Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, yesterday, urged traditional rulers in the state to foster peace and refrain from actions that could trigger discord or public confrontations.

He also warned them from making utterances that could fuel brawls among themselves, saying that such a development does not speak well of the royal institution.

In a statement by his Spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor said the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers is too honourable and important to be divided by disputes that could degenerate into communal war.

The statement did not name any traditional ruler. However, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, had recently clashed with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, over the latter’s alleged scheming to dethrone him.

Oba Akanbi said he intervened during Ogunwusi’s bid for the throne of Ooni, wondering why the first class monarch, who is the Chairman of Osun Council of Obas, would be allegedly interested in removing him (Oluwo) from the stool.

The Oluwo lamented that despite his support for his enthronement, the Ooni orchestrated his suspension from the Osun State Council of Obas’ meeting. Akanbi said the Ooni spoke ill of him before Governor Adeleke, claiming he is discouraging idol worship in the state.

However, the Director of Media at the Ooni’s palace, Moses Olafare, said Oluwo’s allegations were better ignored, saying that the Ooni is busy with developmental projects and doesn’t have time to respond to someone looking for attention.

“We don’t have time for that,” he stated.
IN another development, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has accused Adeleke’s government of a fresh plot to procure a judgment from the State High Court in Ikirun to dislodge the chairmen and councillors elected in 2022 under the APC platform.

The APC, through a former Commissioner for Information in the state, Sunday Akere, during a media briefing in Osogbo, yesterday, alleged that the state government had concluded arrangement to procure the ‘kangaroo judgment’ from the court.

But the governor has denied the allegations, saying, “The opposition party is afraid of imminent backlash over its illegal occupation of local council secretariats and has embarked on an open blackmail of the judiciary.”

In a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor said that he never filed any suit over the crisis rocking the local councils.