The Aafin Compound of Ilogbo-Ekiti have reacted to a statement credited to newspaper publication, claiming that male children from his Igbolofin family house in the community are also entitled to the kingship throne of the town.
Ilogbo-Ekiti is in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State. The title of the king of the Community is Owa of Ilogbo-Ekiti .
In a statement signed by the king of the Community, Oba (Dr.) Edward O. Ajayi and four others namely – Prince Julius Jegede, Prince Kayode Adeleye, Prince John Olorunfemi and Prince Segun Adebayo, the Aafin compound, historically, legally and empirically opined that only the male children from the Agbegunayeboni and Agunsoye lineage within the Aafin Compound are entitled to the throne of Owa of Ilogbo-Ekiti.
The Aafin Family also argued that the gazette Morgan Commission Report of 1978 of the old Ondo State, applicable to Ekiti State, recognised the Agbegunayeboni and Agunsoye Ruling houses as the only Families entitled to the Owa of Ilogbo-Ekiti throne.
The statement reads in full: “We have heard, read and observed over the last few years, the machinations of certain elements in the town to distort the norms, traditions, culture, history and legal position regarding the right to the throne of Owalogbo (King) of our dear town, Ilogbo-Ekiti.
“The aforementioned machinations culminated in the publication in the Nigerian Tribune Newspaper of May 23rd, 2021 of an interview by one Chief David Agbetuyi, the Saloro of Ilogbo-Ekiti. In that interview, Chief Agbetuyi attempted to distort history with the end aim of claiming that members of the Igbolofin family and other member-families within the Ebi Oke Owa are entitled to become king.
“Consequently, it has become necessary for us, the Aafin Family, the royal family of Ilogbo-Ekiti, to release this statement to set the records straight:
“The Owalogbo can only be picked from two ruling houses – the Agbegunayeboni and Agunsoye. This is backed by customary law and government declaration as stated by the Morgan Chieftaincy Review Commission of Ondo State, set up in 1977 and its white paper published in July, 1981. This is applicable to Ekiti-State.
“The two ruling houses are the two arms that makes up the Ile Aafin.
“The town of Ilogbo-Ekiti is organized and structured into eight Ebi (s). Each Ebi is in turn made of several Ile (s). There is a head Ile that leads each Ebi.
“Ile Aafin is one of the ten (10) Ile (s) that make up the Ebi Oke Owa. Ile Aafin is also the head (Ile) of Ebi Oke Owa. The other nine (9) Ile (s) are: Ule Atogun, Igbolofin, Eyigbo, Ule Onigbogbonisan, Okegbala/Akodi, Upara, Ule Aba Aiye, Ule Aba Luare and Ule Aginringan.
“The Head of the Ebi Oke Owa is the Owalogbo (King). Geographically, the area of Ile Aafin is made up of sections – the palace, several shrines and Isape. Isape is the residential area for members of the royal family.
“A key factor that distinguishes members of Ile Aafin from other Ile (s) in the Ebi Oke Owa is that the only township chieftaincy title that members of Ile Aafin are entitled to is the Owalogbo (King). This norm is widely known. Whereas other members of the other Ile (s) of Ebi Oke Owa are entitled to township chieftaincy titles. This is evidenced even by the Chief Agbetuyi himself, who is the current Saloro. The Saloro chieftaincy is a township one. Prior to that he had occupied another township chieftaincy position, Osula. Other examples are the current Osao (from Eyigbo), the current Ejisun (from Eyigbo), Oluare (Ule Aba Luare), Abaiye (Ule Aiye), Alaginringan (Ule Aginringan), etc.
“Another key distinguishing factor is that members of Ile Aafin cannot be initiated into the Ode (Hunters) and Awo groups, even though they may practice such professions if they choose to. The members of the other Ile (s) of Ebi Oke Owa do not have such privilege.
“We wish to state very expressly that fourteen (14) Owalogbos have reigned. The incumbent, Oba Edward Ajayi being the 14th. All the fourteen were chosen from the Aafin family. All the fourteen are blood descendants of the first Owalogbo, Arugbo Aborifunfun – our progenitor. Unfortunately, those trying to change our history claim that 16 Owalogbos have reigned. They are wrong, they usually duplicate names and nicknames of the previous Owalogbos.
“Our progenitor arrived this town from Osun-Ekiti, in the present day Moba Local Government. He departed Osun with his followers as a result of the Obaship dispute there between him and his brother. History has it that our progenitor and his brother (or their forefathers) were princes of Ife.
“On Ilogbo’s land, our progenitor’s first settlement was at a place called Ipole from where he later relocated with others to the present location of the town. Ipole is still located on Odoroye farm land, and is a revered and sacred place, where certain royal rights are conducted.
“On arrival at the settlement that later became known as Ilogbo, he met Ejemu, the first settler, who persuaded him to settle there with him. As part of the agreement, Ejemu on learning of our progenitor’s princeship of Osun-Ekiti and his bloodline to the throne of Ife, yielded the Obaship to him in order to persuade him to stay. Ejemu was a true builder and a man of vision who realized that he needed others to work with him in a team to build a successful and sustainable town. He later demonstrated this again when he yielded his number 2 position to another new migrant, Odofin. Thus, establishing the leadership order that persists till today. 1. Owalogbo 2. Odofin 3. Ejemu.
“Chief Agbetuyi claimed his fore-father was the first king and then subsequently schemed out? Over the reign of thirteen (13) kings? Is this not ridiculous? How could they be consistently schemed out over a period not less than 325 years; conservatively assuming each Owalogbo reigned for 25 years?
“Chief Agbetuyi said that his fore-father Famurewa Omo Oye was the first Owalogbo. Note that there is no record that anybody called Famurewa Omooye has ever been an Owa of Ilogbo.
“The farmland owned solely by Ile Aafin is called Odoroye. Only members of Ile Aafin have farms in Odoroye. There is a deity called Orisa Oroye that belongs to the Owa of Ilogbo, the priest (abore) that worhips it for the king is called Oluroye. The Oluroye is chosen from Ile Upara of Ebi Oke Owa.
“The Morgan Commission gave over one year for interested parties to submit papers. How could any one claim that some people went surreptitiously to submit papers despite being given over one year? Why did their fathers not submit papers if truly they are entitled to the Owa of Ilogbo-Ekiti throne? They didn’t do so because they knew they were not entitled to the throne.
“The paper written by the Iwarefa (the six high chiefs and kingmakers for Ilogbo-Ekiti) to Morgan Commission was prepared for them by the late Chief Adesegun Olu Orisalade. If Chief Olu Orisalade believed that himself and his family had the right to the throne, why did he not prepare and submit a paper on behalf of his family to the commission? The late erudite politician did not do so because he knew his family does not have the right to the throne.
“Let it be clearly noted that the man Chief Agbetuyi is not the head of the Ebi Oke Owa; the title belongs to the Owa of Ilogbo, Oba Dr. Edward Ajayi. Chief Agbetuyi is not the CUSTODIAN of our history. When we interviewed Chief Agbetuyi on his claims, he denied everything he said, and claimed he was forced by some elements to make those fallacious claims in the PRESS.
“We, the Aafin family only seek peace, progress and prosperity for our dear town. The town has been through too many turmoils over the past three decades. Many progressive sons and daughters have been working assiduously to rebuild unity in the town. We do not want another crisis,” the statement concluded.