The Oluwo of Ilawo, Chief Samson Dosunmu and the Balogun of Ilawo, Chief Abraham Soyoye have refuted claims they authorized, one Diyaolu Oluwatosin to speak or release any press statement in their honour as regards the Ilawo stool.
The two high Chiefs, also members of Ilawo Council of Chiefs, in their separate reactions denied claims in a publication saying the emergence of Alex Macgregor had the blessing of the constituted authority of Ilawo, the Osile of Oke – Ona Egba, Oba Adedaoo Tejuoso.
The Oluwo of Ilawo while denouncing what he described as “humongous lies” by Oluwatosin and his cohorts, insisted that both men were not speaking for Ilawo council of chiefs and do not have any authority to speak at all on the issues at hand.
Dosunmu said, “By heirachy, Osi is 13th on the line of chiefs. A distant 13 and has absolutely no authority to speak for Ilawo-in-council. This latest action of perpetrating toxic behaviors will be stopped. Osi of Ilawo, despite being 13th in heirachy, is trying to aggregate and appropriate to himself the role of Oluwo, Balogun, Jaguna, Lukotun and Aro, combined in one. We all have quickly learned that is his plan and that won’t work. This latest action will not go unpunished.”
Also, the Balogun of Ilawo who doubles as Akogun of Egbaland said Oluwatosin Diyaolu and others that claimed to be speaking on behalf of the Ilawo traditional institution have committed offence punishable under the law by claiming to be what they were not.
He described the statement issued by Oluwatosin and his cohorts on the emergence of the controversial Oba-elect as a fabricated lie from the pit of hell.
Soyoye stressed that the report was false and only an imagination of “people that were against the principles of fairness, equity, uprightness that the township has put in place in appointing new Oba.”
He said, “I want to tell you that, all what you heard from the so-called secretary general is a fabricated lie. They are actually parts of the problem. The statement was not from the Ilawo-in-council.
“Before now, there was a discussion about the candidacy and election of Chief Olusegun Alex McGregor. We went to the Osile palace, everybody said his own side of the story and Kabiesi Osile said that, now that things are like this, that out of five contestants, only one participated in the process which is unacceptable.
“The Osile said since they did not invite all the contestants to come for the election, and the list used in conducting such election was tampered with, that such action is not due process in any sense. Therefore, he instructed that everybody, even the so-called secretary and the Osi who is acting as the Oluwo and Balogun combined now, that all the contestants and the township heads should go and meet. That when they meet, they should resolve on what to do. Either to do reelection or to do something else that could give them fair electoral process.
“So, everyone left on that note there then, the (aspirants) all resolved to meet somewhere last Saturday but ironically and unfortunately, we heard that McGregor said he cannot meet the other contestants because they had already gone to court, that they should allow the court process to prevail.
“But the four other aspirants met, and they have their decision transmitted to Osile.”
“Some disgruntled elements are now coming out, making themselves the head of the township which is a criminal act. Because it is in Ogun state chief law 2021 that nobody should appropriate a title that doesn’t belong to him. It is three years imprisonment if anyone does that.”
The Balogun also noted that the chiefs that purportedly signed the press statement are in “trouble as they have been engaging in propaganda.”
“So, that Osi himself, as if he is the Oluwo and Balogun, is in trouble. The Sakotun who is the secretary of the township, and an accomplice in this crime, appropriating to themselves roles does not belong to them and the other third one, the same thing to all of them. All what they are doing is propaganda to present themselves as the council of chiefs, which they are not.
“The council of chiefs comprises the Oluwo, Balogun, Jagunna, and the other Iwarefas.
“Already, I’ve made an official statement to Osile yesterday evening on this desperate moves from these men because we don’t want to do anything that will not be legally acceptable and admissible by our Kabiyesis. We respect tradition. ”
“By the grace of God, as the Akogun of Egbaland, I am the most senior. When we want to talk of Ilawo in that sphere, Oluwo is the head of Ilawo township. That’s the structure. I am the Balogun of that sector, I am next to him. But when we talk about the affairs of Egbaland, I am the most senior and know very well how things should be done.”
“They didn’t even come when we had the last meeting at the Ile Ogboni. All these happening are only imagination of people that are acting against the principles of fairness, uprightness that the township has put in place in appointing new Oba. Because, Alake could not have made himself the Alake of Egbaland; Osile couldn’t have made himself Osile Of Oke Ona; Agura cannot make himself Agura of Gbagura by himself; likewise Olowu cannot make himself Olowu of Owu by himself. All these kings followed customary processes that were acceptable by the whole setting of Egbaland from time immemorial because if they had not followed due process properly, there would have been chaos and mayhem in Egbaland up till now because obviously, the other sections will not agree but there had been a due process and it had been followed.
“What we are saying and will continue to say is that, we want an acceptable person and due process must be followed and the person who should emerge must come from the place of rulership which is the Orile where Obaship stool is zoned and given.”
“Under our watch, we cannot allow events that truncated peace in places like Agodo, Agosasa to repeat itself in Ilawo, because we all witnessed what happened there. We want to avoid a recurrence of that. Our kids are watching and the ancestors are with us.” another Chief added.
Recall that Diyaolu Oluwatosin who described himself as the “Secretary General ” of Ilawo Council of Chiefs and Chief Ajani Olufade in a statement said that the emergence of Alex Macgregor got the blessing of all constituted authority of Ilawo.
Meanwhile, the Ilawo Council of Chiefs headed by the Oluwo of Ilawo, Chief Samson Dosunmu and Chief Abraham Soyoye denied the consent and described the statement as blatant lie and a mischievous representation of facts.
