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Anxiety In Ondo Community As Kingmakers Disown Self-appointed Monarch

Published

2 years ago

December 26, 2023

Kingmakers in Alade-ldanre community in ldanre council area of Ondo State, have described as impostor anyone parading himself as the traditional ruler of the community.

Speaking on the selection of a new monarch, the Prime Minister of the town, who doubles as the Regent, Chief Oladipo Akinsowon, said that a new monarch would soon be selected.

Akinsowon said that “the selection process for a new monarch will soon commence, we distancing ourselves from a selection process that violates the tradition and custom of the community.”

He declared that the process to replace the late Oba Olusegun Akinbola, who joined his ancestors three years ago will start soon.

According to him “Anybody parading himself as the monarch of the town is an impostor and such action is against the tradition and custom of the ancient town.”

Akinsowon, who is also the Prime Minister of the town, said a new king will be selected in accordance with the tradition of the town, noting that a High Court has invalidated the earlier method of choosing traditional rulers for the town.

Speaking after a meeting with critical stakeholders, which include, traditional kingmakers, chiefs, and youth of the community, he said that “Presently, we have no king in Alade but we have regent.

”As regent, I have been on the throne for the past three years taking control of the community, and holding meetings with my chiefs because presently, the regent is the acting Oba.

“If anybody is parading himself as an Oba, he is never an Oba. I think he is arrogating power that does not belong to him. Nobody can become the Oba without the consent of the kingmakers and we have not chosen anybody as the king.

“The latest judgment has referred us to our traditional way of installing an Oba.

” Since both papers sent to the court have not been recognized and to avoid a vacuum, we have liaised with the elderly people in the community and discussed the matter with them for possible advice on further steps.

“We have a part of Idanre that has experienced 25 Obas on the throne and the 26th is on the throne.

“There are traditional ways they are used to without relying on any recommendation. We will consult all those people, the elders and they will guide us on the way forward.

“We are not considering any ruling house for now because the first one, those who were sent to the court were struck out.

” This time, we are going purely on the traditional way of installing an Oba. Before you can become an Oba, you must belong to a ruling house and we have two ruling houses in Alade which are the Akinbola and Akinboro.

“We initially had six kingmakers but we have lost three. Now, we have three which include me (the Lisa), the Sasere, and the Odunwo.

“No Oba has been approved by the court as the Aladeokun-in-council of Alade, Idanre.”

Also speaking the secretary of the youths in the town, Adewale Akinrinlola, insisted that due process should be followed in selecting a monarch for the town.

Akinrinlola, who supported the stands of the kingmakers appealed to them to swing into action immediately.

He pointed out that the town was long overdue for a new monarch.

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NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday

Published

13 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

News

JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

18 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

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JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

18 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.