Olowo-elect to meet kingmakers for ratification

From Jimoh Ahmed, Owo
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The new Olowo-elect is to be presented to the Owo kingmakers in the next few days for ratification .

The hint was given by Chief Jamiu Ekungba in an interview with The Hope shortly after the selection of the new Olowo-elect, Prince Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye.

Ekungba who is the Spokesman of the Council of Senior Omolowos disclosed that the ratification of the Olowo-elect by the kingmakers, will be followed by  the commencement of rites for his installation.

According to Owo tradition, the  installation is  done on the day of Ogwagbe market popularly known as Oja Koko. This is done after the Senior Omolowos had  presented the Olowo-elect to the Iloros whose prerogatives is to commence the installation rites and coronation after the ratification of the selection by the kingmakers. The next Ogwagbe market holds in  five days time.

Speaking on the selection of the Olowo-elect, he said “It was a unanimous decision by the Agba Omolowos. There had been tension in the town, but in the characteristics of the Agba Omolowos, we kept our cool because we knew what we wanted to do”.

It was not a thing that anybody could do except the Senior Omolowos. We consulted and we became unanimous in choosing the new Olowo-elect”.

He assured that everybody will work together with the winner to take Owo to greater heights.

” We are going to work together as one indivisible entity to take Owo to greater heights. You can see that immediately he was announced the winner, other contestants embraced him.

He however called on the people of Owo to exercise patience not to run foul of the selection and installation process by waiting patiently for the custodians of  traditional rites to formally open the floor.

According to him, Prince Ajibade remains an Olowo-elect until he is presented to the Iloros for the traditional installation rites.

“I want to appeal to the people of Owo not to call the winner an Olowo for now. He will be officially presented to the Kingmakers for ratification, after which he will be presented to the Iloros for the commencement of the installation rites.

Meanwhile the Olowo-elect, Prince Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye has pledged to make Owo the cynosure of all eyes within and outside the country.

Prince Ajibade said the unity and development of Owo is a priority to him as the Olowo.

The new Olowo-elect has also extended a hand of fellowship to other contestants and the generality of the people of Owo by calling for the cooperation of all.

Prince Ajibade Ogunoye emerged victorious after polling 14 votes in a keenly contested election held at the Ugha Nla, the general courtyard of the Olowo’s palace in the ancient town of Owo while his closest contestant, Prince Suyi Olateru-Olagbegi got one vote.

18 candidates obtained the nomination forms for the vacant stool while 16 showed up for the screening exercise.

At the selection ground, only 17 contestants were present while sixteen Omolowos were also present.

Fifteen of the Senior Omolowos voted while the president of the council, the Ojomoluda of Ijebu Owo, Oba Kodoworola Ojomo abstained.

According to the tradition of Owo, the Ojomo would not vote except there is a tie among the two leading contestants.

Earlier, before the election commenced, the Ojomoluda said that true to the promise he made that the process will not be monetized, he was happy to say that there is nothing contrary to the promise he made.

Oba Kofoworola said when he remembered what happened twenty years ago, he made up his mind that no life must be lost in this dispensation and as such he appealed to the Senior Omolowos to vote according to their conscience.

According to the monarch, the contest is not a do or die affair and so Owo should not boil again.

“I have told the Senior Omolowos to vote according to their conscience. This is not a contest between the Senior Omolowos and the government. It is not between the council and individuals”.

” My stand is far more important than any individual. If there is no Owo, there will be no individual. I appeal to whoever emerges to remember that he has the onerous task of bringing the people together to bring Owo to the nobility it has in the international community”.

Oba Ojomo while congratulating the Olowo-elect on his victory appealed to him not to embark on a revenge mission, but to build on the foundation of his predecessor, Oba Folagbade Olateru Olagbegi III.

The election was held under the watch of the authority of the Owo local government and conducted by its officials according to the Olowo Chieftaincy edict with the Director of Local Government Administration, Segun Omojuwa presiding while the Chairman of the Council, Mr Adebayo Oke was also present.