Gbenro Adesina
The Laoye Orumogege Ruling House, in Ogbomoso, which is to produce the next Soun of Ogbomosho has reiterated that the ruling house is yet to select Soun-Designate, saying that the traditional way of allowing Ifa Oracle to select a king would be upheld.
The ruling house stated that it would not allow money or any other factor to influence the selection of the town’s new king.
According to a leader of the ruling house called Asiwaju Idile Laoye Orumogege, Pa Garuba Olaoye, who declared that he would not be contesting for the throne because of his old age, condemned the kingmakers for attempting to impose on the family, a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church God (RCCG), Ghandi Afolabi.
His words, “It is my right to be the next Soun of Ogbomosho land but I have decided not to contest because of old age. I told my family members that I am not interested. Laoye ruling house has 10 different families. Our current Mogaji is from Kape Family. Many family members want to contest for the exalted position in the land. We held a meeting and felt that for us to reduce the number of those who want to contest, we must print forms and ask anyone interested to pick a form. The form has no commercial purpose.”
“Let me emphasise to the world that we have not selected new Soun at all. It is the kingmakers that want to cause a problem and they have done so. They did the same thing in our family in 1944. Let me also make it clear that Kape’s family cannot produce a king because they had produced one in the past. Kape Family caused trouble for us in 1944 and they still want to cause another problem. It is this family that has produced mogaji for our family. The mogaji of our family is from Kape, thus, they can’t produce a king at the same time”, the family leader said.
Pa Olaoye appealed to the state government to ensure that the wrong person is not selected for the stool saying, ” We are appealing to the Oyo State Government to be patient with us. We don’t want money to influence the process. We want to consult Ifa oracle to select a king for us.”
Traditionally, turn by turn, five ruling houses produce kings in Ogbomosho. The ruling houses are: Gbagun Loju, Laoye Orumogere, Bolanta, Odun Aro and Ojo Aburumakuu.
The immediate past monarch in the town, Late Oba Adewunmi Ajagungbade 111, came from Gbagun Loju, and traditionally, it is the turn of Laoye.
