Ondo 2027: Akure will produce next governor, says Deji, Oba Aladelusi

…Kicks against abandonment of tradition by monarchs

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

Ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Ondo state, the Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, has declared that it’s the turn of Akure Kingdom to produce the next governor.

Oba Aladelusi said this at a media briefing to mark his 10th year anniversary on the throne.

Asked about the agitation of an Akure Kingdom  becoming the governor of the state, the monarch said that ” an Akure man would be the next governor by the grace of God.

He said that ” In this country, if your son becomes governor or president, See what the late President Muhammad Buhari did to Daura.

“Everybody wants his son to be governor. like I said earlier, there is no unity among Akure speaking communities. if we have that, we would have been governor long time ago.

“But the next governor in Ondo state will be from Akure kingdom. if I say Akure, I mean anybody from whether Akure North, Akure South or Ifedore local governments. The three councils areas are all Akure. This coming one it’s going to be our turn.

Speaking on his challenges in the last 10 years, the traditional ruler, said that

” We have more than 100 cases now in court. Everywhere, everybody, those who say that Deji is not the prescribed authority over this, over that.

“I believe anybody, any community that’s speaking Akure dialect is Akure, If you go to Akure North, Akure South, Ifedore, they all speaks Akure.

” Akure speaking communities is Akure. and who is the prescribed authority? It is the Deji. It has been there from time, I’m not trying to just put myself on top of anybody.

“When I got to the throne 10 years ago, I went to all the Akure communities and told the traditional rulers that we should all come together, they should not compete with Deji. it’s just like me competing with Ooni of ile- lfe or the Alafin of Oyo, people will just laugh at me.

“When we came from Ife, nobody gave Deji staff of office, we brought it from Ife. We were Deji from Ife and we were ruling before governors started. it was the colonial masters that took away the kingship from us. So Deji has been paramount ruler from Ife.

“When we started, we put Iju, Ogbolu, Ijare and others there, they are the sons of Deji. Now anybody from Akure North or Akure South can’t compete with Deji.

” God will bring us together. if we have one voice, we will do something better. Akure has the number, if we put our hands together, we will achieve great things.”

Speaking on the abandonment of traditional practices after ascending the throne, Oba Aladelusi, described it as unacceptable.

He said that he agreed to obey all the tradition when asked by the kingmakers ten years ago.

” We over 30 deities statutes in the palace that we go there to pray for peace to reign in Akure.

” I embraced all of them. Since I said I will uphold the tradition of this town, I will never deviant.

“If you want to become a traditional ruler in Yoruba land, you must obey all the traditions. I worship God, I go to church and mosque but you must do all that is required of you traditionally.

” I have been doing that and I don’t have any regret. look at me today, God had been hearing my prayers. but most importantly, don’t do evil.

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