Oja Odan Kingship: Again, Another Community Accuses Ogun Commissioner For Chieftaincy Affairs, Afolabi Afuape Of Manipulation, Imposition Of Candidate

ABEOKUTA - Nine ruling families entitled to Oja-Odan royal stool in Yewa North local government area of Ogun State have accused some officials in the state ministry of Justice of carrying out hatchet job in connivance with the Commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Afolabi Afuape.

The founding families of the town under the aegis of Oja-Odan descendants union in a petition signed by the nine families; Apetu, Abijo, Eluku, Oje, Segbe, Jangi, Onirookun, Edun and Fade families appealed to  the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to prevail on his Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to stop any attempt to impose illegal candidate on the town for the stool.

They claimed that, plans by officials of ministry of Justice with Afuape was to "unfairly twist the long established traditional facts and affirmed legal positions in relations to Oja-Odan Obaship  stool with a view to surreptitiously present one Banji Olowobeshe for appointment as the Oba.

The petition addressed to the governor dated November 29, 2021 and titled "Manipulation of the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs and the Ministry of Justice by some money bag individuals to twist  facts and sabotage various courts judgements in order to impose a stranger and an unpopular candidate -Banji Olowobeshe on good people of Oja-Odan "

They however, appealed the government against desecration of the traditional institution which could lead to the breakdown of law and order in the already peaceful Oja-Odan  town.

The petition reads that the government should direct "the honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to call a stakeholders meeting involving all the founders of the town with a view to being properly guided on approving the right candidate for the stool of Oba of Oja-Odan."

While raising the alarm, the petitioners said "we confirm further that there is ongoing concerted efforts in the department of Civil Litigation of the Ministry of Justice by the same individuals without conscience, to switch the consistent position of the Ogun State government since 1999."

They said the state government gazette recognizes the Onitoro of Itoro as the prescribed authority over Oja-Odan and which the Onitoro has since been exercising since 1999.

The petitioners added that various High courts judgements have settled the Obaship tussle, adding that the Court of Appeal had ruled that Onitoro is the recognized prescribed authority over Oja-Odan.

They said, "it was in line with this known position that Onitoro confirmed the nomination of prince Monday Apetu from the Apetu royal family for onward presentation to the government for his eventual appointment."

The petitioners submitted that, "it is instructive to state that the Apetus produced the first Baale of Oja-Odan. It is therefore, our well-considered resolve that the candidate for the Obaship stool of Oja-Odan should be from Apetu family or better still, that  the current Baale be upgraded to an Oba."

The petitioners in the prayers to the governor demanded call for investigation on the unethical efforts to change and twist the known facts and government position in relation to Oja-Odan Obaship stool.

They also prayed that the government to prevail on the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to convene a stakeholders meeting particularly for the founding families of Oja-Odan, before presenting any other candidate aside the one jointly agreed  upon and selected  through Apetu family to Onitoro for nomination to the honourable Commissioner."