To the Distinguished Elites, Custodians of Tradition, and Honourable Members of the Kingmaking Council, With utmost respect, this message is directed to you the pillars of our kingdom, the custodians of its wisdom, and the guardians of its continuity.
At this critical moment in our history, your voices, your courage, and your leadership are needed more than ever.Our revered king has joined his ancestors, leaving behind a legacy of peace, unity, and dignity. His reign was marked by fairness and an unwavering commitment to the wellbeing of our people.
As tradition demands, the process of selecting a new king began under the guidance of the kingmakers, led by a man whose integrity, reputation, and loyalty to our customs are unquestionable.Yet today, that sacred process stands suspended not by the collective will of the people, not by the decision of the kingmakers, but by the petition of a single self-centred individual who has no gut to come out publicly to challenge the selection process but resulted in masquerading himself and whose claims lack merit and whose intentions do not reflect the interest of the kingdom.
This interruption has created a dangerous vacuum, a vacuum that external forces may attempt to exploit. A vacuum that could allow political influence to overshadow tradition. A vacuum that threatens the very foundation of our heritage, and in the face of this threat, the silence of our elites has become deeply troubling.
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Where are the voices that once spoke boldly for justice? Where are the leaders who proudly defend our customs? Where are the intellectuals, the wealthy, the influential sons and daughters whose presence shapes the identity of this kingdom? Your silence is echoing loudly across the land, and this is not the time for neutrality. This is not the time for quiet observation. This is not the time to retreat into comfort or indifference.
If the elites of the kingdom remain silent now, what message does that send? Does silence become the reward for a revered late king who gave his all to preserve harmony? Does silence become the appreciation shown to the head of the kingmakers, a man who has served with honour and transparency? Does silence become the legacy we pass to the next generation, one where tradition can be halted by one voice and manipulated by external power? You, the kingmakers, are the custodians of Idanre sacred traditions. You, more than anyone, understand the consequences of allowing interference in a process that belongs solely to the people.
This letter is therefore a call to action, rise above silence, stand firmly behind the truth, and defend the integrity of the selection process. Idanre elites should rise and support the kingmakers in fulfilling their ancestral duty. Let us speak with one voice to reject any attempt to hijack the throne of our fathers.The kingdom is watching, the ancestors are watching, and history is watching. Let it not be said that when the kingdom needed its elites the most, they chose silence. Let it not be recorded that when tradition was threatened, those entrusted with its protection looked away.
May wisdom guides your decisions, may courage strengthen your resolve, and may unity restore the path forward.
Signed, Engr. Samuel Oluwole Afolabi (AFO) MNSE, COREN Regd., FHEA+2348168041964 (afowolesam@yahoo.com)
