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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
A socio-cultural group, Kiriji Heritage Defenders, has diclosed that it bestowed the chieftaincy title of Ajagunla of Yoruba land on the Chairman, Disciplinary Committe of the Park Management System (PMS) in Oyo State, Alhaji Lamidi Mukaila, aka Auxiliary.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director General of Kiriji Heritage Defenders, Dr Ademola Ekundayo, on Thursday.
Recall that the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, had in a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Mr Oladele Ogunsola, denied that he conferred a chieftaincy title on Auxiliary.
Ekundayo, who corroborated the monarch’s claim, said Olubadan could not have installed Auxiliary as Ajagunla since the office was not for a particular town in Yoruba land, stressing that the title belongs to the Kiriji Heritage Defenders.
He further explained that Auxiliary was given the title of Ajagunla, having demonstrated courage and readiness to support efforts that would improve security across Yoruba land.
“It is true Olubadan did not bestow the title on the new Ajagunla of Yorubaland. We the owner of the title only invited Olubadan for the event. But he never attended the ceremony.
“The group known as Kiriji Heritage Defenders, bestowed the title on Chief Lamidi Mukaila, the chairman of Oyo Park Management System. The group has been working for peace across Yorubaland, by keeping alive the spirit of the peace treaty signed after the long Yoruba internecine war, also known as Kiriji war. We are a group that has been supporting efforts that will ensure the security of lives and property in Yorubaland.
“The title of Ajagunla doesn’t belong to a town or clan. But it belongs to us as a group of Yoruba volunteers working to protect the race through collaboration with conventional security organisations. Ibadan was only chosen as the venue for the event because we recognise the importance of the town in the past efforts to ensure security across Yorubaland,” the statement read in part.