Osun traditional rulers lament abandonment of Akinrun Palace
Traditional rulers in Ifelodun local government area of Osun State have raised alarm over the abandoned and dilapidated state of the Palace of the Akinrun of Ikirun.
The traditional rulers, including Eburu of lba, Oba (Prof.) Adekunle Okunade, Eburu of Iba, Olobaagun of Obaagun, Oba Jimoh Adebayo Olatunji, and Elende of Eko-Ende Land, Oba Abdulwaheed Babatunde Adekunle, raised the alarm during an inspection tour of the palace on Thursday.
DAILY POST recalls that the Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba AbdulRauf Olayiwola Olawale joined his ancestors in February, 2021, and since then princes of the royal houses have disagreed on the likely successor.
Due to the disagreement among the princes, the Osun State Government under Governor Ademola Adeleke stepped in with a Government White Paper and directed that the parties should await the outcome of the case before the Court of Appeal.
The state government also declared that the Akinrun stool remained vacant pending that outcome.
Speaking during the tour, Oba Adekunle, the Elende of Eko-Ende noted with displeasure the pitiable neglect that the surroundings of the palace has suffered since the late monarch, Oba Olawale joined his ancestors in February 2021.
Oba Adekunle, who acknowledged the inevitability of death, frowned at how the palace structures have been overgrown with grass and trees.
He also stressed the urgent need to rescue the palace of the headquarters of Ifelodun Traditional Council from further dilapidation.
He said, “It is portable that this is happening to the Palace of the Akinrun of Ikirun. This palace is the headquarters of Ifelodun traditional council and it is going to waste before our very eyes.
“We need to stand up and act. Grass has over grown everywhere. Restores and dangerous animals have over taken the place because we disagreed among ourselves to see select the right person to occupy the stool. This is what happens when we fail to cooperate among ourselves.”
The traditional rulers sought the cooperation of the chiefs of the ancient town led by High Chief Adetoyese Abdulkareem, the Eesa of Ikirun land, representatives of the three ruling houses and eminent personalities in Ikirun as Ifelodun Traditional Council will urgently finance and facilitate the clearing of the weeds and bushes around the palace in a week’s time.
“We need your help to restore this palace again. Ifelodun traditional council will finance the clearing and restoration of the palace,” he said.
Reacting to this development, High Chief Adetoyese Abdulkareem, thanked the Ifelodun Traditional Council for their concern and efforts in making sure that the ancestral home of the ancient town is rescued from its present moribund condition.
He pledged to expedite action as observed by the Council.