Residents of Orile Imo, one of the industrial hubs of Ogun State on Tuesday, trooped to the streets in a counter protest against an alleged plan by some groups to install a non-indigene as the traditional ruler of their community in Obafemi-Owode local government area of the state.
Armed with placards bearing different inscriptions such as: “An Alien Cannot Be Our King,” “No To A Land Grabber As Oba In Orile Imo,” and “Only A Trustworthy Person Can Rule Orile Imo,” among others, the protesters staged a peaceful rally to the office of the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun at the State Secretariat Complex in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The protesters submitted a letter, detailing their agitations over the disputed stool which had become vacant since year 2018.
Led by the General-Secretary of the town’s union under the aegis of Imo Descendants Association (IDA), Kehinde Adeoso, the protesters demanded that the state governor must not tamper with name of the candidate who emerged as the next traditional ruler of their community after the screening exercise carried out by the Egba Traditional Regency Council.
The protesters claimed that the Council has the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo as the consenting authority of the disputed stool.
Special Assistant on Protocols to the governor, Ayoola Musiliu Sanni received the protesters for onward delivery of their demand to Gov Abiodun who was said to have been engaged with another state function within the state.
Speaking with newsmen after submitting the letter, Adeoso explained that their mission to the Governor’s Office was in response to a previous protest staged by “some sponsored garage touts and land grabbers” , who were distorting facts about the installation of a new monarch for their ancestral home for the purpose of misleading the state government.
Adeoso explained that the process of selecting a new monarch for the community has been concluded in accordance with the directives of Oba Gbadebo as the consenting authority in line with the Ogun State’s Chiefs Laws which empowers the Egba Traditional Regency Council to do so.
He further explained that those who staged the Monday protest to the Governor’s Office have no ancestral affiliation with their community, but playing an alleged script of a land grabber that sponsored them.
Adeoso further disclosed that the 6-man Regency Council had since screened the four contestants, which included Samuel Oluwadairo, Mathew Alawode Aiyedun, Akeem Aroyewun and Reuben Oluwanbe Sogaolu who signified interests in the stool and finally settled for Sogaolu as the next traditional ruler of the community.
He however, maintained that his community was appealing to Governor Abiodun not to tamper with the name of the candidate who emerged after the exercise but to approve his selection to avert a communal crisis in the ancient Egba satellite town.
We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →
Join Our WhatsApp Channel
