Culled from The Guardian 06-April-2008
By Reuben Abati
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Managers of the Deji of Akure's public relations have a lot of explaining to do, and the traditional ruler himself owes some people an apology. Oba Oluwadare Adesina Adepoju, acting under the auspices of the Deji in council was said to have asked a cement dealer to quit the business or stop making business difficult for his colleagues. David Oluwole Alasoniyi, a cement dealer in Akure was reportedly taken to the Oba's palace after his colleagues in the business had made all attempts to get him to sell a bag of cement to the public at a higher and fixed rate.

Alasoniyi sells his own bag of cement for N1, 600 while other members of the Cement Dealers Association in Akure operating as a cartel sell at the rate of N1, 800 or N2, 000 per bag. His colleagues prevailed on him to join the cartel. But he refused. Whereupon they reported him to the Oba noting that he is not an indigene of Akure, and he is "spoiling business for others". Alasoniyi told the Deji in Council that he had lived in Akure for 30 years, and that he is happy selling a bag of cement at N1, 600, because at that rate, he has made enough profit. He told the Oba in council that he is not ready to engage in sharp practices like other cement dealers in the town. He was accompanied to the trial by his wife.

And what was the Oba's ruling? A report in The Guardian of Wednesday, April 2, states as follows: "In his ruling, the monarch urged Alasoniyi to consider the fact that other dealers have families to feed and although he could not be forced to join the association in accordance with the provision of freedom of association guaranteed by the Constitution of Nigeria, he should not engage in acts that would be detrimental to the survival of others. Oba Adepoju ruled that Alasoniyi should henceforth sell at the same price with others in the interest of peace and harmony or quit the business entirely." The petitioners immediately broke into a round of jubilation, dancing and singing; Alasoniyi told The Guardian later that "he had no option but to abide by the Oba's ruling."

It is an unbelievable story but no one has denied it. Is the Deji Akure more concerned about cement dealers making evil profit? How about the numerous struggling families in his domain who are trying to build houses, but are being cheated by greedy cement dealers? Alasoniyi should have been praised for his honesty and the cement dealers ordered to behave decently. Unfortunately, there are no opportunities for appeal in the Oba's court. And poor Alasoniyi, he has been blackmailed to join the company of cheats. Where is the Consumer Protection Council? And where are the people of Akure? And who will tell His Royal Majesty that he is absolutely wrong?

What do you expect? These traditional rulers are not better than politicians.

That will tell you how they made their money also. And why they give chieftaincy titles to the highest bidder.

Man must survive now.

And who will tell His Royal Majesty that he is absolutely wrong?

the courts and perhaps the press should ridicule him as a cheating Oba

Although this seem like an unconfirmed report however the fact that it was written by Reuben Abati exhibits its genuiness.
Shortly put,from my observation of the past and recent's misconduct of both our political and rural leaders and even the common man in Nigeria it is becoming more glaring that the motive behind our inexplicable acts is the long lost of all ramifications of morals,the absence of civility,the continued decadence of our societal values which obviously is blamed on the economy.In my opinion this Oba acted solely on his instincts,the mentality of acquring wealth and substance by all means necessary.To be suprised at such perpetration is to deny the extent of rot and disregard for our fellow men.

What we must strive for and must not fail to execute is teaching our unborn children,the yonger generation,and perhaps the reformable youth  the age old sense of reasoning, ensuring the word success in not defined by the terms used today,educate them on responsibility,accountability and duty to family,community and the country.Each one teach one.That way our country will advance as opposed to the trend over the last  I can't remember how many years.Since the days of Shagari.

This Deji of Akure,do we know what he was before he became an Oba? And if he's always been a ruler my bet is he's just as hungry as the Cement dealer the only difference is the dealer has a job.

you should know the obas starting from the ooni of ife have lost all credibility,the only few traditional rulers that have any bit of credibility are mainly the northern emirs, ooni of ife a first class oba and a supposed spiritual head of the yorubas now support a faction of the pdp to the extent of mandating the people to support a particular candidate and intimidating people, at that age i wonder if he is looking for money or contracts they are all a bunch of useless old men who will lick any governor's a** as far as im concerned

Lucabrasi
Solid point.

Exactly what I was about to say.

the Oba of benin is worse in my opinion. monarchies should be eradicated or at least made ceremonial

Talking about the Oba of benin, my uncle had a nasty experience with him a couple of years back.

