*Chief Wole-Oke From Biodun Esan, Ilorin A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Kwara, Chief Stephen Wole-Oke on Thursday ap...
*Chief Wole-Oke
From Biodun Esan, Ilorin
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Kwara, Chief Stephen Wole-Oke on Thursday applauded the selection of the 11th Ohoro of Shao in Moro Local Government of Kwara, Oba Dr. Job Atolagbe Obalowu IV who completed the seven days traditional rites.
Wole-Oke, who is also the Jagunolu of the Shoa Kingdom, said this in a statement on the ascension of Oba Obalowu to the throne of Shao.
According to him, with the ascension of the new Oba, the community is set for a new life to be marked by rapid development and physical growth.
“The new King, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Obalowu Job Atolagbe, Ayanwola 1V, is set to bring his high level of educational background, coupled and aided by his experience as a university lecturer, into play in his administration of the ancient town," he said.
Wole-Oke was a former Leader, of the Kwara State House of Assembly in the Second Republic.
He also charged the new Oba to learn from the history of his predecessors, particularly their devotion and commitment to the well-being of the people and their ineffable passion for the physical development of the town which has today become an eternal monument to their names in Shao.
"A Statistician, he ascended the throne of the Ohoro of Shao on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, having been traditionally nominated by the Kingmakers of Shao and duly accepted massively by the people of the town.
"The High Chiefs of the town, under the leadership of the Ajankii, who, traditionally, is the second-in-command to the Ohoro, screened all the contestants from all the recognized Ruling Houses of the town and eventually picked a candidate for the throne.
“The choice of the Kingmakers is, by the will and grace of the Almighty God, an erudite academic, Doctor Obalowu Job Atolagbe, a University Lecturer at the University of Ilorin.
“He successfully passed through all established traditional rites, including a seven-day seclusion, as embedded in the culture of Shao, an ancient Yoruba town. His choice was officially approved by the Moro Local Government," he said.
Wole-Oke, who traced the history of the town called on the people of Shao to continue to show love and support for the new king as they have hitherto demonstrated since his choice and nomination by the Kingmaker, which they have massively accepted.
"The traditional rulership, that is, the Kingship of Shao has its ancestral origin in old Oyo with the first Ohoro Of Shao being one of the sons of the then Alaafin of Oyo Abiodun Adegbolu whose son, Prince Olanibo was sent to Shao as the first King of the new settlement.
“Shao having been founded by two migrant adventurous hunters from old Oyo, there has never been any violent process in choosing a successor-Ohoro.
“Equally worth remarking is that no external power or authority from anywhere has ever been allowed to interfere in, or dabble into, the process of picking a successor to the Ohoro throne.
"Shao kingdom has never been subjected to any military conquest and neither has it been subjugated by any force of invasion that was prevalent in the 18th and 19th centuries," he added.
The Jagunmolu also appealed to the State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to reconsider the restoration of the grading status of the Ohoro to first class as done by Governor Adamu Atta's administration in 1983, but which was, without any justification, withdrawn in 2003 by the administration of Governor Bukola Saraki.
He noted that traditional rulers of other towns graded at the same time in the third Class grade have today been upgraded to First Class status.
The choice of a new Ohoro followed the demise of the 10th Ohoro of Shao, Oba Bamidele Alabi Adegbite, Ilufemiloye Oyerinde III, who joined his ancestors on April 27 this year at the age of 81 years, having reigned for 21 years.
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