From: Moshood Adebayo
Facts have emerged why only five out of the 12 recognised kingmakers in Ota, Ogun State, picked Prince Abdul-Kabir Adeyemi Obalanlege as the Olota-elect.
Obalanlege, 52, a former journalist and lecturer, emerged the 13th Olota after the five surviving kingmakers voted unanimously for him.
His emergence was announced by the kingmakers at the headquarters of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state earlier in the day.
The last Olota, Oba Moshood Alani Oyede, joined his ancestors on May 25, 2016 after 19 years on the throne.
In an interview with Daily Sun, Chief Wadudu Ajani Deinde, Akogun Ota, disclosed that though the council of kingmakers consists of 12 chiefs, only five of them were alive today who eventually picked the new Olota.
He said further that seven of the kingmakers were late and had not been replaced since the demise of the last Olota as only the Oba appoints the kingmakers.
He listed the surviving kingmakers that voted to elect the new Olota to include himself, (Akogun) Ajana, Balogun, Ekerin and Onikosi.
Akogun said : “This is not the first time that the kingmakers that are charged with the traditional roles of screening an Olota will not exercise their rights.
“ It has happened before, particularly during the reign of the late Olota, Oba Timothy Talabi Dada, who when he died in 1992. He left behind nine kingmakers, namely Ajana, Onikotun, Onikosi, Akogun, Aro, Balogun, Seriki, Oluwo and Ekerin.
According to Akogun, before the selection of his successor, Oba Oyede, two of the kingmakers, Ajana and Aro had died, leaving only seven kingmakers who were previleged to have elected the late Oba Oyede in 1997.
Akogun, who described the election of the Olota-elect as transparent, congratulates Awori both at home and in Diaspora for the emergence of a new Olota praying that his tenure would usher in new era in the town.