Akirun: Palace shuts against new monarch as chiefs call for calm

Akirun: Palace shuts against new monarch as chiefs call for calm

Following a protest against the appointment of Prince Yinusa Akadiri as the new Akirun of Ikirun in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State by the state government the palace has been shut to stop the monarch from entering.

Akadirin was appointed by the state government after being elected by a majority of kingmakers on November 19, 2021, after the demise of Oba Abdulrauf Adedeji in February 2021.

However, after his announcement on Wednesday some youths in the town thronged the road protesting against his appointment leading the state government to deploy security operatives into the town.

An attempt by the new monarch to access the palace is also being frustrated by an aggrieved resident, who placed a charm on the palace entrance gate.

A resident Sofiu Oladimeji told our correspondent that the gate was locked from behind to avoid easy access for anyone, but added that he could not ascertain on whose instruction the gate was locked.

The tense situation, according to him, prevented market women from opening shops as the market was deserted on Friday and early hours on Saturday.

The gate was locked because people are angry about the choice of the monarch elected by kingmakers and eventually appointed by the state government. I can’t confirm who gave the instruction that the gate should be locked or charms placed on it”, said Oladimeji.

Meanwhile, the Akirun in council in a statement at the weekend appealed for calm and urged aggrieved parties not to take laws into their hands.

According to the council, “the race for the throne became fiercely competitive and was keenly contested among the eligible royal blood before the noble kingmakers, the only body of wise men who has the statutory roles in the selection process of new King divinely selected Oba Yunus Olamilekan Akadiri (Oyewole IV) as the next Akirun of Ikirun among over 22 princes who were jostling for the throne.

“It’s for these reasons and others that we are expressing our immense gratitude to the Governor of Osun whose fatherly and impartial role added much-needed value to the transparency and fair selection of the process.

“We, therefore, use this opportunity to appeal to all those people who are still nursing grievances over the long-time concluded selection process which was held on November 19, 2021, to give peace a chance in Ikirun and find the soft part in their hearts to join hand with the Palace in moving our great town, Ikirun Agunbe, forward.

“While we concede that It’s not abnormal to be aggrieved where a particular expectation failed to materialize to one’s favour, we however consider resorting to self-help as a means of settling scores very much avoidable and abhorrent. It is on that note we call for the promotion of calmness, harmony and tranquillity that the wise and industrious people are reputed for.”