A socio-cultural group, Kiriji Heritage Defenders, has said the chieftaincy title of Ajagunla of Yorubaland bestowed on the Chairman, Disciplinary Committe, Park Management System in Oyo state, Mr. Lamidi Mukaila, was its initiative and does not belong to any town or clan.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director General of Kiriji Heritage Defenders, Dr Ademola Ekundayo, on Thursday, in response to the media aide to Olubadan of Ibadan, Oladele Ogunsola, who said the monarch did not install Mukaila as Ajagunla of Yorubaland.
Ekundayo, who also said Olubadan could not have installed Mukaila as Ajagunla since the office was not for a particular town in Yorubaland, maintained that the title belong to the Kiriji Heritage Defenders.
He further explained that Mukaila was given the title of Ajagunla having demonstrated courage and readiness to support efforts that would improve security across Yorubaland.
The statement read in parts, “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.”