Osun disown monarch installed without approval

Niyi Akande, Osogbo.

Osun state government on Wednesday said the installation of new Alara of Ara, a town in Egbedore local government area was without its approval.

Kingmakers in the town, it was learnt installed, on Monday, installed Prince Windapo Olusola Adebayo as the new Alara.

Some residents, in a chat with our correspondent, said the installation commenced around 5:00am with firing of gunshots. The installation rites lasted for several hours.

However, Osun state government in a statement signed by Barrister Jare Adebisi, the Supervisor, General Administration and Local Government, distanced itself from the installation of Windapo as new Alara.

The statement reads, "information reaching the state government indicated that certain persons in Ara, Egbedore local government, have allegedly installed someone as the Alara of Ara in flagrant disregard of section 21 of the Chiefs Law Cap 25 Laws of the State of Osun, 2012.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the stool of Alara of Ara is a part II (recognised) stool and it is only the state government which can approve the appointment of the occupant of the stool.

"Up to this moment, no such approval had been made. Therefore anyone parading himself  as Alara of Ara is an imposter and the action is a flagrant disregard of the law.

"Both the person who allegedly purportedly install someone and the person, who permitted himself to be installed have acted against the law and the security agents have been requested to enforce the law."