By Victor Akinkuolie
Youths in Ode-Irele, headquarters of Irele Local Government area of Ondo State, on Sunday trooped out in large numbers to protest what they described as the prolonged vacancy of the Olofun stool in the ancient community.
The youths, under the aegis of the Coalition of Irele Progressive Youths Movement (CIPYM), carried placards with various inscriptions such as, “Irele Youths Demand Oba,” “Olofin Stool Should Be Immediately Occupied,” “No Oba, No Ore Festival,” and “No New Yam Festival,” among others.
Speaking during the protest, the Coordinator of CIPYM, Comrade Michael Akinboyo, said the youths embarked on the demonstration to demand the official selection and installation of a monarch for the Olofun stool, which has been vacant for over seven years.
The youth leader, who lamented the delay in the process, explained that the community is lagging behind in many developmental areas due to the continued absence of a substantive traditional ruler.
He further stated that the youths had concluded plans to prevent the Chiefs and Kingmakers—popularly referred to as Ijoye and Ijama in local parlance—from accessing the Malokun Shrine during the forthcoming Ore Festival.
“Only the priests in charge of the annual Ore Festival will be allowed access to the shrine on the day of the festival. This is to enable them to perform the necessary rituals and pray for peace and progress in Irele and Ondo State at large,” Akinboyo said.
The protesting youths were later joined by a veteran journalist, who is also a community leader and Chief in the town, Chief Oluwole Akinbo. Together, they chanted solidarity songs and vowed that the annual Ore Festival would not hold unless the process to elect a new monarch is initiated.
The protesters, comprising men and women, gathered early in the morning at the popular Malokun Shrine, where they offered prayers for the quick intervention of the Ondo State Government and other relevant stakeholders. They also prayed for a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
The protest later proceeded through the town, accompanied by operatives of the Ondo State Security Network (Amotekun) and a detachment of police officers from Irele and Ajagba divisions. It ended at Malokun Hall, where the youths held a meeting and reaffirmed their position that no Chief or Kingmaker should perform any rites during the Ore Festival.
Riding in a vehicle equipped with full musical gadgets, the youths moved through the popular Oyenusi Street to the main market, temporarily disrupting the movement of residents and vehicular traffic, including worshippers heading to Sunday church services.
The peaceful protesters stopped at several traditional landmarks in the town to offer prayers and called on the Ondo State Government and the Kingmakers to urgently commence the process of selecting and installing a new king.
Reacting to the protest, the Vice Chairman of Irele Local Government, Mr. Alli Olaniran, said the council had made several attempts in the past to intervene in the crisis, which is currently before the appellate court.
Also reacting, the Oyenusi of Irele, High Chief Olagundoye Ajigbore, lamented the prolonged vacancy of the Olofun stool, stating that “any town or settlement without a leader is not complete.”
He appealed to the youths for patience and expressed optimism that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa would soon intervene in the matter. While noting that the case is still in court, the community leader said he had confidence in the capacity of the judiciary to resolve the issue.