Youths in Ode-Irele, headquarters of Irele local government area of Ondo State, on Sunday trooped out out in their large numbers to protest what they called long term vacant in the stool of Olofun in the ancient community.
The youths under the aegis of Coalition of Irele Progressive Youths Movement (CIPYM) during the protest carried placards placards with different inscription which includes “Irele youths demand Oba” Olofun stool should immediately occupied” “No Oba, no Ore festival ” No new yam festival” among other inscriptions.
Speaking during the protest, the Coordinator of CIPYM, Comrade Michael Akinboyo, said the youths decided to embarked on the protest to demand for official selection of the the 7-year-old Olofin stool.
The youth leader who lamented over the delay in the process, explained that the ancient community is lacking behind in many areas due to the continued absent of substantial monarch in the town.
He threatened that the youths in the town has concluded plans to ensure that the Chiefs and the Kingmakers popularly called “Ijoye and Ijama in local parlance should not come to the Malokun Shrine during forthcoming Ore festival.
” Only the Priests in charge of the celebration of the annual Ore festival will only be allowed to access the shrine on the day of the festival, we are doing this to allow them to perform the ritual rites and prayed more for the peace and well-being of the Irele and Ondo State entirely.
The protester youths later joined by a Veteran Journalist, who is also a Chief and community leader in the town, Chief Oluwole Akinbo, chanting various solidarity songs and vowed that the forthcoming annual Ore festival will not be hold uncles the process to elect new monarch in the town begin.
The protesters who are made up of men and women at the early hour of the day converged on the popular “Malokun Shrine” prayed for the quick intervention of the Ondo State Government and other relevant stakeholders, as well as the peaceful possession of the protest.
The protesters later moved from the spot in companied of the Ondo State Western Security Network Amotekun, a detachment of Police officer from Irele and Ajagba divisions moved round the town and later terminated at Malokun hall, where the youths later hold a meeting and vowed that no chief or kingmakers should come out and perform any rite during the forthcoming Ore festival.
The youths in a full musical gadgets vehicle went through the popular Oyenusi street in the community to the main market, destructing free flow of residents and vehicular movements including those who are going to Sunday service.
The youths during the peaceful protest stoped at different traditional spot in the town to pray and appealed to the Ondo State Government and the kingmakers to as a matter of urgency to commence the official selection and installation of new king for the town.
Reacting, the Vice Chairman of Irele local government, Mr Alli Olaniran, said the local government had made several move in the past to intervein in the crisis which is currently at the appellate court.
Also reacting, the Oyenusi of Irele, High Chief Olagundoye Ajigbore, lamented over what he called long term vacant in the stool of Olofun, he noted that “any town or settlement without a leader is not competent”
He appealed to the youths to be patient and expressed optimism that Governor Aiyedatiwa will soon intervein in the matter, the community leader noted that though, the case is currently in the court, but expressed confidence in the capacity of the judiciary.