Fear, Anxiety As Succession Crisis in Alade Idanre Worsens, Regent Molested

Fear, Anxiety As Succession Crisis in Alade Idanre Worsens, Regent Molested

Residents of Alade Idanre, a sleepy town in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State, are currently in shock and enveloped in fear and apprehension as no visible action has taken place weeks after a petition on the recent crisis rocking the kingdom was sent to the Ondo State Commissioner of police, CP Bolaji Salami.

Crisis had erupted in October following the death and succession of the monarch, the Aladeokun of Alade Idanre, Oba Oluse­gun Ayodele Akinbola.

Alade Idanre is one of the communities that make up Idanre kingdom. It was founded as recently as 1928, linking Akure, the state capital with Idanre where the popular Idanre Hill is lo­cated.

It could be recalled that just two days after Oba Akinbola’s demise, Temilowa Akinbola, his first daughter, was crowned the regent.

But five days after her emergence, hoodlums had invaded the palace, looted valuables, assaulted and abducted the Regent.

In a petition to the state commissioner of police requesting prompt investigations and action, Temilowa, through her lawyer, narrated how she was abducted from her father’s palace and assaulted allegedly on the orders of Oba Frederick Aroloye, paramount ruler of Idanre and a nonagenarian.

According to the Petition, “Our client reliably informed us that sometime on Friday 23rd October 2020, some thugs numbering about 20 forcibly entered the palace of Aladeokun of Alade Idanre and caused havoc therein.

“The thugs who came in motorcycles (popularly known as okada) were armed with guns, cutlasses, logs of wood and other dangerous weapons. We were reliably informed that the thugs shot sporadically into the air, singing war songs and demanding for the whereabouts of our client, the Regent of Alade Idanre,” she said in the petition her lawyer signed on her behalf.

“It is part of our brief that the hoodlums maliciously damaged all vehicles packed within the premises of the palace. Windshield and glass windows of vehicles belonging to Olori Abiola Akinbola and her visitor and chiefs were smashed by the thugs.”

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The petition stated further that after forcefully gaining entry into the living areas and bedrooms in the palace, the attackers looted and carted away telephone handsets, assorted wines, food items, clothing materials, jewellery, laptops, ATM cards and money. The regent was forcefully taken to the palace of Aroloye where she was assaulted in the presence of the Paramount Ruler.

“We were further informed that our client was severely beaten, assaulted and her dignity was abused. The suspects dragged Her Majesty out of the toilet where she hid and forced her on a motorcycle. Also assaulted and abused were all persons, inhabitants, family members and visitors who were at the palace of Aladeokun of Alade Idanre on that day. The suspects roughly abducted our client and took her and Olori Abiola to Owa of Idanre’s palace. At the palace, it became apparent that the thugs were carrying out the instructions given to them by Owa of Idanre,” the petition read.

“The Owa of Idanre Kingdom, Oba Fredrick Adegunle Aroloye IV, sat on the throne and watched as the suspects again beat up the regent and the Olori. It was at the palace that the Owa ordered that the Regent vacate the throne so that one High Chief Lisa of Alade be installed. Owa of Idanre also ordered that Alade regional market be opened contrary to custom and tradition of closing same upon the demise of Aladeokun of Alade.”

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Surprisingly a statement from the media office of the Owa of Idanre, claimed the monarch was not responsible for the attack.

The statement also added that the monarch only invited the regent to a meeting to discuss the controversy surrounding her father’s burial. It equally faulted Akinbola’s emergence as regent, saying it is against the tradition of Idanre people to have a female regent after the transition of a king.

“The gathering at Owa’s palace on 23rd October 2020 was meant to resolve the issue of the purported intention of some people to come and perform parts of the burial rites of the departed traditional ruler of Alade Idanre inside the Alade Regional Market which was founded by Owa on 1861 and such thing was seen as an aberration, hence the need for the parley. And the gathering ended peacefully after exhaustive deliberations from both sides,” the statement read.

I once died and woke up when about to be buried –Aroloye, Owa of Idanre

“The people were also educated that only at the transition of an Owa could the Alade Regional Market be closed or temporarily relocated and no other traditional ruler in Idanre land was given such entitlement.

“So the Owa could not be a party to any scheme that will make things tough or hard for his immediate family or the people of Alade Idanre who he left behind.