Over 10 months after the 10th Olupako of Share, Alhaji Abubakar Garuba joined his ancestors, efforts by kingmakers to install a successor remains a wishful thinking even as indigenes continue to express concerns over the vacuum created.
Of course, Share, the headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State does not lack willing and able Princes that can occupy the vacant stool but because of politics and intrigues surrounding the installation of a new Olupako by parties involved, it becomes difficult.
Just as always the case in many Yoruba communities, various interested families and individuals had expressed their feelings to claim the stool since November 2, 2019 when Olupako Garuba transited to the great beyond to join his ancestors. This had pitched the interested parties against each other, making the process of selection and installation of a new Olupako much more difficult.
This write up may not be necessary, however, but due to earlier reports that did not aired grievances of an interested lineage that was edged out of the process due politics and intrigues. And the lineage is Ajikanje lineage of Oluloke compound Share that happened to be the authentic and direct Dada dynasty.
The Oyadeyi lineage kicked against the Ajikanje lineage, claiming that the Ajikanje lineage was not one of the rightful heirs to the throne of the Olupako of Share after the submission of the lineage’s Four candidates namely: Ahmed Ajiboye Abdulraheem; AbdulRasak AbdulAzeez Bolaji; Johnson Alabi Adediran and Kazeem Olajide Aderohunmu, to the kingmakers.
Despite the overwhelming evidences provided by the Ajikanje lineage to claim that it also has the right to the throne of the Olupako of Share, the Kingmakers did not allow the lineage to participate in the process of the installation of a new Olupako. This action, make the process a subject of litigation as a family headed for Court to seek redress.
While the Court case is ongoing, the Kingmakers still continue with the process of installation, an action that can be best termed as a Court contempt.
So, that the all process had now become a subject of controversy is not surprising, and that can be substantiated by a popular adage in Yoruba language that says: ” Won ni Amunkun eru e wo, oni oke le wo, e wo isale”. Meaning: Some voices alerted the K-Legged porter to the dangerous tilt of the load on his head. His response was – Thank you, but the problem actually resides in the legs.”
And to say the issue of installation of the new Oba, is now a subject of embarrassment and disgrace to the community is to say the least. Because the Kingmakers and other stakeholders that should be treated with respect when it comes to issue of this nature have now become laughing stocks due to their own selfish and parochial interest. Many of these people are head bent to impose a stooge.
Albeit, this case of succession brouhaha happened because of insincerity and selfishness of some Kingmakers and stakeholders who are head bent in placing their personal interest above collective interest of the community.
At a stakeholders meeting held at Ilorin residence of the National President of the Share Descendants’ Union(SDU), Elder Gabriel Yemi Jimoh, on Thursday, August 20th, 2020, every stakeholder at the meeting frowned at the attitude of the Kingmakers and some other stakeholders who participated in the process.
It was accusations and counter accusations among members of the installation committee, as hell was almost let lose for the intervention of stakeholders at the meeting.
Another meeting was also held at the Ilorin residence of Arc Ade Aliu on Saturday, August 22, 2020 by few stakeholders to analyse and resolve issues resulted to succession brouhaha but all efforts to resolve the issue yield no positive result as all pleas to every party involved fell on deaf ears.
A grapevine report has it that the Kingmakers had transmitted it report to the Local Government for onward transmission to the State Government, the community therefore appealed to the Government not to honour the report because it did not represent the general interest of the community.
As a matter of fact, the real Dada Dynasty of Oluloke compound Share has over the years continued to contribute to the growth and development of Share community both financially and morally.
It is also important to inform the general public that the Dada Dynasty of Oluloke compound Share did not have a sole candidate. The Adekola Ajikanje family wish to point out categorically that the family did not enter into agreement with any family as to who to represent the four families that made up Dada Dynasty.
There is no doubt saying that the so called process of installation is fraught with anomalies and insincerity. So, in view of this, we appeal to Governor AbdulRazaq-led government not to rush into appointing a new Olupako of Share because the process is faulty.
We also enjoined the Governor to assist Dada Dynasty to check the brazen injustice melted out on us by the Kingmakers and reverse the process in the general interest of the community, and for equity and justice by investigating the process not to allow his government to be dragged into what can be termed as ‘executive recklessness’.
Muritala Adekola Ajikanje writes from Oluloke compound, Share for Adekola Ajikanje Dada family.
