Soldiers move into Ikare Akoko over chieftaincy crisis

Soldiers have taken over Ikare Akoko community in Ondo State over leadership crisis that led to destruction of cars and houses.

The recent crisis, which began on Monday, was the outcome of the cold war between two monarchs in the community, the Olukare and the Owa Ale.

Olukare of Ikare, Oba Oba Akadiri Saliu Momoh, in January dethroned Chief Idowu Ogunye as Olokoja of Okoja, and appointed Chief Sunday Bada as the new Olokoja.

Oba Momoh cited absenteeism from meetings, disloyalty and refusal to obey his directives as reasons for dethroning Chief Ogunye.

The crisis that erupted in the community was over who had the right to summon a meeting of Okoja.

Bada, whose house was destroyed during the fracas, accused Ogunye of causing trouble in the community since he was dethroned.

He said Ogunye was advised to approach a court to oppose his dethronement.

“I call on well-meaning indigenes of Okoja and Ikare to prevail on Baba Idowu Ogunye, the dethroned Olokoja, to stop bringing hoodlums to Okoja and allow peace to reign.

“Okoja is not Okorun. It is unfair for him to link this issue with Olukare and Owa Ale Obaship tussle.”

But Chief Ogunye, who denied hiring thugs to disrupt the town meeting, said the fracas was to cause mayhem ahead of the coronation of the Owa Ale, Oba Adeleke Adedoyin.

He insisted that he remained the Olokoja of Okoja, saying the Olukare could not dethrone him as he was in office before the emergence of the present Olukare.

Police spokesman Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Tee Leo Ikoro, who confirmed the incident, said nobody had been killed in Ikare since Monday when the crisis started.

He said security personnel have been deployed in strategic locations in the town.

Credit: The Nation