The big hammer of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II, on Friday, fell on one of his Mogajis, Chief Olawale Oladoja, Mogaji Akinsola as he was suspended as Mogaji following his dastard activities in the Akinsola Village in Akinyele Local Government area of Oyo State.
The community came into limelight on Thursday following the clamping down on the residents of the community by the Mogaji Akinsola claiming that he had gotten court judgments to prove that the land upon which they built their houses was not legally sold to them.
It would be recalled that about 200 houses in the community under reference were on Wednesday put under lock and key and red- marked which he said was to prove his being in charge. The action threw the residents out of their houses, leading some of them to sleep in the open throughout the night following which they protested to the Olubadan Palace on Thursday.
The complaints and the public outcry that greeted the matter which trended on the internet led to the emergency meeting conveyed on Friday which had in attendance the Olubadan, some of the members of his Advisory Council, the representatives of Ibadan Mogajis led by Chief Asimiyu Adepoju Ariori, Mogaji Akinsola and the representatives of the residents and where the decision to suspend the Mogaji and other actions were taken.
Briefing the press after the meeting, the Personal Assistant (Media) to Olubadan, Oladele Ogunsola disclosed that three communities, Akinsola, Aponmode and Labinkulu were actually affected by the action with the other two communities as represented by Baale Aponmode, Dauda Bolarinwa Aponmode and Morufu Raufu relaying how they were recruited by Mogaji Akinsola to join him in reclaiming the land from the landlords and how they turned him down.
In his presentation, Mogaji Akinsola told the monarch and his members of Advisory Council that he made several attempts to resolve the matter before he decided to take action. He disclosed that the matter was also reported to the palace and moves were being made to intervene but didn’t wait for the conclusion of the palace intervention before he approached the security agents for the execution of the court judgment that gave his family the right of ownership of the disputed land.
The Ashipa Olubadan, Oba Biodun Kola-Daisi who read the riot act on behalf of the Olubadan Advisory Council said “several facts were established here today and they pointed to the fact that Mogaji Akinsola didn’t follow the code of conduct usually handed down to both Mogajis and Baales when being appointed.
“In this instance, the case was already in the Palace, but, did you inform the palace before the police was invited? Your action inconvenient, embarrassed the Olubadan stool and the Ibadanland. You crossed the line and the Council has decided that you be suspended as Mogaji, you are ordered to tender public apology to the people inconvenienced.
“You defied Olubadan, took laws into your hands by going ahead to take such drastic decision. This will serve as deterrents to others who fail to appreciate and recognize the responsibility their position as either Baale or Mogaji entails. Your suspension will last for as long as it takes to resolve the problem you have created”, Ashipa Olubadan added.