Kingmakers not responsible for delay in appointment of Aree of Iree

Kingmakers not responsible for delay in appointment of Aree of Iree

Kingmakers in Iree, a community in Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State have denied insinuation making the rounds that they are responsible for the delay in appointing a new traditional ruler for the town.

The kingmakers who discarded the allegation, said they are ready to go ahead with the process of selecting a new Aree of Iree.

The kingmakers who are notable High Chiefs of Iree, said they are willing and ready to select a new traditional ruler in accordance with the tradition and culture of the town, stressing that they would not jettison any of the tradition guiding the selection and appointment of Aree of Iree.

Reacting to a statement entitled "Aree stool, kingmakers Enough is Enough", the kingmakers made it emphatically cleared that none of them has done anything whatsoever to delay the appointment of a new monarch for the town.

Also, they said the indigenes of the town are not behind the delay in the appointment of the Are of Iree, alleging that the state commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Adebayo Adeleke was the one planning to impose his preferred candidate on the town.

Adeleke popularly called Banik who is also a prince was said to be interested in one of the candidates vying for the vacant stool of the Aree of Iree, hence his involvement which caused the delay as he was allegedly doing everything to ensure that his preferred candidate is selected by the kingmakers.

This, it was gathered was against the choice of the kingmakers and many indigenes of the town who want the best person to emerge through transparent and open system acceptable to all and sundry and in accordance with the norms, tradition and culture of the town.

The kingmakers, it was learnt have resolved to follow due process, traditional rites and cultural practice of the town in the selection of a new Aree of Iree.

To this end, the kingmakers were said to have rejected the choice of the Iyalode of Iree as a warrant Chief allegedly imposed by the commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

This, it was learnt has caused serious delay in the selection process as the kingmakers vehemently against the choice of Iyalode as a warrant chief.

The appointment of the warrant Chief was said to have been solely done by the commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs following the death of the Eesa who was one of the kingmakers.

The kingmakers were said to have boycotted the sitting where election was to be held for the appointment of new Aree of Iree due to the alleged influence of Prince Adeleke and the appointment of Iyalode as a warrant chief.

A source hinted that the kingmakers had vowed to resist any external influence on the choice of the new monarch for the town and resolved to follow due process and traditional practices to the letter.