Laide Raheem, Abeokuta and Damiete Braide
Asade royal family in the Iwayedodo Ruling House of Ipokia town in Ipokia Local Government has called on Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, to enforce the nullification of the selection of candidate for the vacant stool of Onipokia of Ipokia kingdom.
The family also asked the government to order a fresh nomination process to choose the new Onipokia.
The Asade family’s position was contained in an open letter signed on their behalf by Adejare Adebisi and addressed to the governor.
Five kingmakers had on May 8 unanimously voted for an American-based entertainment promoter, Yisa Adeniyi Adelakun of Iwaye Dodo Ruling House as the 49th Onipokia of Ipokia.
The process was later declared null and void by the Ipokia local government and the state government ordered Adelakun not to parade himself as the Onipokia-elect.
But, the Asade family in the letter said despite the cancellation of the selection process, Adelakun had embarked on pre-coronation rites in Ipebi.
The letter said the development has put to question, the sincerity of the state government as the Oba-elect had continued to undergo Ipebi rites three weeks after cancellation of the selection process.
It, however, called for a new selection process which would allow legitimate candidate to be chosen among the more qualified candidates.
“And even when the process was cancelled and declared null and void and of no consequence by the government in a letter Ref. No: IPLG. 639/217 dated, May 13, 2019 duly endorsed by Adeniyi A. K. on behalf of Ipokia Local Government chairman and the so-called Oba-elect and the kingmakers were served, Prince Yisa is still in Ipebi in Iwaye Dodo royal compound observing an illegal three months pre-coronation rites.
“To this end, we are using this medium to challenge the state government and the local government chairman on whose authorities the letter was written and served on the concerned persons to clear the air on the whole situation.
“We wish to call on the attention of the governor to right the wrong by removing the prince in Ipebi and conduct a fresh nomination process to be witnessed by the required government functionaries in a transparent manner,” the family said.
Meanwhile, Ogun State Government has said it is determined to kick polio out of its communities, especially the borders and hard-to-reach areas.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, stated this when he monitored the ongoing Outbreak Response (OBR) campaign in Imoba community, Ifo Local Government Area.
Ipaye said an estimated 1.2 million under-five children were expected to be reached irrespective of their origin during the ongoing campaign, noting that deliberate efforts were being put to target border communities as they are areas more susceptible to outbreak due to the migration of people.
Head Technical Officer, World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Richard Banda noted that the state was peculiar due to its many border areas, stressing that it was important that stakeholders target inter-border immunisation seriously as the present outbreak was caused by a virus that originated from the northern part of the country into the state through movement of people along the borderlines.
Representative, United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Dr. Hayam Nam, said the OBR became necessary to eradicate the virus in the state and the country at large, saying the aim was to ensure all under-five children were duly immunised so that they could be healthy as well as develop full body immunity against the strain.