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By Adewale Banjo
The Alagbeji Royal Family of Isolo kingdom in Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) has written to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, to intervene in the Osolo kingship crisis.
Olori Ebi (head) of the family, Taoreed Faronbi, also known as Alado, in a letter, dated October 9, 2024, and entitled, “Osolo stool: Request for urgent intervention,” lamented the turn of events regarding the Osolo stool, following the crisis that followed the process to succeed the late Osolo of Isolo, Kabir Agbabiaka.
According to him, this was least expected as Isolo has a history of seamless transition to the throne from time immemorial.
He blamed the development on vested interests trying to manipulate the process for their selfish ends.
According to him, this was after the family had met and unanimously chosen Saheed Ishola Aregbeshola from Alabe branch as Osolo-elect.
The letter, which was also copied to the Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, partly read: “Ordinarily, this should not have resulted in any controversy as Isolo has a trajectory of rancour-free-ascension over the years.
“This was explicitly explained in my reply to Isolo kingmakers, dated July 30, 2024, following a letter received from them and entitled, ‘Appointment/selection of Osolo-elect’, a position affirmed by the kingmakers in a letter to the Chairman, Isolo LCDA, on August 28, 2024.
“My reply read in part: ‘Having said so, it is noteworthy that the Alagbeji Royal Family has four branches namely; Akinlagun branch which produced the late Disu Faronbi (1975-1984), Arowoye Ejoga branch which produced the Baale Alagbeji, Samuel Arowoye (1995-2010), Apena branch which produced the Baale Alagbeji, Jelili Apena (2022 till date) and the Alabe branch that has not produced king or baale, and therefore, deserves a shot at the vacant stool of Oba of Isolo.
“Consequently, as the Olori-Ebi of Alagbeji Royal Family House and having been informed officially of this vacancy, I wrote to inform the Alabe family whose turn it is to present a candidate to do so within the time assigned through my lawyer, as attached the letter, dated July 27, 2024.
“Coming from this background, the Alabe family met, deliberated on this urgent matter and reached an unanimous verdict to present Saheed Ishola Aregbesola as the candidate for the vacant stool of Oba of Isolo kingdom.
“The entire Alagbeji was, therefore, shocked to hear that some people went to town with a false narrative at variance with our choice of candidate for the Osolo stool.
“Curiously, no authority or person can present a candidate to the kingmakers outside the family head (Olori Ebi) which I am and our choice is Saheed Ishola Aregbeshola.
“What this means is that any action purported to have been taken in the name of Alagbeji Royal Family without my express approval is illegal, fraudulent and nullity.
“The full weight of the law should be brought on such persons as their intent and purpose, after making a humongous sum of money from those who want to be king through the back door, is to disrupt the peace of Isolo kingdom.
“Your Excellency, the kingmakers wrote to the family through me and the family unanimously put forward Saheed Ishola Aregbeshola as our candidate. On this we stand.
“We, therefore, seek the intervention of the Lagos State House of Assembly for a speedy process that will culminate in the presentation of a staff of office to the Osolo-elect soonest.”
