Akeredolu appoints Saraki’s ex-aide as monarch

The Ondo State government has approved the appointment of
Prince Adewunmi Ogunmolasuyi as the Olupenmen of Upenmen in Owo Local
Government area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the monarch,
was a Senior Legislative Assistant (SLA) to former Senate President, Dr Bukola
Saraki between 2015 and 2019.

His appointment was among the three ratified by the State
Executive Council, presided over by Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

Others, whose selections were ratified included Prince
Olorunsola Akinyelure as Odogbo of Ode Omi in Irele council area and Prince
Oloyede Adeyeoba as the Arujale of Okeluse in Ose council area.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting, the Commissioner
for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lola Fagbemi, said that
Ogunmolasuyi’s appointment followed unanimous election by kingmakers in the
community.

Fagbemi, who was joined by his Information counterpart,
Donald Ojogo, said that the ratification was arrived at after hours of
deliberations by the council.

Ogunmolasuyi, a 47-year-old Mass Communication and
Journalism graduate from the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), emerged the
town’s new monarch on Sept. 10, 2019, after polling all the five available
votes from the kingmakers to beat his only challenger, Prince Olawole Folarin,
who had no vote.

The election was supervised by Mr Segun Omojuwa, the
Director of Local Government Administration in Owo local government council.

NAN reports that the new monarch, an associate member of the
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), is from the Ayiwoye Akinola
ruling house.

It would be recalled that the Olupenmen stool became vacant
in August 2017 after the demise of Oba Samuel Ademulegun.