Royal families back Gov. Adeleke on suspension of Owa of Igbajo

The  Igbajo royal families under the aegis of Onigemo descendants in Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun have expressed support to Gov. Ademola Adeleke’s reversal of the enthronement of Prince Gboyega Famodun, as the Owa of Igbajo.

This is contained in a statement jointly signed by the Onigemo of Igbajo, Chief Gbadebo Bamigboye, and other royal princes; Prince Jonathan Bamigboye, Prince Adebayo Makinde, and Prince Tunde Dada, on Thursday in Osogbo.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Adeleke had on Monday signed an Executive Order suspending the enthronement of the Aree of Iree, the Akirun of Ikirun, and the Owa of Igbajo.

The suspension would hold pending the review of their appointments, the governor declared.

Adeleke also directed security operatives to take over the palaces of the three traditional rulers immediately.

The royal families said the governor’s decision would bring sanity to the Igbajo community, adding that happenings in  Igbajo-Iloro in the last few days and particularly since the inauguration of Adeleke, had really humbled them.

They said the appointment of Famodun by the immediate past governor, Gboyega Oyetola, did not follow due process and that Adeleke’s decision to review the appointment was “a welcome development.”

They said the Onigemo descendant had on Nov. 9 done a newspaper advert on why the family should be considered for the throne and a protest letter written to the former governor for a level playing ground was ignored.

The royal families also said that the purported press statement by the Owa-in-Council, suggesting that there was peace and joy in the town after the installation of Famodun,  as Owa of Igbajo was “a fallacy that only exists in the mind of an oppressor.”

They said the purported press statement could not have been from the highly revered institution of Owa-in-Council, adding that “it could have only come from the media arm of a political party that recently exited power in Osun State.”

They said that the press statement was “lacking in tact, diplomacy, empathy, and sensitivity that is found in the ancients”.

The royal families noted that from Nov. 16 to Nov. 24, when Famodun was installed as Owa of Igbajo, “the Igbajo town was militarized with the presence of heavily armed policemen to mull any dissenting voice.”

They said the peace in the town during and after Famodun’s installation was due to the appeal for calm by the President of the Igbajo Development Association (IDA), Mr. Sola Fanawopo, on a radio program.

“To all those who are still hoping to forcefully install Prince Famodun, as Owa of Igbajo because he is perceived to be close to the seat of power without giving a level playing ground to all contestants, the events of yesterday should educate them that power belongs to God.

“Yes, some of the contestants may not be walking or connected to the corridors of power like Prince Famodun.

“They may also not have a voice in the corridors of power like him, but they certainly have a redeemer, and according to Jeremiah 50:34 ” their Redeemer is strong and the Lord of Host is his name and he will thoroughly plead their cause that he might give rest to the land.

“All those who are still playing God in this matter of Owaship tussle should take a cue and learn from the events of these few days,” the royal families said.

They urged the Owa-in-Council to note that a golden opportunity has beckoned on Igbajo from the land of relegation.

“Please, be true to your conscience and your God, give Igbajo an Oba that is not partisan, to enable our sons and daughters in PDP to bring home the dividend of their party.

“It is so sad that some of Igbajo citizens could actually be scheming to turn the whole community against the new government by having a partisan king,” they noted.