By Akinnodi Francis, Ondo
The Paramount Ruler of Ile-Oluji kingdom, Oba (Dr.) Olufaderin Adetimehin, has reaffirmed his commitment to peace and development in the area amid ongoing protests by APC youths.
Oba Adetimehin addressed the protesting youths at his palace, urging them to channel their grievances through formal petitions rather than protests.
“Ile-Oluji is known for peace, and that peace must be maintained. I urge you all to reduce the protest to a petition. Let the petition be sent to different government quarters, and at our level here, we will do the needful to ensure peaceful coexistence in the local government,” he appealed.
The protest by the APC youths stemmed from recent appointments made by the Local Government Executive Chairman, Hon. Adebare Adeboye, who they accuse of sidelining the traditional 60:40 sharing formula between Ile-Oluji and OkeIgbo.
The youths claim that all supervisory councilor and adviser nominations were made solely by the chairman without consultation with the local political leaders, violating established political norms. According to them, since the creation of the local government, political representation and resource allocation have followed a 60 percent to 40 percent ratio in favour of Ile-Oluji, which has six political wards compared to OkeIgbo’s four.
“We demand that the 60:40 ratio be reinstated. The chairman cannot speak for Ile-Oluji without consulting party leaders. His unilateral actions are marginalising our kingdom,” said Alabi Sunday, one of the protesting youths.
The peaceful demonstration, which started from the council secretariat and ended at the Jegun palace, aimed to publicly highlight what the youths described as deliberate marginalisation by the local government chairman.
Otunba Isaiah Oyawale emphasised the importance of struggle for freedom, stating, “All we are saying is no to imposition from the chairman. He should respect the power-sharing arrangement within the council.”
Councilor Hon. Obiyemi Obilana acknowledged the chairman’s position but criticised his approach, saying, “Since its creation, the local government’s political activities have always adhered to the 60:40 ratio, fostering peace between the two communities. However, the recent appointments demonstrate an imposition by the chairman, who failed to consult political leaders and made appointments unilaterally for Ile-Oluji.”
The councilor added that the party youths are unhappy with the chairman’s actions and appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the state party chairman, and other party chieftains to intervene.
In response, Leader of the House, Hon. Iyabo Adefulire, called for calm among the youths and assured them that corrective measures would be taken.
“We will meet with the chairman soon to address this issue, and I assure you that the necessary corrections will be made. Please, let us all remain peaceful,” she said.