Less than 6 years after joining his ancestors, some members of Saki Parapo, an association said to have been formed in 1947 to protect the interests of the town, invaded the palace of Okere of Saki, destroying photos of late Oba Kilani Olatoyese Olarinre II, MFR.
Not only that, they allegedly took away all the domestic animals being reared by the vigilantes in the palace.
OYO INSIGHT recalled that Oba Kilani joined his ancestors on 5th of April, 2013. He was buried according to Islamic rites. The ancient town has been without king since then, owing to litigation.
This newspaper learnt that an injunction against the unlawful eviction had earlier been given on April 15, 2014 by Justice Ajayi of Oyo State High Court, Saki Division.
Against tradition and valid court order, the wives, three in numbers, had parked out of the palace since May last year. One of the wives died in August, 3 months after.
“One of them died August last year and her fidau (prayer) ook place at Baba Oba compound at Ataye Road. If they were still occupying the palace, the fidau wouldnt have taken place outside the palace. The surviving wives now live at the late monarch’s privately owned house,” sources told OYO INSIGHT.
One of the sources continued: “Traditionally, the family of the late king have right to reside in the palace even when a new king is installed. In fact, the wives of late kings automatically become wives of the newly installed monarch. However, during the reign of Oba Abimbola, one of the late Okeres, he said he was not ready to carry on with that tradition of inheriting the wives. He later discharged the wives of the departed kings. However, when we lost Oba Kilani, some set of people incited the Saki Parapo that the continued stay of Oba Kilani family in the family has been the reason why a new Okere has not been installed but the entire royal family took court injunction against this abomination of attempt to evict oba kilani family from palace until the new king is installed. However, when this matter is about causing problem, Olarinre family advised the family of Oba Kilani who are mainly his wives to vacate. Oba Kilani’s wives vacated the palace May, 2018. So, it is only the local govt vigilante who are always at the palace securing it.
“Yesterday (17th January, 2010), during the session of the annual Saki parapo, some people incited the sitting that the stay of Oba Kilani family in the palace has been the reason for the delay in the selection of the new Okere. So they moved from the sitting en masse to the palace and beat the only vigilante man, forcing their way into the palace and destroyed all the doors and all the pictures of the late Oba Kilani in anger and took away all the domestic animals being reared by the vigilantes in the palace
“Meanwhile, what is delaying the selection of Okere is the current court case among the next family on rotation (Ado Family) who are alleging that some families are not part of them and court granted injunction against any step in installing Okere until the matter is resolved
“The police are already manning the palace. So, the Saki Parapo has taken over the palace. The paramount question being asked by the royal families now is who owns the palace. The parapo (association that was formed 1947) or the royal families who own the palace by virtue of their birth. So, if any of the princes and princesses want to visit their father’s grave now, they cannot?
One of the community leaders who didn’t want name in print explained that “They are misleading the public that Oba Kilani family members are the ones using juju to delay the selection of a new Okere out of their illiteracy and ignorance
Chairman of the home branch of Saki Parapo, Alhaji Muritala Okoko, in a chat with OYO INSIGHT, didn’t deny the association’s involvement but said he would get back to our reporters for further reactions. He hasn’t called back since Sunday, 20th January, 2019.