The Edemo Adeyoju family, Idemo compound in Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti state, are searching for a middle aged man identified as Akintade Tope, a member of the family who was said to have absconded and his whereabouts unknown after he was selected as the representative of the family as the next custodian of the family deity and tradition.
Middle aged Akintade is the Alamolo spiritual leader designate and is expected to after being conferred with the title, officially take over responsibilities of sustaining the tradition of the family and responsibilities to the community.
But after his selection in 2016, Akintade absconded to an unknown destination leading to the family and the traditional council organizing a search for him as they expressed the belief that it is a must that he occupies the position of the spiritual leader of Alamolo.
There is now a renewed search as the family council and chief makers continue to insist that Tope Akintade cannot reject the position because there was a covenant made by his father and it is a taboo for the position to be left unoccupied for years.
They said when his grandfather died, his father couldn’t take up his responsibility because he had health issues but he appealed that another family take it up after he pledged that his son will occupy the position at the required time.
But when the family council stated that it was time for Akintade to take the title and the associated responsibilities based on his father’s covenant, Akintade refused to be the spiritual head of the family and undertake family sacrifice and traditions.
He had at the time stated that he is not comfortable with some parts of the sacrifices and that the stool and the activities that go along with it negates his belief as a Christian especially since as the spiritual head, he will be expected to oversee the circumcision of female children in the family starting with his own children.
He had argued at the time that what is required of his male children was too much for him to handle and against his belief and had rejected the title though the family did not accept his refusal.
Since 2016, nothing had been heard from Tope or his family and the immediate family is worried about the inability to locate them or find out what happened to them while the family council believes that he went into hiding to avoid taking up his responsibility which they claim is a divine instruction.
And while the search is on for him to take up the title and perform the traditional duties expected of him and as done by his forefathers, unconfirmed report indicates that Tope Akintade and his family has relocated abroad.
And while his siblings continue the search for Tope Akintade and his family, the family council has insisted that wherever he is, the family must produce him else they will force him home to take up his responsibility if indeed he has traveled out of the country.
The claim is that the position is integral and cannot be left unoccupied for a long time and there can be no substitution again because his father already used the grace.
Akintade’s grandfather who died in May 1987 and was buried in November 1987, occupied the position for decades. At present, no one seems to know where Tope Akintade and his family are and his siblings are worried about what might have happened to him while they are afraid of what his fate will be if the council gets him.
