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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Funsengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu Ode has appealed to the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to lift the suspension placed on the process of selecting the 60th Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland.
At a press conference in Idowa, Ijebu Ode, chairman of the ruling house, Alhaji Abdulateef Owoyemi, said the state government’s action has stalled the age-long traditional exercise for over three months.
Owoyemi, flanked by the Deputy and Vice Chairman of the ruling house, Chief Adedokun Ajidagba and Prof. Fassy Yusuf, respectively, at the press conference, argued that government’s allegation of bribery and financial inducement against the kingmakers was frivolous, saying nothing incriminating had been found against them.
He recalled that the suspension followed a directive that led to the Awujale’s palace being forcefully locked by police before dawn on January 21.
He added that the suspension came barely two days after the ruling house submitted its list of nominated candidates to the kingmakers on January 19, for their statutory seven-day evaluation and selection process.
“The Ijebu Ode Local Government, in a letter dated January 20, and received at 11:30am the next day, ordered the kingmakers to halt all further action based on security reports and allegations of bribery and financial inducement. However, the letter did not name any accusers, recipients, dates or values of alleged bribes,” the Chairman of the ruling house stated.
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While decrying what he described as humiliation, Owoyemi said the kingmakers and family heads had been repeatedly summoned for intense interrogation by the Ogun State Police Command at Eleweran and the Department of State Services (DSS), adding that the interrogations have subjected the revered chiefs to unfair suspicion, witch-hunting, intimidation and character assassination.
“Despite the detailed investigation by both the Police and the DSS, nothing incriminating was found against any of the kingmakers or family heads. As of May 3, credible information reaching us confirmed that the petition by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, lacked any element capable of substantiation through any honest and reliable witness,” he stated.
He emphasised that the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, had deliberately appointed the current kingmakers/Afobaje based on their unblemished integrity, substance and impeccable character, trusting them to select his successor with honour, fairness, courage and dignity.
“The kingmakers cannot be persuaded to do anything ungodly by money or inducement and that halting the process over speculative, unproven allegations from persons seeking to sabotage it was unprecedented and unfair.
“While appreciating Governor Abiodun’s commitment to probity and transparency, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House passionately urges him to direct the kingmakers to immediately resume and conclude their statutory duty without further delay.
“Allowing the process to proceed would ensure the spiritually predicted peace, unity, elevation, prosperity and progress of Ijebu Ode, Ijebuland, Ogun State and Nigeria,” he stated.
