Obaship tussle: Ijebu-Igbo community plans 7-day fasting, prayers

The Apoje community of Ijebu-Igbo in Ogun State is planning a seven-day prayers and fasting session to seek divine intervention in resolving its 17-year-old kingship tussle.The community, at its emergency meeting in Ijebu-Igbo recently, had agreed that the vacancy which exists has resulted in the marginalisation of the town in Ijebuland.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the town has been without a paramount ruler since 1994, following the demise of the then Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo, Oba Adetayo Sami.This had been as a result of a conflict among the ruling houses over the choice of a new Orimolusi.Dr Olu Odeniyi, the spokesperson of the community, one of the town's prominent groups, said the prayers were going to be for God`s intervention in the kingship tussle.He said it was going to involve both the Christians and Muslims in the area, while the traditionalists would also consult their oracles for peace to reign in the town.Odeniyi explained that the Ijebu-Igbo town had been groping in the darkness in terms of leadership and development due to the tussle over the choice of the paramount ruler.``The advantages of a town having an Oba crowned are enormous, and due to the fact that Ijebu-Igbo does not have an Oba for the past 16 or 17 years, the town has been marginalised by other towns in Ijebuland.``The average Ijebu-Igbo adult now live under the poverty line due to lack of a leader.``If we have a good leader, like an Orimolusi, we will be able to tackle the town's socio-political, security and business problems for an improvement of the town,'' he said.The community spokesperson said Ijebu-Igbo had consequently been without a paramount ruler who has the authority to talk to the state government on its behalf on issues bothering it.``This vacuum has stayed for too long, and the situation is dangerous for a growing community.``The important issue at hand is that we want and need a king in an Orimolusi as quickly as possible so as to move the town forward.``We want harmony and peace in the town. We want Ijebu-Igbo to be referred to as City of Brotherly Love,'' he said.Odeniyi, however, appealed to the ruling houses in the town to stop the rancour and rivalry for the restoration of peace in the town.He also appealed to the local and state governments to put in place a conflict resolution formula to end the impasse.
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