There is an imminent crisis in Iragbiji, an agrarian town in Boripe Local Government of Osun State over the siting of a shrine beside an existing mosque within the palace by the monarch, Oba Abdulrasheed Olabomi.
A prince of the town, Mr Olawale Tunde Dansaki, at a press conference in Osogbo, the Osun State capital on Monday, accused Olabomi of fanning the embers of large-scale religious crisis with the act.
He also flayed the monarch for deserting the palace for his private residence, stressing that such move was in conflict with the tradition and customs of the land.
“This crisis would have been prevented if Oba Olabomi has listened to the advice of the league of Imams and Alfas to either move away the Mosque or Shrine.
“Instead of taking to that advice, Olabomi established another Jumat prayer in the palace, which implies that the monarch, who is supposed to be the custodian of Culture, Law and beliefs, is still the same person creating discord, rift and chaos among Islamic faithful, and between Muslim and traditionalists on the other hand”.
On the consequence of the monarch living outside the palace, Dansaki reeled out historical precedence, insisting that Oba Olabomi is taking a dangerous path if he continued with the trend.
He said, “It is usually believed in Iragbiji culture that if any king fails to sleep in the palace for certain period of time, the stool of Aragbiji will be declared vacant.
“It is instructive to note that there were precedence in the enthronement of any monarch that violates the culture; it happened in the reign of Late Oba Ogunmolu , who although was still alive and healthy, while another person HRM Akinlotan was installed, because Oba Ogunmolu did not sleep in the palace for 5 weeks when he went to face a charge before the then Old Oyo Empire.
“He was informed on his way back when he got to Ede town, that another King had been installed. He had to seek asylum in Ede and later died there. He was buried at the river bank of Isanpa and could not be brought into the town.”
Dansaki therefore called on the Chiefs-in-council, and other critical stakeholders in the town to quickly intervene to avert uncontrollable chaos in the sleepy community.
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