Asaoni may drag Ora to War, Ora Solidarity Front warns

The Ora Solidarity Front, a sociocultural group representing sons and daughters of the ancient town of Ora-Igbomina in Ifedayo Local Government of Osun State has cautioned in strong terms, the continued attempts of the Asaoni, Joshua Tinuoye Atolagbe, “to discredit the traditional chieftaincy stool of the Akesin of Ora Igbomina and to bring the name of our revered monarch, His Royal Majesty Oba Samuel Oladoye Idowu to disrepute.”

Speaking via a letter to the Governor of the State of Osun, Alh. Gboyega Oyetola, a copy of which was sighted by our correspondent, the Ora Solidarity Front condemned the continued heating of the polity of the ancient town by Asaoni’s several litigations and media attacks aimed at disproving the Akesin’s traditional and legally established right to wear a beaded crown.

The letter, citing several Court judgments and Government Edits affirming the rights of Akesin of Ora Igbomina to wear a beaded crown, the sociocultural Group stated that “Oba Samuel Oladoye Idowu became the Akesin of Ora-Igbomina through due process as provided by Edit No. 5 of 1977 Legal Notice No. 22. His rights to wear beaded crown is rightly recognized by law and was elevated to the position of a Permanent Member of the Osun State Council of Obas on the 5th day of May, 2009.”

The group restating the readiness of Ora indigenes to affirm the legality of the Akesin stool through legal processes, said “While we are ever ready to defend our communal legacy before any court of competent jurisdiction, we find Asaoni’s penchant for using the media – different outlets, online social media and the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) – as instrument to propagate false narratives and defame our cultural heritage as irresponsible, offensive and very provocative. His recklessness if unchecked may push us to the point of no return.”

Calling on the State Governor to immediately call the Asaoni to order to forestall the breakdown of law and order, the group stated through the letter to the Governor, that “Before it becomes too late, we have deemed it proper to request your revered office to call on the Asaoni, Joshua Tinuoye Atolagbe and his co travelers to tow the path of unity and peaceful coexistence by abiding with the law and stop fanning the embers of war. It is our stern believe that he will heed this call to prevent a complete breakdown of law and order with the attendant serious breach of public peace that is likely to occur.”

It is expected that in the coming days, the Government of the State of Osun under Alh. Gboyega Oyetola will quickly swing into action to avoid communal crisis that may threaten the peace of the peaceful ancient town.