Community urges govt to bar Kwara monarch from posing as traditional ruler

The Oro Community in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State has appealed to the state government to implement the Supreme Court’s judgment of January 2019 which barred the traditional ruler of Oro from parading the prefix title of Oloro of Oro land.

The appeal was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Baale of Oro, Chief Raphael Afolabi and the President of Oro Community Association, Professor Bababode Bojuwoye, with a copy made available to Arewa PUNCH on Saturday by the National Publicity Secretary, Adebayo Olodan.

As a result, the community warned the recently installed traditional ruler, Oba Olaniyi Titiloye, against using the title of Oloro of Oro, Oloro of Oro land or Oloro of Oro kingdom.

The community maintained that nobody from any of the eight communities in the Oro District is entitled to be enthroned as the Oloro of Oro, Oba Oloro of Oro Oro Kingdom or Oro Land.

“The title of Oloro of Oro or Oba Oloro of Oro Land is a preserve of our community hence we want to use this opportunity to caution the recently installed Oba Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye Titiloye to stop using the title of Oloro of Oro, parading himself as Oba Oloro of Oro, Oloro of Oro Land or Oloro of Oro Kingdom.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we want to reiterate that following the Supreme Court’s judgment delivered on January 18, 2019, by Justice Mary Ukaegbo Odili and four other judges, our community, Oro had ceased to be part of the generic communities of Oro Kingdom.

“Following from the above, the palace of Oba Oyatoye Titiloye is not of any historical or traditional significance to our community. The new traditional ruler does not have any control over the affairs of Oro and its people.

The statement added that Oba Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye Titiloye, members of his traditional council and individuals from the eight communities in the Oro District have no right, power or jurisdiction to add any prefix or suffix to the name of their community, saying Oro is Oro, no prefix, no suffix.

“At this juncture, we must also sound it out to the new monarch, members of his Traditional Council and individuals from the eight communities in Oro District to desist from adding any prefix or suffix to the name of our community as Oro is Oro, no prefix, no suffix.

“Any attempt to ascribe a name which is not ours to our community is contempt of the court and shall be treated as such.

“We therefore urge the Kwara State Government, its agencies, and other corresponding institutions to implement every letter of the 2019 Supreme Court’s judgment.”

However, the community reiterates its commitment to continue to live in peace and harmony with neighbouring communities.