Deposed Aree of Iree in Osun State, Oba Raphael Oluponle, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, following a move to begin a fresh process to select another monarch for the town.
Oluponle has urged Egbetokun to intervene in the matter and prevent violence, breach of public peace and contempt of court.
The deposed Oba was one of the monarchs appointed by the administration of the immediate past governor, Adegboyega Oyetola in 2022, but was removed by Ademola Adeleke’s administration through a White Paper released after a probe into the process that led to the monarch’s emergence.
The government subsequently directed the kingmakers to immediately commence the process of appointing another monarch for the town.
Oluponle, in a letter signed by his counsel, Muideen Adeoye and addressed to the office of the Inspector General of Police, and copied the Chief of Staff to the President, Attorney General of the Federation and Osun State Commissioner of Police, informed the police authorities that some individuals had initiated fresh selection process to choose a new Aree of Iree land.
He declared the action of those involved as illegal and likely to cause a breach of public peace and order, since there was a pending case in court in respect of the subject matter.
Oluponle’s letter partly read, “Up till date, the custodian of Aree of Iree instrument of appointment is Ọba Raphael Oluponle and up till date, no court of law has voided its issuance to the monarch by the government.
“And interestingly, the said White Paper has never directed the withdrawal of the instrument of appointment from the monarch, while the pending suit No HIK/39/2022 – Chief Olufemi Afolabi and four ors. Vs Governor of Oṣun and five others, have not been withdrawn till this moment of writing the petition.
“Suprisingly, in February 2024, some officers of this local government and others including Jamiu Adedokun Tunde, the local government Chairman, Bamigbola Jide, Secretary and Dosu Babatunde, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, among others suddenly commenced another process to install a new monarch in Iree, notwithstanding the pendency of the suit and without the withdrawal of instrument of appointment issued to the monarch by the same government.
“This action violates Section 21 (2) of the Chiefs Law of Osun State Cap 25, 2002., Section 249 (D) of the Criminal Code Act., Section 518(1,6 and 7) of Criminal Code Act., which states that any attempt to impulge on the authority of a custodian of instrument of appointment is criminal and liable to imprisonment and the same section empowers the security agencies to do the needful to prevent anarchy in the town.
“It is on this premises that we are urging the police and other security agents to enforce the law and order in respect of their constitutional responsibility while our client will remain peaceful and law-abiding, but the police has responsibility to protect our laws and restore sanity in the area.”