The palace of the Salu of Edunabon, a town in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State was on Wednesday  set ablaze by some irate youths protesting against the new monarch approved for the town by the state government.

The new monarch, Kehinde Oladepo who left seclusion after his seclusion rites in the early hours of Wednesday, reportedly fled from the palace but was eventually abducted by the youths. He was later rescued by the police.

In the course of the clash between the protesting youths and men loyal to the new monarch, ten persons including four identified as Raphel Onifade, Seye Oyelade, Baba Adashi and Adekola Onifade sustained serious injuries.

Oladepo, a former policeman who hails from Amoloye Compound in the Isiboni Ruling House, emerged as the new traditional ruler after the two warrant chiefs assigned by the state government unanimously voted for him, beating six other contestants in the process.

However, Nasiru Adebayo, one of the six contestants who lost to Oladepo reportedly came to the town a week after the new monarch had begun his seclusion rites and brandished a letter purportedly signed by the Ooni of Ife in his capacity as the consenting authority, declaring him the new Salu of Edunabon.

It was also gathered that upon his return to the town, Adebayo also commenced his seclusion and traditional rites.

Eyewitnesses said the monarch approved by the Osun State Government had left seclusion and was about entering the palace around 8 am when some youths accosted him.

When all entreaties to the youths who claimed that the process that produced Oladepo was invalid, failed, the monarch and others with him reportedly broke down a part of the fence of the palace and gained entrance.

It was learnt that because Oladepo  forcefully entered the palace, the youths that were opposed to his candidature set the palace on fire and waited for the monarch and his men outside the fence.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, Folasade Odoro said a number of people had been arrested in connection with the incident and that normalcy had since been restored to the community.