By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Scores of residents and indigenes of Akungba Community in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, stormed the Palace of Alale of Akungba on Monday in solidarity protest, over an alleged plot to illegally remove the newly promoted Grade A Oba, Isaac Sunday Adeyeye, Ajimo III, the Alale of Akungba Akoko from the throne, by some elements whom the demonstrators described as “haters of peace and progress.”
The protesters who besieged the Palace of the Monarch around 8:45am on Monday morning, held placard with various inscriptions like, “We say no to illegality in Akungba”
“We love our King”
“No Court ordered removal of our king”
“No to breach of peace in Akungba”, while emphasizing a vote of confidence in Oba Alale.
Expressing their displeasure, the residents said they were surprised over the alleged activities of some Ondo State government officials (not the Bovernor) whom sources claimed “are and abetting the illicit plot “
The leaders and people of the community hosting, State-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, AAUA, frowned at the the unprovoked interference of the said officials in the affairs of Akungba Kingdom.
“Nobody should fan the embers of conflict or stoke the fire of war in our serene and fast developing community. Akungba, under the leadership of our progressive Oba Alale, has seen a lot of peace, socio-economic development and national prominence in the last five years. No one should throw a spanner in the good works,” a frontline leader stated.
Addressing the people, a retiree and former national labour leader and ex President of Akungba Development Union, Chief Dele Olowogorioye, admomished all parties who were involved in Obaship tussle in the past, to maintain statusquo and allow peace to reign.
Chief Olowogorioye disclosed that there is a pending case at the court on the issue, and therefore people should be careful in their acts.
The Cadbury Pensioner, Olowogorioye noted that “the State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN would not allow the existing peace of Akungba and the Sunshine State to be trampled upon by clandestine elements.”
An astonished Chief Olusin of Akungba, Gabriel Olaseni, said: “I cannot comprehend how a disgruntled clique can think they will throw out the people’s popular King,” adding that:
“In my view, security agents should nip in the bud this ugly attempt at breach of peace in our law abiding town.”
Meanwhile, “We are trusting God for a non-violent resolution of this crisis.”
In his royal response, Oba Isaac Adeyeye called for calm and urged the peaceful protesters not to take the laws into their own hands.
The monarch expressed implicit trust on Gov. Akeredolu and described him as a legal luminary with a wealth of experience and no-nonsense administrator. “Our able Governor would always tow the line of justice and equity asca Senior Advocate and meticulous administrator.”
The Alale thanked Akungba indigenes, home and abroad, for the loyalty to royalty through series of vote of confidence in the throne.
