The stool of Olofa of Offa in Offa local government area of Kwara state became a subject of litigation three years ago when one of the two ruling houses challenged the appointment of Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye the second, on the grounds that since there was an agreement to rotate the stool between the two houses, it ought to be their turn.
The court of appeal sitting in Ilorin last Thursday granted the prayer of the Olugbense ruling house and nullified the installation of Oba Mufutau thereby ordering the Kwara state government to install Prince Abdulrauf Keji as the new king of the community.
The situation in the community after the judgement is however calm with several groups which include students and market women trooping to the palace to pledge their love and loyalty to the king and describing the court judgement that ousted him as not fair .
On the 9th of May 2010, the community of Offa played host to thousands of people throughout the country and abroad to felicitate with the new Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi the second as he was presented with the staff of office by the immediate past governor of Kwara state, Bukola Saraki.
The euphoria of the community was however brought to a temporary halt on the 9th of this month, when the court of appeal in Ilorin nullified the appointment of the Olofa of Offa; after the state high court had earlier upheld the appointment.
A two-day visit to the community by Channels TV after the court judgement showed members of the community trooping to the palace to pledge their support to the king as every available space in the palace was occupied by the young, aged and especially the market women.
Students of Offa origin in various higher institutions across the country barricaded the entrance of the palace displaying placards affirming their support for the king irrespective of the court judgement as the students sang and danced extolling the virtues of the king.
The market women on their part occupied the spaces inside the palace having decided not to display their wares for three days in solidarity with the king.
The former chairman of Offa local government; Segun Adewoyin when the king was installed exonerated the state government from any blame adding that the government only implemented the recommendation of the kingmakers.
The rally and the show of support seems not to hold meaning to the family of the Olugbense as their head; Prince Saka Adebayo Keji who claimed ignorance of the rally in support of the deposed Olofa describing it as sponsored and called on the state government to install their son as the new Olofa of Offa.
