Ede, Osun State, is currently hosting a star-studded event on Monday as Governor Ademola Adeleke is set to be installed as the Asiwaju of Ede Land.
According to the Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Senator Olalere Oyewumi, the decision to confer the Asiwaju title on Adeleke is an acknowledgement and recognition of his contribution to the growth and development of Ede and Osun State at large.
What informed this decision to confer on Governor Adeleke, the Asiwaju of Ede title, is in the acknowledgement and recognition of his contribution to the growth and development of Ede land and Osun at large,” Oyewumi stated during a press conference at the Timi of Ede’s palace on Sunday.
Oyewumi further revealed that the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Lawal, also took into consideration the immense contributions of the entire Adeleke dynasty to the growth and development of Ede, Osun State, and Nigeria as a whole. “It is just to show appreciation, not only to the governor but to the entire Adeleke dynasty,” he added.
However, the installation ceremony has not been without criticism.
The Chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement and the Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria, Wale Adebayo, described Adeleke’s acceptance of the chieftaincy title as “a conflict of interest which could set a bad precedent.”
Adebayo urged Adeleke to maintain ethical standards by separating political from traditional institutions to ensure good governance.
Governor Adeleke’s decision to accept a chieftaincy title on a Monday morning raises serious questions about his priorities as the state’s leader,” he said.
The traditional chieftaincy ceremony will witness the presence of notable dignitaries, including Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, business moguls Aliko Dangote and Folorunsho Alakija, among others.
