I think it's about time I start adding the prefix "Omoba" or Prince to my name before I offer the slightest indication of my interest in the Deji's title as of right. Doing so, at the nick of time, may well be a good advice as I don't want to make the same mistake that the Deji-elect whose "electship" is right now on its way to the gabbage heap of History, if the rumors are correct, that Governor Agagu and his Government are now leaning to ordering a restart of the Deji's selection process. The Governor and his Cabinet are now persuaded the so called Deji-elect was indeed a phony Prince as argued by Chief Oluyemi Falae and other members of Osupa Family who have now categorically admitted they lied and were brazenly and disgracefully dishonest in submitting his name for consideration to begin with. The question I continue to ask the Family and which I think any responsible and right thinking Governor would ask, is this. If the Family has lied about the legitimacy of "Prince" Adegbola Adelabu, who knows what else they could be lying about. That is point number one.
   

My second point pertains to my new interest in now openly identifying myself as a Prince before my links to Royalty in my town  becomes so foggy and tenuous, as the claim of many in the present leadership of the Osupa/Odundun Family who may now end up becoming a Deji by default, and for the wrong reasons, even when they are not able to rationally and logically articulate or prove their claim to "princehood" in Akure township. I recall the activities of Prince Sijuade before his selection and coronation as  Adumila Oluaiye , Arole Oodua, Kabiyesi Sijuade Olubuse, the Ooni of Ife and the current Oshun State Governor, and so many other Princes like Publisher Aromolaran, never passing up an opportunity to let the world know they are princes, even when they were no candidates for any obaship position in their various towns.
  

I can now fully understand why they were doing that. Even though Sir Adesoji Aderemi was alive and well, that did not stop Prince Sijuade from openly flaunting his birth right as a Prince, and his interest in one day becoming the Oni of Ife. Being born a prince in our own part of the world, is an elitist and aristocratic position that opens so many doors of opportunity just for the asking. It is therefore strange and unusual, that somebody as privileged as some of the "later day" princes in our town, like the late Lawyer Bello and many of the Johnny-just-come Princes in Akure would indeed have a royal claim to the Deji's throne. and would simply keep quiet about it for all those years as public figures. I don't know about you. But I seriously doubt it.
   

The Adegoroyes of Akure, the Adegboros of Akure, the Ogunleye-Aladejanas, the Adegbulus of the Asuwamo fame in our town, and even the Faloyes, the Aladetoyinbos of Akure, and even the Babalolas, and the Adejugbes of Akure, the Alewis in Akure, and Prince Adeloyes of Akure. one of them resides in Lagos, and was a one time President of Akure National Union in Lagos and now its current patron. All of these families are recognized Princes in Akure and they are not ashamed of it. As a matter of fact, I, myself as a one time Secretary to the Asodeboyede Ruling House, I took over from Prince, Barrister Moradeyo Adesida who could not continue as Secretary because he was a candidate for the Deji's throne under the platform of the only Asodeboyede Ruling House when in 1975, Oba Otutubiosun Adelegan was selected and installed the Deji.
    

I would be the first to admit that the selection exercise has always been thrown open to all candidates who could prove they are children or grand children of a reigning Deji in Akure. As far as I know, they were all allowed to attend and participate in the selection exercise, and to vote and be voted for as candidates, even when we all realize that the "omo ori ite" clause was likely to knock them out. A good example was the late Omoba Adewole Adesida who would surely have been selected the 43rd Deji instead of Oba Adelegan. Prince Adewole had instructed 9 king makers out of 16 that voted for him to switch their votes to candidate Adelegan who did not receive one vote in that exercise. Candidate Adebobajo had received only 5 votes while candidate M.A. Adedeji had received only one vote cast for him by late king maker Ojumu of Blessed memory.
   

I am recalling all these details to let Ondo State Government know the truth that breaking up the Ruling House into two carries a lot of risk that the nomination of Prince Adegbola Adelabu has clearly demonstrated that the chances of Akure picking a non-prince as the next Deji is a clear possibility, if care is not taken. All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to see evil and keep quiet That is why well-meaning Akure Patriots who know the facts and the history of Akure. must not hold their peace, until  Ondo State Government hears them loud and clear
    

