Imposition: Ibeju Lekki residents stages protest over Oba’s stool, fingers Commissioner

By Lanre Adesanya

Residents of Orimedu Community in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State has protested the alleged attempt by Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Muslim Folami to impose an Oba on the community.

The protesters wielding placards with different inscriptions couched to drive home their point,maintained that Folami has unscrupulously made moves to circumvent cultural norms.

“Hon Folami, stop bribing our kings, no room for imposition,” “Hon Muslim Folami betrayed APC,” “Accord Party Leader cannot instal a king in Lagos State” and “Folami, stop bastardizing our traditional institution.
“Folami, do not make our kingship do or die,”

Also,”Folami must go, O to ge,” “Folami commissionership is a curse rather than blessing,” “LASG/LAHA & Concerned authorities call Folami to order” and ”Folami do not make our community a war zone.”

The leader of the protesters, Mr. Issa Olayinka, who spoke on their behalf, accused Hon. Folami of attempting to impose one Ibrahim Akodu as the Oba of the community through the backdoor.

“We are from Orimedu in Ibeju Lekki. We are here concerning the attempt of the State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Muslim Folami to impose a king on us in Orimedu.

“The Onimedu of Orimedu died about four months ago and we have about seven months to perform traditional rites before another person could be king and this has procedures and protocols, which had to be followed.

“There is a declaration that it is now the turn of Oke Oshodi Quarters out of the six quarters in the area to produce the next king. “The issue now is that the people in Oke Oshodi quarters would have to come together and discuss with the ‘afobaje’ kingmakers,” he said.

Olayinka stressed that the commissioner is not from Oke Oshodi quarters, though he is from Orimedu.

He said further that what the elders of Oke Oshodi quarters said was that each of the 11 families in the quarters should bring one candidate each including the family of Ibrahim Akodu, who is the present Chief Akinrogun of the community and Folami’s candidate..

“Akodu even supposed to relinquish his present position if he wants to contest for the kingship, but the commissioner is saying that he should retain the seat.

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“We were told that Folami had the approval of the Governor to do this, which was why we wrote a letter to the Governor.

“There are about 14 candidates for the kingship, but Folami’s candidate had not been coming for the meetings that others have been coming.

“Though Ibrahim Akodu is from the quarters, he has not obtained form and he has not been meeting with us all because of his closeness to the commissioner ” he said.

Olayinka revealed that they had met with the commissioner and invited him for meetings several times, and that they had written letters to the Governor of the state, speaker of the state house of assembly, the lawmaker representing Ibeju Lekki Constituency 2 Hon. Raheem Kazeem and the lawmaker representing Ibeju Lekki Constituency 1, Hon. Fatai Mojeed on the issue.

The letters, he said were dated 7th January, 2019.

Addressing the protesters, Hon. Jude Idimogu from Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 2 thanked them for the peaceful manner of the protest.

Idimogu, who was joined by Hon. Akeem Shokunle, promised to deliver the protest letter to the Speaker of the House, while promising that the lawmakers in the assembly would deliberate on the matter and get back to them soon.