Erinmo: How self acclaimed monarch throws Osun town into years of confusion

HAMEED OYEGBADE reports that after he was deposed as a chief and Ifa Priest, a traditional title holder throws Erinmo town into years of confusion as he claims to be a monarch.

Erinmo is a town in Osun State near the border with Ekiti State and believed to have potent spiritual mountains.  It is also a transit town that connects to several parts of Nigeria.

Besides, it has a historical antecedent that links it directly to Ile-Ife. According to history, Erinmo is believed to have been founded by the third and fifth Ooni of Ife. Spiritually, Erinmo is a Jerusalem of sort in Nigeria being the place that several people visit for prayers on the mountains.

The king of Erinmo, Oba Michael Ajayi, is a first class Oba in Oriade Local Government Area of the state with a beaded crown, was installed and crowned on August 6, 2013 by the Osun State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola with the official title of Elerinmo of Erinmo-Ijesha. He was chosen by the Arowotawaya ruling dynasty.

But before the new monarch could settle on the throne, he heard about another Oba’s palace within his domain. The National Chairman and former Presidential Candidate of the National Action Council (NAC) Dr Olapade Agoro, has his own palace in Erinmo where he reigns as the Owa’Tapa of Itapa Ijesaland. Agoro is the promoter of a proposed Business University in the town. The existence of the palace caused confusion in the town and the problem is yet to abate.

According to High Chief John Falodun, who is the second in command in the traditional hierarchy of the town, told Daily Trust there could only be one palace.

“Agoro must stop parading himself as Oba in a town where we have our own Oba. The inscription on his building which he is using as a palace is unacceptable,” Falodun said.

He said it is an abomination to have two palaces in a particular town and urged the government to stop Agoro.

Another traditional chief in the town, Chief Samuel Omoseebi, who is also the Aasan of Erimon-Ijesa further appealed to the government to intervene in the matter.

Besides, a community leader and the Olori-Omo of Odiolowo Compound, Mr Sogo Oluwaloni, accused Agoro of causing tension in the town and implored the state government not to take the issue with levity.

The Ijesa Traditional Council wrote Agoro a letter dated March 12, 2015 and cautioned him not to parade himself as “Oba” again. Also, the Owa Obakun of Ilesa, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran withdrew his title as Ifa priest on February 7, 1986 because of his conduct. In another letter dated 30th July, 2016 addressed to the Commissioner of Police on investigation activities on the matter, the Oba said he “installed Mr Olapade Agoro as Chief Atapami of Ilesa- a minor chief and Ifa Priest in June, 1982…I deposed him and abolished the title Atapami in March, 1983 with the approval of the then Military Government of the old Oyo State vide a letter Ref No. CB/141/66/21/99 dated 5th February, 1985.”

However, the matter became a legal tussle and dragged for several years.

Oba Ajayi expressed dismay that “Agoro claimed to be the Owa’Tapa but there is no town known as Itapa. He wrote ‘Owa’Tapa of Itapa-Ijesaland Palace’ in front of his private residence and claimed that he is a traditional ruler. That is unacceptable. He must allow peace to reign.”

Reacting to the allegations against him, Dr Olapade Agoro told Daily Trust on phone that he became the Oba before Osun State was created and that he is the original “owner” of the land where Erinmo is located and should be regarded as the father to the Elerinmo. 

According to Agoro, “Erinmo is a statutory tenant of Owa’Tapa of Itapa-Ijesa. The land where Erinmo is located belongs to Itapa. Erinmo does not have an Oba presently. I don’t recognise the person that called himself the Oba in Erinmo as a genuine Oba because the court has even said he is not an Oba.”

Agoro said traditionally, a person that would be made the Elerinmo must stay at Imogun-Itapa for three months to observe tutelage and it is Atapa that will hand him over to the people that will install him as the Oba.

Agoro added: “I have documents for all my claims and I do not need to stress myself to prove it because the document is even available in the national archive and there are several courts documents to support my claims. The former Elerinmo, Oba Job Oyeyemi prostrated before me when he was alive and we have not installed any Elerinmo after him. The late Oba Job was the recognized Elerinmo and the court has confirmed this.”

On allegation that he possesses guns and shoot sporadically in the town, Agoro said “I don’t shoot guns as alleged…I have spent N220million on my university in that town and how can I be terrorising the same town? Let them tell who was shot by me. I have gun and I have license for my gun. I’m a licensed gun owner since 1972 and my license is still intact.”

The Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fimihan Adeoye said Agoro is wanted and the command has been looking him. He said: “We have a warrant of arrest against Pa Oladape Agoro and we are looking for him. We will arrest him if we find him. We are not aware of any case he instituted against the police. We will even be glad to meet him in court. I cannot be trading words with him. I can assure you that we will arrest him when we see him.”

The Osun State Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Kolapo Alimi told Daily Trust that Oba Michael Ajayi is the Elerinmo of Erinmo and that he was properly selected by kingmakers, duly appointed and installed by the Osun State Government and recognised under the chieftaincy laws of Osun State. Alimi however said he would not want to talk about Agoro.

“Please, I will not talk on Agoro. I have confirmed that the law and the state government recognised Oba Michael Ajayi as the traditional ruler of Erinmo,” Alimi explained.