Culture

70 Years After, Aliwo Agog in Preparation for Olubadan Throne Again

By Web News 2599

Traditionally, wishing for a king to join his ancestors so as to give an heir-apparent the opportunity is a taboo and an aberration in Yorubaland.

In fact, in Ibadan where the succession plan to the Olubadan stool is not controversial, tradition says any potential occupier of the exalted seat that wishes the passage of the sitting Oba will never live to wear the crown.

However, it is a natural law that a disappointment to one might be a blessing to others.

Therefore, the two sides to a coin set in on Sunday, the 2nd of January, 2022 when the news of the passage of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje-Ogungunniso 1 rented the air, there was mourning at Popoyemoja, the palace of Oba Adetunji while at Aliwo, where the new Olubadan-Designate, Oba Mohood Olalekan Balogun hails from was in ecstasy.

It was light dancing at the beginning, but within a jiffy, Aliwo sons and daughters were trooping in to share in the praisesinging that the hope of the crown coming back to the family 70 years after the reign of the first Olubadan from the lineage, Oba Memudu Aliwo 1 seems alive.

Olubadan Traditional drummers and singers have also shifted base and moved to Aliwo in line with the customs where they now give royal welcome to guests.

As if it was pre-planned whereas it was a mere coincidence, Aliwo has been wearing a new look since last year starting from the reconstruction and remodeling of Aliwo Central Mosque as well as the ongoing renovation of Aliwo Palace which were all facilitated by the Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Dr Kola Balogun, the son of the soil and a younger brother to Olubadan-Designate.

Similarly, the residence of Oba Lekan Balogun at Alarere along New-Ife Road is now getting a facelift as well as other facilities so as to meet the royal standard.

Olubadan Designate when he became Mogaji in 1986 with his late mother.

The place has also been a mecca of sorts since, hosting different categories of people in the society.

There is no iota of doubt that this will be the first time that Alarere Community will experience the volume of people that troop to the area on a daily basis to extend congratulatory messages to the Olubadan-Designate.

In a symbiotic relationship, the development has also boosted the economy of the community.

Truly, it is a party-like mood in the recent time at the residence of the Olubadan-in-waiting as the atmosphere is always convivial.

Family members, relatives, friends and neigbours have an opportunity to eat and drink while even some less-privileged ones who have turned the place to their abode were not left out.

Aliwo family members with the Olubadan-in-waiting.

Those that have paid homage to the Olubadan-Designate apart from the Olubadan-in-Council and Baales who are from outside Oyo State are Senator Ganiyu Solomon from Lagos State, Senator Andy Uba from Anambra and former Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Lalong from Plateau State, Prince Lisa Patako from Ondo State and Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Mrs Folasade Tinubu-Ojo.

Others are Minister of Youths and Sports, Hon. Sunday Dare, Former Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, Chief Olasunkanmi Tegbe and Hon. Leke Apapa.

Artisan groups and non-Yoruba speaking Associations including head of Hausa Community in Oyo State, Alhaji Ali Zungeru and Igbo leaders in the state were also part of the homage as a way of appreciating peace and progress in Ibadan, the largest city in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

Beauticians/ Hair Dressers Association when they paid homage to Oba Mohood Lekan Balogun.
Igbo Community in Oyo State paying homage to Olubadan-Designate.

Management and staff of neighbouring Alarere Community Secondary School, Alarere Community Primary School and from St. John Anglican School, Atenda, opposite Aliwo were not left out of the train as they used the opportunity to move closer to royalty.

No doubt, prayer is essential during a period like this as alfas, pastors among the guests as well as Prelate of the Methodist Church and CAN executives created time to pray for the Olubadan-Designate while a mosque within the premises of the house is also another prayer ground.

Prelate of Methodist Church and Executive Members of CAN.
Neigbours in Alarere Community praying for the Olubadan Designate.

Back to Aliwo, there have been meetings upon meetings by the Aliwo sons and daughters including those in the diaspora communicating through different social media platforms.

Various committees and sub-committees have been formed all in preparations for a befitting and first class coronation of the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Ankara fabrics (Aso-ebi) have been selected while bales of the clothes are being displayed for sale at the entrance of Aliwo.

