…say issue before competent court
The people of Ososo have appealed to Edo State government to critically look into the recent appointment and subsequent presentation of staff of office to Dele Obaitan as the traditional head of Ososo in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State
They claim the issue of who becomes the traditional head of Ososo was before a competent court of jurisdiction and waiting for court verdict
Narrating the facts to journalists on behalf of the ruling houses, Chief Nicholas Arokamoni, which are Daudu, Saiki Tokura and Omodu, and corroborated by the head of Okporiko kindred (they are responsible to supervise the selection process) and a former Surveyor General of Edo State, Surv Ofiare, they appealed to the government to look into the purported presentation of staff of office to Dele Obaitan, noting that rulership in Ososo was captured in the gazette that is an Edict guiding the traditional rulership of states and the then Bendel State (1979).
They noted that the rulership of the Ososo clan belongs to four hands that it is supposed to be rotated among the four hands and not from father to son (the last example was unanimously agreed on by the larger family to compensate the Obaitan family due to the short reign of Okwedu II) as being done and claimed by the said Dele Obaitan family, and Dele does not speak nor understand the culture and custom of the Ososo people. Kingship of Ososo did not start with the Obaitan family and shouldn’t be hijacked permanently, too, they say.
Continuing, they say the Regent and the 1979 gazette of the Bendel State on Chieftaincy and Tradition emphatically noted it that the throne is not from father to son and this they also know from time immemorial that it is by rotation among the four ruling houses they choose who will be installed as king in Ososo land.
They note that the title or kingship as earlier said is not from father to son as now being claimed by a section of the Tokurah’s children, precisely Chief Orifa; it is rotated among the four ruling families because it has always been a collective struggle between the Daudu, Tokurah, Saiki, and Imuodu families. These four ruling families in seniority order, will not now allow, accept and or condone the Orifa’s children (a section of an arm of the the four families) to continue to usurp the throne that belongs to all of them (Ugbedu Royal House).
“We want to put the records straight and also inform the enlightened Ososo populace and the entire world that the said Dele Obaitan is just parading himself against our customs and traditions. He is not appointed to rule, as the oracle divination or our ancestors never choose him. Emawe (Tokurah) was never a ruler before he died, and taking or using his name as a title is sacrilegious with dire consequences to be visited on such person or persons who orchestrated it,” they state.
They further note that it will be wise if the said Dele Obaitan stop flaunting the Executive Governor’s name to deceive some ignorant Ososo populace and parading hired and gullible chiefs, noting that “we know that the Governor will not jump to approve a king or rulership if due process is not followed and historical background is not revealed to him to study properly which will enable him to make an informed decision”, adding that doing otherwise will bring the people back to 1942 and this time it will be worst and destructive.
In their conclusion, they say the four ruling families want the result of the oracle divination to be followed and the other customs and traditions in the choice of the Ososo rulership be adhered to strictly, and advised the general public to know that the said Dele Obaitan is not what he is claiming to be and appealed to the state governor to please revisit the issue of the presentation of staff of office to avoid total breakdown of law and order in the community.
They then made it known and categorically clear that it is not the head of Ugbedu kindred who crowns a king (Olososo), but the head of the Okporikpo kindred.
However, efforts to get Dele Obaitan to speak on the issue were not successful before going to press.
