By Dayo Johnson
THE 16 Kingmakers in Akure, Ondo State have solicited support for the newly appointed Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida, just as he commenced the traditional rites expected to last three months.

Their Chairman, High Chief Michael Falade, told newsmen, weekend, that Oba Adesida would live up to the expectation of the people of the ancient town.

The Odopetu of Akureland denied reports credited to him that they voted for another candidate and not the new Oba.

According to him: “Well, I can assure you, the state government and my fellow kingmakers that majority of the kingmakers voted for the new Deji, Oba Adebiyi Adesida and we are going to unite behind him. There will be no problem, there will be no rancour, there will be no court case or no crisis.

The people should support the Deji, and we made all the contestants to enter into an undertaking at the beginning of the selection process that none of them will foment trouble when the winner eventually emerges. And this is our stance. We wish the Kabiyesi many years on the throne and pray that under him Akure will attain more greatness and we thank our Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko for giving us a level playing field.”

Meanwhile, the governor Dr Olusegun Mimiko said that the absence of an Oba in the last few months in the town “created a serious vacuum on the social economic landscape of Akure Community.”

While saying that his administration would not dabble in the Chieftaincy matters in any Community, the governor assured that he would continue to maintain “dignified neutrality in the process of filling any vacant stool”.

The governor said that it was the responsibility of every community to determine who should lead them while the role of government was to rectify the peoples choice that conforms with the provisions of all extant laws and regulations.

He implored the new Oba to see his choice “as a call to the service of humanity” and prayed that God would not deny him the required strength of character to paddle the canoe of Akureland to the promise land.

Dr Mimiko appealed to “him to carry along every segment of the Akure Community in the spirit of moving the town forward,” adding that his position as the father of all subjects imposes the responsibility that he must be fair and just to all.. It is therefore expected of Kabiyesi to exercise restraint and justice and shun all forms of impartiality in the employment of power vested in him as the Deji of Akure.”

The new Oba Adesida in his acceptance speech said he would work for the development of the town and cooperate with government in developing the land and the people.

He said the socio-economic development of Akure with emphasis on unity of the people, youth empowerment and human resources development would be his guiding principles