Obviously, in line with a Yorùbá expression, if an horse-race was conducted in the bellies of sons and daughters of Aliwo, it will be an hitch-free exercise, while their prayer point is for God to grant the Olubadan-Designate long life and sound health on the throne of his forefathers!

Ridwan Fasasi

Culture

Olubadan Stool: High Chiefs Agree to Withdraw Court Case

By Web News 911

The delay in assenting the nomination of Otun Olubadan, Senator Lekan Balogun as the next Olubadan of Ibadanland by the state Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde may soon be over with the unanimous decision of the High Chiefs to withdraw the case in court.

This was the outcome of the meeting of the members of Olubadan-in-Council held today at the Oja’ba Palace of the Olubadan.

Otun-Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola who briefly spoke with our reporter after the closed door meeting which lasted about two hours said the High Chiefs had concurred with the governor to withdraw the suit in court.

He said the process of withdrawing the case had commenced, stressing that due process would be followed when asked about when the process would be concluded.

According to High Chief Ajibola, the case was adjourned to the 1st of February this year and whatever happens, we would have to get to the court before the withdrawal can take place”.

It would be recalled that the members of the Olubadan-in-Council met with the state Governor last Saturday over the issue of succession to the Olubadan throne which became vacant following the demise of Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1 on the 2nd of January this year.

At the meeting, it was gathered that the court case was the main issue delaying government pronouncement of the next Olubadan as proposed by the Ibadan Kingmakers at their last week meeting.

The court case becoming contentious was instituted by the High Chiefs to challenge the consent judgment nullifying the elevation granted them as Royal Majesties by the immediate past administration of the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

A former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Micheal Lana had barely 24 hours after the death of Oba Adetunji gone to town with a letter, asking the governor not to assent any nomination to the vacant Ibadan stool by the Kingmakers unless the court case is withdrawn.

The said letter had since become the barometer with which the general public views and judge the succession order to the vacant Olubadan stool.

In the meantime, the Coronet-wearing Obas who enjoyed the same promotion from their Baaleship positions to Royal Highnesses with the High Chiefs and who were at today’s meeting at the Oja’ba Palace were yet to take decision on the withdrawal of the case in court.

It was gathered that they agreed to hold a separate meeting this Thursday on the matter at the same venue.

Though the cases were similar, they were filed separately which made the Royal Highnesses not to be binded by the decision of the High Chiefs.

Ridwan Fasasi.

Crime

3 in EFCC Net For Defrauding Ibadan High Chief of N300m

By Web News 928

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office, has arrested three persons – Babatunde Ologunja, Olusola Olaoye Babatunde and Olufemi Lawal – for allegedly duping the Otun-Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun.

The suspects and others still at large were accused of conspiring to dispossess the revered Ibadan High Chief of sums running to about N300m (Three Hundred Million Naira).

The suspects with the cars found in their possession

Balogun, who is next to the Olubadan in the Olubadan-In-Council hierarchy, was a Senator representing the Oyo South Senatorial District under the platform of the Alliance for Democracy in National Assembly between 1999 and 2003.

His younger brother, Dr. Kola Balogun, who currently sits in his former position in Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber, had written an emotional petition to the EFCC as “a concerned member of the Aliwo family”, seeking the commission’s intervention in smashing the syndicate and ensuring that members are made to pay for their alleged crime.

The younger Balogun feared that the High Chief may have been charmed by the suspected fraudsters as he was still unable to come to terms with the reality of his situation.

“This request became necessary because we believe strongly that the victim has been hypnotized, he is not in a position to admit it and his health condition is deteriorating,” the Senator stated in the petition.

Preliminary investigations into the allegations revealed that for the past four years, the suspects have consistently collected various sums of money from the High Chief.

The sums, according to findings, were not attached to any particular projects and no receipts were issued to indicate the existence of any genuine transactions between the parties.

As the time of their arrest, the syndicate had received about N300 million (Three Hundred Million Naira) through bank transfers from the Ibadan High Chief.

The commission has designated for possible forfeiture four vehicles and six landed properties traced to their alleged fraudulent activities.

The EFCC is still on the trail of their fugitive partners, as further investigations are underway.

Sunday Ogunyemi