The Obasunloye Royal Family in Ido-Ani, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, has berated retired Major-General Olufemi Olutoye for misleading the public about the history of Idoani royal family.
General Olutoye had in an interview published in The Punch Newspaper of January 27th, 2018; justified his right to the thrown of Alani of Idoani.
But the Obasunloye Ruling Family in a statement jointly signed by its head, Chief Adebayo Ologbosere and the General Secretary, Chief Adedayo Kekereekun described the media report as outright distortion of truth.
The statement faulted the report that the other two lineages in the family had fielded obas from 1860 except his (Olutoye’s).
According to the statement: “The Alani failed to mention the two lines and the line he belongs to, which have fielded any Oba. This is because he does not belong to any of the three groups.
“By our records, all the three groups have fielded and produced obas since 1804, and not even 1860, to date”.
The statement also faulted the claim of Oba Olutoye that he was invited to be the monarch in 1979 but turned down the invitation because he had no money.
It said: "The fact is that when Oba Falade II died in 1979, a princess was appointed as the Regent to fill the vacuum for 14 years. In 1977, the General had retired from the Army, if he was truly from the Royal family, nothing could have disturbed him from consulting the ruling house to fill the erstwhile vacant throne in 1979”.
While advising the mirnarch to desist from distorting history through the media, the Obasunloye Family also cautioned him from making further public comments since the family is still in the Court of Appeal to challenge his sudden emergence and installation as the Alani of Ido-Ani.
"The Ruling House is therefore telling the rtd General, to desist from going to the press or air on any matter concerning the Idoani Royal family especially the disputed Alani chieftancy, this time around so as not to misinform the general public and in particular Idoani community, to avoid instances which could negatively affect or jeopardize the natural justice of the case in court.
" More importantly is the fact that the case has not been heard or determined on its deserved merit", the statement reads in part", the statement said.
