Sir: By right, July 2026 ought to be a milestone month on the way to crowning Dr Bamidele Ekunsami as the paramount Olofun of Irele in the old Okitipupa division of Ondo State. All preparations had been made.

The choice king had been made following the dictates of Plato; that philosopher who harped that only a philosopher king is worthy of ruling over a people.

The signs have always been there. Yoruba elders say, Omo to ba ma je asamu, ati kekere lo ti ma ma senu samusamu. This was true of Ekunsami. He was brilliant in school, at the United Grammar School, coming out in Division One in 1977. He was introduced early into the culture and traditions of his forebears, which encouraged him to begin to learn the ropes.

He had studied in Nigeria, University of Benin, graduated in First Class, in medicine, to qualify himself for the future and particularly to be competent to speak as equal at any gathering and venue. To make his election sure, he travelled to far away United States of America to further his education, Masters and PhD in medicine. Not only for that, that as heir to the throne someday, he could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any traditional ruler or top government officials in the land when the chips are down.

Incidentally, on hearing of the vacancy at home and with all the preparations, he returned home only for him to fully understand what Don Fabun meant when he said, “We live in a world of etc”. Just as any Nigerian with a sense of history and a skeptical eye could boldly ask how far there is still need to go, the Prince is still on siddon look.

On the one hand, the kingmakers have selected him to be crowned king. But shameless moneybags, who never cared if sunshine turns to darkness, have for months, kept up a drum-beat of opposition to the appointment. On the other hand, the people have uttered little more than a muted welcome to its wider counsels. It is this that makes the future especially gloomy. The confrontation has ended in the courts of law. But trust the wheel of justice as it drags to no end and especially the Nigerian judicial system. It is now a battle between the people and the money miss roads. Yet, seen on moral scale, crowning a king is a very simple sequential peaceful phenomenon until recent time.

It is particularly worrisome that after the kingmakers had conducted the traditional rites to a substantial height, anyone could wake up an injunction to pile up a dangerous pothole on the way. It is also sad that the grinding wheel of the law in Nigeria usually foot-drag slowly.

Commonsensically, the opposition, Mr Samuel Odimayo was selected as Olofin-elect by warrant chiefs which illegally organised and unlawfully recruited by the Akinfe Olajide, chairman of Irele Local Government. An action that is contrary and strange to the traditions and customary practices to the stool of Olofin of Irele even when the election of Ekunsami has not been set aside by any competent authority.

The petition for the cancellation and setting aside of the purported election of Odimayo by the warrant officers has been submitted to the authorities because it is an aberration. Warrant officers have never appointed or lord any Olofun Irele on the ancient town in history.

Besides, with the nomination and election of Ekunsanmi as the Olofin-elect from Opetusin Ruling House, there is no vacant stool to be filled by the purported warrant chiefs.

Public opinion is rife across the kingdom that the Governor of Ondo State, Chief Lucky Aiyedatiwa should have used his good offices to see to the resolution of the imbroglio. The real omo olofin elect of the kingdom is Ekunsanmi, and this has been attested to by Chief Jacob Omokungbe, chairman/head of the kingmakers to the Olofin of Irele stool and High Chief Olorunsola Olajide, the Opetusin of Irele Kingdom. The most nauseating part of the usurpation is that the processes of nomination, presentation and election of Ekusanmi as the Olofin-elect had been concluded with the final traditional rites being performed by the kingmakers, the oloros and bojutoros well recognised as the traditional priests at the Malokun-oore shrines when they struck.

Incidentally, Ekunsami is the sole candidate presented for the throne by the Opetusin Ruling House to the kingmakers being the next family entitled under the customary law. This development should not be taken slightly by all well-meaning Irele indigenes and the state government because those stoking this fire, are not just starting today, they are well known for their past records, and they must be told once, let there be peace in the land.

Interestingly, these charlatans have quickly forgotten history. One Lebi, in about three decades ago, manipulated the kingship processes, and installed himself as the king of the town through the support of the then military governor of the state. He was not only sacked by the court, but was made to refund all the salaries he received during the period he spent as illegal Oba of the kingdom. I see a similar situation coming.

Chief Olu Ayela is a veteran journalist, based in Lagos.