court sitting in Omu-Aran by 7 claimants seeking redress over the development.

People react says Afin Oro’s traditional right stolen

In an exclusive interview, Prince Wasiu Olaniyi Oloyede, family head of Afin Oro’s Olufola ruling house, expressed heartfelt anguish over the installation of Oba Titiloye.

“We’ve been cheated, tricked, and disenfranchised of our rightful place,” Prince Oloyede lamented. “Our family’s traditional heritage, passed down through generations, has been brazenly disregarded.”

He confirmed that Afin Oro, Okerimi, Oke Ola and Agbe Ola traditionally and customarily produce King in Oro Kingdom maintaining that Oba Titiloye did not come from any of the aforementioned hence, he cannot be installed over Oro Kingdom.

“Oba Titiloye is from Iludun Oro and can only be king in their community if he wants to not in Oro Kingdom. I’ve never seen him nor anyone. There was never any King emerging from Iludun Oro over us.

“Only Afin Oro produced kings until war broke out and scattered members of the kingdom across different places in Nigeria. We wrote letter to the kingmaker but was rejected and to Oro Descendants Union too, no response also.

Wife to the supposed King from Afin Oro, Mrs Adegbola who’s fondly called Olori, said the new Oba used cunny method to acquire what doesn’t to him begging government to do the needful and return the crown to the owner.

“They should return our crown, they used manipulation to cheat us. The kingmakers were influenced to ignore the tradition and cries of the people whose interests are paramount to protect,” She said.

Also in a related development, Mrs Rabi Afolabi, a wife in the family called on the well meaning Nigerians, government to come to their aide and reclaim their crown.

“This young man that came just cheated us, he’s not from our family, not from Afin Oro or Olufayo compound. No one knows him. How he got his way into the exalted seat of the Oloro of Oro Kingdom is what I cannot understand but I believe God Almighty will give our family justice.” she lamented.

Pastor Bright Afolabi also corroborated the earlier speakers expressing disappointment, displeasure over the whole process that saw Oba Titiloye into the stool. He said the stool was reserved exclusively for his brother but some strange hands manipulated things and installed someone who’s not known by anyone.