By Our Reporter
The people of Igburowo community in Odigbo Local Government in Ondo state have called on the Ondo state government to dethrone their traditional ruler, Oba Pius Akinfesola Adewola, for violating traditional protocols.
They stated this recently in a letter dated August 3, 2012 which was signed by no fewer than 21 representatives of the community, representing various interest groups such as the High chiefs, women chiefs otherwise called Opoji in local parlance as well as male and female indigenes, members of Igburowo Development Committee (IDC), Youth association and the secretary of Akinbumiti Ruling House among others.
In the petition, which was addressed to the state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Hon. Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as well as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, They stated that their request for the deposition of Oba Pius Akinfesola Adewola was as a result of his alleged commission of several atrocities which they described as detrimental to the peace and progress of the community.
The people of the agrarian community stated that their action was predicated on the need to save the name of the community from disrepute.
According to the letter, the monarch who bears the appellation of Akamuja of Igburowo land was alleged to have perpetrated various atrocities in the community such as fraud, forceful acquisition of land belonging to his subjects, frivolous litigation over subject’s property, non-performance of traditional rites and assaulting of his chiefs and subjects.
Other offences brought against the traditional ruler also include alleged connivance with one Tope Iluyomade, an indigene of the community to defraud its inhabitants of the sum of N3.6million being money meant for the payment of electricity consumption to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria PLC which the said Tope who was allegedly nominated by the monarch as representative of the community was accused of diverting to his personal use. The said Tope who has been arraigned in court is presently remanded in prison custody.
Similarly, the monarch is also alleged of running a one-man show by refusing to constitute the Oba-In –Council in the community several years after the death of some other High Chiefs called Iwarefas in local parlance who traditionally are required to run the township administration with him.
In addition, Oba Akinfesola is also accused of refusing to conduct traditional meeting places popularly referred to as Ugha in local parlance where people gather to discuss matters affecting the community.
The monarch was also accused of short changing traditional chiefs in the community by refusing to pay them their entitlement in full after he has allegedly collected same from the local government.
Additionally, the community also accused the monarch of engaging in brawl with one of his chiefs, illegal conversion of the community resources to personal use and writing of fictitious petitions and institution of several court cases against his subjects.
The community therefore appealed to the Ondo State Government to wade into the matter saying the timely intervention would help preventing the breakdown of law and order in the area.
However, in his own reaction, the embattled traditional ruler described all the allegations leveled against him as false, unfounded and blackmail by those he described as detractors who, he said are out to damage his image.
Speaking with newsmen in a telephone interview, the monarch said he was not aware any letter written against him to the State Government. He also stated that the allegation that he was collecting people’s land was not true, neither did he refused to perform any traditional rite.
The monarch averred that he had been performing his traditional roles effectively in the community before some youths who took over the activities in the area prevented him from carrying out his traditional roles.
He further stated that in order to prevent the breakdown of law and order he decided to institute court action in a High court in Ondo town where the matter is presently being heard.
“I have not seen the letter or heard anything neither have I been informed about it. All that is said to have been written in the letter are false, I am going to the office of the Chairman of the Local Government now to see him,” he said.
“On the allegation that I am involved in land grabbing and refusing to performance traditional rites in the community, the allegations are false, I didn’t collect anybody’s land,” he added.
On the issue of non-performance of traditional rites, the Monarch said, “I want to say that I didn’t refuse to perform anything as alleged, it was because the youths of the community took my right by force and were doing it and that was why I took them to the High court in Ondo town over the matter.”
While reacting to the alleged invitation of policemen into the community, Oba Adewola said he took the step when he discovered that his life was in danger.
His words: “It was true that I invited police into the community. I took the step when they were threatening my life.”
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