By Dayo Johnson
THE emergence of a new Deji of Akure, in Ondo State may take longer than necessary as two ruling houses are at loggerheads over the selection of the head and secretary of the Ojijigogun ruling house.

Head of the ruling house is expected to present the list of candidates to the kingmakers for final selection and appointment.

Prince Oluwadare Adepoju, the former Deji of Akureland was deposed by the state government and banished to Owo for publicly fighting with one of his Olori.

He has however, taken the Police, the state government and the Regency Council inaugurated by the state government to commence the process of selecting another traditional ruler for the town, to court.

Last week the Ojijigogun appointed Mr. Victor Adegoroye as the head of the ruling house and Mr. Soladoye Arosoye as Secretary but by weekend the Adesida kicked against the selection done by the Ojijigogun ruling house.

The Adesida family urged the Akure South Local Government and the Ondo State Government to disregard the choice of the Ojijigogun and conduct a fresh selection that would involve all the families.

The Ojjigogun ruling house comprising Faturoti, Arosoye and Adesida is to produce the next Deji after the deposition of Oluwadare Adesina who is from the Osupa ruling house

The Ojijigugun ruling house acted on the directive of the Akure South Local Government that they should present the name of the Chairman and Secretary to it.

Adesida Family denies attending meeting

Speaking through their Secretary, Mr. Adejare Adesida, the Adesida family said the family was not part of the meeting that produced the head and the secretary of the Ojijigogun ruling house.

Adesida said the meeting where such decision could be taken did not hold as only Adesida family was present at the Akure town hall, where the meeting  was supposed to have been held.

According to him, the claim that the Adesida family was part of the meeting was fraudulent as the meeting was only attended by the Faturoti and Arosoye, leaving out the Adesida which is the largest of the ruling house.

“We are surprised to hear that we held a meeting, people know us to be straightforward, we did not hold any meeting, we did not appoint anybody, the meeting was supposed to hold at the town hall by 12 p.m on Friday and before the time, we learnt that some people have been appointed as head and secretary.

“It was a complete lie and an act of indiscipline, the Adesida royal family is not part of the meeting, we have written to Akure South Local Government that we are not part of the selection process.  The names of those said to have attended the meeting from the Adesida family were forged.

“The largest part of the ruling house has been left out, the meeting is an illegal meeting, the local government should intervene and invite the three families to conduct the election of the head and the secretary.”