Amid growing tension and anxiety over the missing traditional symbol of Owa Omiran, Owasokun, the Asaba of Esa Oke, Chief Olufemi John Aluko has vowed, determinedly to fish out the missing totem.
The totem, Owasokun, the symbol of authority was handed over to the late Owa Omiran during his installation rites in April 2004.
But since his passing in May 6, 2026, almost a full month now, final rites for the late Owa Omiran could not be performed.
To douse the tension generated by this, the Asaba of Esa Oke, Chief Olufemi John Aluko has vowed, determinedly to fish out the missing totem.
Owasokun, has been the symbol of authority usually handed over to the late Owa Omiran during his installation rites.
Chief Aluko spoke exclusively with www.esaoketodayonline.com early Sunday morning in his office at Oke Esa Quarter, Esa Oke. He “wondered why would anyone, no matter his status, might want to toy with such a valuable heritage totem of over a thousand years in his custody.
www.esaoketodayonline.com recalled that the late Owa Omiran, HRM Oba Adeyemi Adediran, Atipa Owaji 11, passed away on Wednesday, 06 May, 2026 at the LAUTEC Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State.
His remains were yet to be committed to the Mother’s Earth to join his ancestors, because necessary traditional rites could not be performed without the Owasokun..
The missing totem was said to be a major material in performing the final rites for the departing Owa Omiran and the installation of a new one.
The totem was said to have found missing when the handlers of the Oba’s remains demanded for it to continued with the rites. Neither his junior brother nor any other member of his family could provide an answer.
When the family could not produce the totem on demand, a search of the room dedicated for all the traditional artifacts in the Palace was ordered, but the totem could not be found. Also another round of searches in his personal home, both in Esa Oke and Osogbo, could not yield any positive results. This ;ed to the suspension of the rites, and stalling of his burial.
www.esaoketodayonline.com learnt authoritatively that the Asaba of Esa Oke was fully in charge of the final rites and installation of Owa Omiran. All the four ruling houses were under his administrative quarters.
Chief Aluko assured all that they should remained calm and orderly as the vitally important traditional symbol of Owa Omiran would not be allowed to go missing just like that.
According to him, “this was a totem passed down to us by our ancestors, over a thousand years ago, and I, during my time, would not allowed it to disappear”