Our founding fathers had  decided;y envisaged what is happening in our town today that there may well be a time in our History, when it may become difficult to keep away phony princes with money, connection, education and influence who may wish to infiltrate the rank and file of legitimate princes, and use their  money to take away what does not belong to them as of right. and by blood and royal lineage. If for the reason stated, Prince Adegbola's election as a Deji-elect is torpedoed, the right and legitimacy of the family that nominated and supported his candidature, to begin with, is suspect and therefore, cannot stand. It will be a complete travesty of Justice to accept Prince Adegbola Adelabu as illegitimate, while rewarding the Osupa Family with a second chance. The day his candidature ends is the day the whole family completely loses is credibility and legitimacy. If they still want to be considered, they have to be advised to do so within the large umbrella of the only Asodeboyede Ruling House in Akure. If their candidates put in again and one of them is selected by the majority of the king makers. the rest of us and Akure as a whole will rally round the candidate
   

To narrow down the selection of the next Deji to just one family with this kind of profile in Akure History is to bastardize the sacred institution of the Deji and to side with gross and naked injustice. Ondo State Government must constantly bear in mind the verdict of the Court of Law which has totally dismissed the contention by the Osupa Family that Prince Adegbola Adelabu is not one of them. The whole of Akure people and the majority of Akure king makers have refused to let him be king not only because a serious doubt has been raised on his legitimacy to be crowned a Deji in Akure, but in large part, because of his poor reputation and character profile in Akure. Just like the Ondo State Government is not bound by the verdict of the Court to proceed to give him approval, Akure people as a whole, are not bound by the Court decision to also proceed to make him the Oba, especially when the town's people know that if the selection exercise is thrown open to all members of the Asodeboyede Ruling House in a fresh exercise, a true blue blood and a legitimate and well qualified Prince can still be found in Akure to ascend the throne from any of the descendants of the 44 Dejis in Akure since 1100 AD when Deji Asodeboyede first set the ball rolling.
  

I might also add the Ondo State Government owes as much obligation to protect the civil right of the Deji-elect as a citizen. If the Government wants to punish him for fraudulently claiming to be a member of the Family to which he does not belong, the same Government cannot, at the same time, be seen to be rewarding dishonesty on the part of a Family which was contented to take all the Deji-elect's money that he used to bankroll the family when each Family was asked to contribute money into completing the new Deji's Palace. It should be recalled that the late Head of family had abandoned his own son, a far more qualified candidate, to cast his vote for the man's candidature before the man's name was submitted to the king makers. The whole exercise smells of corruption of the worst order, and a Governor that prides his Administration on fighting Corruption in our State, cannot afford to treat such a family with kid gloves on an important issue like that. Two wrongs don't make a right.
  

The Family in their desperation to select the next Deji from their Family by all means are ready to kowtow to anyone who they deem to have enough clout, financial means. and name recognition to help them secure the title by all means. They could care less, if that person is legit or not. If that is their stance or disposition, they cannot expect the rest of Akure and the king makers to just follow them sheepishly. I would like to end this piece by recalling the struggle between the late candidate Agunlejika of Ilesha and candidate Prince Ladejola Oginni for the sacred institution of Owa Obokun of Ijesha Land. Because the Ijeshas value their tradition and legitimacy on who gets crowned as the Owa Obokun, they all allowed wiser counsel to prevail by settling for candidate Agunlejika whose selection at the time was deemed to more adequately preserve the purity and the sacredness of that office. I am sure Akure can lean a few lessons from that episode. There are far too many doubtful candidates in the Osupa/Odundun axis of the Asodeboyede Ruling House today who will have a lot of problem convincing Akure people that if they have admitted lying to us on Prince Adegbola Adelabu, they may not have been lying to us on many of the candidates they now want to force on Akure by insisting the Asodeboyede Ruling House should remain broken into two for their own sake. I totally disagree with that.
   

If they are sure of their claim and strength, their general appeal and popularity among the rank and file of our people, they should let the Government open up the selection exercise to the one and only Asodeboyede Ruling House to which they also claim to belong. They are lucky to have among their members a former Presidential candidate who could easily have been crowned a Deji, as far back as 1975 or 1991, if he had been known to be a Prince of Akure at the time. I, for one, would have voted for him, as the then Secretary to the Asodeboyede Ruling House, because I love and respect him till tomorrow, and because he would have been considered the best qualified just like Barrister Agunsoye Ademuagun was head and shoulders above the other contestants in 1957.
  

The problem was that he never said he was a Prince, and he never identified with the Asodeboyede Ruling House at any time, like he is doing today. He would have been named the Head or at least the Secretary of his Osupa/Odundun Ruling House by acclamation, had he done so, without any question in my mind. I knew he was the Heir Apparent to the Oluabo throne at Ilu Abo in Akure Local Government. I knew he was part and parcel of the Elemo Family in Akure. I must confess I am not so sure of his linkage to the Deji's title. He may well be, and others may know about it. I just don't know it for a fact, and I like to be educated about it. Help me somebody. I rest my case.
 

Dr. Wunmi Akintide.