He bought a parcel of land in GRA which he left for a few years to enable him gather enough money to build. Lo and behold a bini man took the land over and started developing the property.

The matter was brought before he oba. They discovered from investigations that my uncle was the rightful owner of the said land. The oba rebuked my uncle saying how can a non native be engaged in land tussle with a native. He (oba) judged in favour of the bini man and my uncle lost the land.

I hate all of them. They are feeding fat on the people just like their political counterparts.

1

The dispute stemming from the irregular hike in price of cement between dealers in Ondo state which followed by the decision of the Oba for one of the dealers to sell at the agreed inflated rate have reached a standoff.
Albeit Deji of Akure's ruling against him, one of the dealers Mr. David Oluwole Alasoniyi has refused to back down on the right to market his commodity at "his own" profit margin.

A principled man in my own words.It gladens me to know some people can still maintain good ethical values in the face of intimidation,especially coming from a so called leader in a community.I'm loving this.

http://odili.net/news/source/2008/apr/21/425.html

same story in another newspaper

http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200804212573217

hopefully the Deji will reverse himself and save his subjects from shylock economic interests so they can build and prosper under his reign.

anyone who has contacts should please mail this to TV & Radio stations, so they can also draw attention to this injustice to Akure people

he be like sey d king dey soft pedal abi na wetin?

http://www.pointblanknews.com/os894.html

I would say all the cement sellers in Akure are stupid and a bunch of idiots who cannot think. Why do they have to report Alasoniyi to the Deji for selling lower than everybody else? Why doesn't anyone or all of them think of becoming Alasoniyi's customer - that way buy all his cement of him at N1,600 a bag, then take them back to his/their shop and resell for N2,000(the exorbitant rate everybody is selling in Akure), and make some extra good money for nothing. That way everybody would be happy and there won't be any bad blood.

Can't people stop and think in this country.

I think Deji of Akure should not be blamed, he has judged wisely.

I think Deji of Akure should not be blamed, he has judged wisely.

I don't think so but I still don't think this is enough to cast aspersions on him like what I've been reading here.

the Oba of benin is worse in my opinion. monarchies should be eradicated or at least made ceremonial

Ooni of Ife is a drug dealer abeg.

TopBooty:

Ooni of Ife is a drug dealer abeg.

wo, wow, wow please take it easy o,thats libel he isnt anything close to that please check the man's story,he has been a legitimate multi-millionaire in pounds since the 1960s and 1970s and has interests both abroad and in nigeria,though i agree hes a royal sycophant and he is not credible and impartial like a royal father should be

coolier:


I think Deji of Akure should not be blamed, he has judged wisely.

so u think a king or leader is right to align with hoarders and cartels so as to make his people pay more for a product
is that how he is supposed to look after the welfare of his subjects?
i imagine the king telling his people that he will ensure rapid development of his town. i am sure one way that that can be achieved is to promote measures for the people to build houses, become landlords instead of tenants quickly. does this judgement enhance or inhibit such development
na so we go dey look as dem dey rob millions of Peters to pay a very few Pauls and everyday widespread misery grows leading to exodus by those who can and crime by those who can't leave but want their own share of the loot.
u should compare the Deji's judgement, which is typical of other Looters-in-Power with that in the two Microsoft cases in the US and Europe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft#Settlement

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_Microsoft_competition_case#Judgment

Please all publications relating to forensic titles on http://interscience.wiley.com is being referred.
Updates shall be provided very soon

TopBooty:

Ooni of Ife is a drug dealer abeg.

The writer of the above statement is a fool. What part of Nigeria are you from? Do you know your history and who the Ooni of Ife is? and which Ooni of Ife is a 'drug dealer' and have you pass on your evidence to the authorities and such'Ooni of Ife' being found guilty in a court of law as Drug dealer.

People should becareful what they say by hiding behing the screen of a computer and yarn obscenity. What if I say that the writer of those word is an armed robber? where is my proof.

For the benefits of those that do no know, Ooni of Ife is the title of the King of Ile-Ife, the cradles of the Yorubas. And since the creation of time, there has been many Ooni of Ife come and gone, and they hold their office during their lifetime as the custodian of the people.

So, which particular Ooni of Ife is 'a drug dealer' or is all the people from Ife or Yorubaland or wherever the writer father and mother come from are drug dealers. Whenever you are typing away, please think, do not paint people or an office with a single brush. And never say what you cannot proof or has not been proven.

I hope a word is enough for the wise ( or in this case a fool) and others like her.