By Our Correspondent
Following the seven hours marathon interviews held during the week by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the Balogun of Owu and other kingmakers to the ancient stool of Olowu of Owu, the selection process for the vacant stool may have now been concluded, awaiting now only the approval and announcement of the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
The 7-hour long interview is now considered by many watchers of the selection process as the culmination of the screening for a prospective candidate for the next Olowu of Owu, one of the five prominent Obas that constituted Egbaland, Abeokuta.
The Balogun of Owu Chief Olusegun Obasanjo lead the other Kingmakers of Owu Kingdom in the 7-hours (12noon-7:00pm) interviews which was part of the statutory selection process for the next Olowu of Owu Kingdom.
Out of 12 prince's presented by the Otileta Ruling House, the next ruling house in line to produce a candidate for the vacant stool, seven were finally shortlisted by the kingmakers for further screening and interview and they were scored thus:
Prince Adegbemi A. Adewale Esq. PhD, (56), a Lawyer and a PhD (African Law) holder of the University of Ibadan with Supreme Court Reg. No. 052019 from Aderinoye’s Compound was scored 1027 points. Prince Semiu Adeyemi Adelani (59) of Omoleefon Compound a Master of Urban & Regional Planning Degree holder of the University of Ibadan and a Registered Town Planner (with RTP no 2050) scored 909 to take the 2nd position. Prince Saka Adeola Matemilola (57) of Soke Compound, a PhD holder of the University of Cambridge and a COREN registered Mechanical Engineer (with Registration no R. 13,609) scored 886 to take the 3rd position.
Prince Olaniyi Adejumo Olatidoye (72) of Soke Compound, a Retired Perm Sec in the Ogun State Civil Service, an MBA degree holder of the University of Ado-Ekiti scored 863 to make the 4th position among the seven. Prince Adeyanju Kazeem Bakinson (40), from Otopo Compound, a 2021 Doctor of Science Degree Holder from Atlantic International University, USA, a Registered Town Planner with no RTP/2130 scored 862 to emerge 5th position.
Prince Simeon Abiodun Soyele, (63) from Lumosa Compound a Retired Director in Ogun State Civil Service, a Graduate of Sociology of the University of Ibadan and Post Graduate Diploma of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism scored 827 to make the 6th on the list and
Prince Adelani Olukayode Adesina (48), of Soke Compound, a 2020 Master of Science Degree holder of Bells University of Technology, Ota scored 801 to emerge 7th.
The 2nd round of interviews for these seven princes by the Kingmakers was more thorough as the Balogun of Owu, Chief Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo GCFR, PhD who was himself on seat for the 7-hours it lasted addressed the shortlisted candidates before and after the interviews which was also witnessed by the Abeokuta North Local Government Secretary, the HOGAS, and other Local Government Officials who came with the Local Government Information Unit to record the process.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo assured the candidates after the interviews that the responsibility of announcing the final choice rests on the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun whose statutory duty it is to announce the new Oba.
Meanwhile, a mild drama occurred while the 2nd round of selection was ongoing at the Oke Ago-Owu, Palace of the Olowu where the Kingmakers were interviewing the candidates as a throng of Owu sons and daughters besieged the palace to hear first hand the announcement of their new king but they were all disappointed as the result of the selection process process by the kingmakers was not made public.
Another group of young men came in a Sienna Van demanding to see the Secretary of the Ruling House, Prince Tunde Adediran who was alleged to have enriched himself during the selection process.
He was alleged to have collected a Camry car popularly known as "Big Daddy" from one of the 12 initial candidates who could not make the final list of seven
The young men said they have reclaimed 3 of the 4 vehicles collected from their candidate and they will make sure the last Car with the Secretary of Otileta is collected from him, even if they cannot collect the over N40m their candidate was made to waste by the Secretary.
While we are waiting for the executive governor of Ogun State Prince Dapo Abiodun through Hon. Moruf Afuwape, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs Oke Mosan, Abeokuta to announced new Olowu of Owu Abeokuta within 21 days of the process and other traditional rites to Olowu Stool.
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