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Yoruba kingdoms are ruled by monarchs before the advent of colonial masters. They had their organised system of government and there were checks and balances.
The Western colonial masters successfully replaced the existing monarchical system of government with their own system of government. But the system of selecting who ascend the throne remains intact.
Besides the fact that it’s only individuals born in the ruling house that are eligible to contest for the throne, Ifa oracle is given the role of divinity to reveal who Olodumare (Almighty God) or the alales (the gods) has or have chosen to occupy the throne.
Over the years, this has been the way obas (kings) are selected in Yoruba kingdoms.
Since the oracle has a priest, who is its interpreter and mouthpiece, some unscrupulous individuals have infiltrated the sacred system, distorting the message of the oracle by either offering graft to the priest or replacing the oracle’s voice with human voice.
Aramoko-Ekiti has been in the news in the recent time, not for banditry cases, which is currently in vogue in the country, but for controversy over the selection process of candidate for the vacant stool of Alara.
Some stakeholders in the community had petitioned the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, alleging that the selection process was not transparent.
By this allegation, they cast aspersion on the integrity of the Ifa priest who was invited to help them peep into the spiritual to know the appropriate person to fill the stool.
But these allegations have been denied by other stakeholders and concerned indigenes of the kingdom.
The petition was said to have been withdrawn later by the petitioners described as faceless.
Residents and natives of the kingdom have been agitated over the retrogression of the kingdom in terms of socio-economic development for years back.
What raises concern most is what appears to be a vicious circle that is altering the fate of the people and the kingdom.
It would be recalled that in 2009, after the late Oba Wole Amele joined his ancestors on March 9, 2008, the following year, Princes Olusegun Aderemi and Adegoke Adeyemi vied for the throne.
Investigations back then revealed that some strong personalities in power allegedly subverted the result of the vote cast by the kingmakers, which led to one of the contestants, Prince Olusegun Aderemi, filing a suit in the law court.
The suit outlived respondent to the suit, Prince Adegoke Adeyemi, who passed away on August 9, 2025 on the throne.
Although the Supreme Court may not have given the verdict expressly as expected by the litigant, what’s happening now in the kingdom requires the elders to go deeper into the spiritual to save the kingdom from another round of litigation.
It’s important to look into the issues raised by both sides in the current selection process and ensure they are resolved for the kingdom to be at peace and whoever emerges as oba-elect to reign in peace.
It also won’t be out of place if the elders extend the search into the past as the Yoruba would say, “Bi omode ba subu, a wo ‘waju, bi agba ba subu, a wehinwo.” That is, if a young folk fails, he looks ahead, but when an elder fails, he looks backward in search of the cause.
The oracle sees beyond ordinary and present, it would reveal what had happened in the past which may be having impact on the present.
Just as the late reggae musician, Bob Marley, would say, “In this great future, you can’t forget your past,” the elders must search into the past.
The natives are curious why this new process is inundated with controversy again.
They are looking at the possibility of Governor Oyebanji adopting Governor Seyi Makinde’s strategy in resolving similar issue during the selection of the candidate for the stool of Alaafin of Oyo.
Prof. Wande Abimbola, a renowned Ifa Priest, was engaged by Governor Makinde to help find out who the oracle actually approved to succeed the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.
Successfully, this was done and the brewing crisis surrounding the selection process was doused without much ado.
The governor could engage the same Prof. Wande Abimbola to come to the rescue to save Aramoko and the people from another round of litigation.
He could even ask for the file of the last selection process that led to legal battle to prevent recurrence of such alleged distortion of facts.
The governor could even go further to ask the Ifa priest what the oracle has to say about the same faulted selection process and the fate of the ruling house affected.
This is to bring to an end the effects of such actions.
As Ifa believers would say, if the oracle’s message is “ogbe e f’oun f’oloun,”(divine verse Let God take control), anything done without recourse to this instruction would make whatever challenges being faced remain unabated.
It is the belief of Yorubas that when bad things begin to happen in a community, the Almighty God must be angry with the people.
They consult the Ifa oracle to know what to do to propitiate the supreme being.
Governor Oyebanji should help the people of Aramoko kingdom so that “eku a maa ke bi eku, eye a maa ke bi eye.” Literally, mouse will keep squeaking like a mouse, and bird will keep chirping like a bird. This is to ensure the people and the kingdom progress without any hindrance.
Litigation is always an instrument of distraction to anyone occupying a seat that is in legal contention.
The occupier would be restless and find it difficult to plan because of the fear that he or she could be unseated any moment by the court.
Aramoko kingdom may remain stagnant till the apex court of the land hands down its verdict on the suit challenging the outcome of the selection process.
It is to the advantage of the people and whoever emerges at the end of the day to move the kingdom forward.
Besides, those who were the authors of the controversial petition that had been allegedly withdrawn should be questioned.
Why are they interested in being cogs in the wheel of progress of the kingdom?
If the selection process was properly done in line with the law and traditions of the kingdom, they should be reprimanded for crying wolf where there was none.
Governor Oyebanji should, despite the fact that he’s currently engrossed in the campaign for his second term in office, handle the matter of Aramoko stool with utmost care so that there shall be peace, unity and socio-economic development in the kingdom again.