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By Johnson Adebowale
The euphoria that enveloped the sons and daughters of Oko Baba Agba in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos over the recommendation by the Standing Tribunal of Inquiry into chieftaincy matters in Lagos State that Chief Kabiru Adesegun Bahiru, the Kekeniju of Oworonshoki, be elevated by the state government as a second class ruler is yet to become a reality two years after.
The community is, therefore, praying to God to touch the heart of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to accent the ruling of the tribunal.
The tribunal led by Justice Titilola Ojikutu-Oshode (retd) had on November 9, 2021, recommended the elevation of Kekeniju of Oworonshoki to a second-class monarch, which according to the five-man panel should be known as Olu of Oko Baba Agba. Other members of the panel were Mariam Olaniyi, Mojeeb Agunbiade, Chief Oladapo Atinshola, and Jimoh Kazeem.
The tribunal was constituted by virtue of Lagos State Legal Notice (LSLN) No. 7 of 2003, published in Lagos State Extraordinary Official Gazette No. 44 Vol. 34 of December 31, 2001, with effect from October 4, 2001.
However, despite the constitutionality of the tribunal’s ability to make recommendations for the executive arm of the government on chieftaincy matters, Governor Sanwo-Olu is yet to give consent for the upgrading of Kekeniju to a second-class ruler two years later.
Some of the community members have appealed to Sanwo-Olu to urgently look into the recognition of the stool of Olu Oko Baba Agba, saying this intervention would expedite development in the community.
In their various analyses, the community’s leaders said the recognition of the stool would further give credit to the traditional institution of the community and empower the traditional ruler to use his influence to promote a conducive environment for residents to live, work, and transact their businesses without intimidation.
In their appraisal of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration, the leaders commended him for restoring the office of rural development back into the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Rural Development, saying the development is a pointer to the fact that the governor is very interested in development at the grassroots.
Chief Nasiru Salami, who is the representative of the community and also the chairman of the Olu Oko Baba Agba Royal family, said since chieftaincy matters were synonymous with development, which is why the governor restored the office of rural development to the ministry, he should take it further by granting the prayers of the sons and daughters of Oko Baba Agba by recognising the stool of Olu Oko Baba Agba to aid the development of the community.
He said communities and towns that enjoy development in the state are mostly the ones that have recognized traditional institutions.
“The increase in the membership of the Council of Obas and Chiefs in the state from 48 to 84 so far by the governor is a reflection of his respect for the traditional institution; it also reflects the importance his administration attaches to traditional institutions and their relevance. Little wonder he moved the office of rural development to the ministry of local government and chieftaincy matters,” Salami said.
Salami also posited that since security remains one of the “T.H.E.M.E.S. Plus” developmental agendas of the governor, the recognition of the Olu Oko Baba Agba stool would further give credit to the traditional institution of the community. It would also empower the Oba to use his influence to promote a conducive environment for residents to live, work, and transact their businesses without intimidation.
“We state with great concern that our brother and father, Chief Kabiru Adesegun Bashir, the present Kekeniju Opemoluwa of Oworonshoki, is yet to be recognized as the Olu Oko Baba Agba, having satisfied all requirements.
“We stand to be corrected, but we make bold to say that Oko Baba Agba Community deserves the honour of the stool of Olu Oko Baba Agba by all standards. The report of the Standing Tribunal of Inquiry into Chieftaincy Matters in respect of the Olu Oko Baba Agba was positive. All recommendations of the consenting authorities were obtained, among other requirements, in accordance with the extant law.
“It is, therefore, unheard of that the dreams of our heroes past and great ancestors are yet to come to pass on being actualized to date. We humbly appeal to your Excellency to give due recognition to the stool of Olu Oko Baba Agba and give the staff of office to our illustrious son, Chief Kabiru Adesegun Bashir, whose emergence was widely accepted.”
In the same vein, the Bobaselu of Oko Baba Agba, Chief Ayinde Sulaiman, told us that the community is eager and patiently waiting to receive the blessing of the governor and the Council of Obas and Chiefs led by Oba Rilwan Osuolale Akiolu, the Olowo Eko I, on the issue of the ratification of their community traditional stool.
Sulaiman said that, as a riverine remote village where their forefathers lived, Oko Baba Agba has always been a peaceful community and would remain so, but the recognition of the traditional stool would further boost the economic prosperity of the land and, by extension, the state.
