A human rights group, Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights, has urged the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun to intervene in the obaship tussle gripping Iperu Remo, his hometown in Ikenne Local Government area of the state.
The Chairman of the local government, Segun Ogunleye, is alleged to be at the centre of the tussle following his alleged resolve to impose one Olugbenga Shomade as the next Akufon of Idarika, Iperu Remo.
Shomade is alleged not to be a member of the Igundaniyan royal family, which is expected to produce the successor to the throne of Akufon of Idarika, Iperu Remo after the demise of Oba Muibi Akinsanya on January 28, 2021.
Addressing journalists in Abeokuta, the President of the CHSR, Alex Omotehinse, said that it is pertinent Gov Abiodun attends to the lingering crisis emanating from the kingship selection in Idarika, Iperu Remo before things get out of hand.
Omotehinse said, “What is however of immediate concern and source of worry is the subterranean maneuver of the Council Chairman, Hon Segun Ogunleye’s alleged partisanship in the selection process instead of allowing the kingmakers to do justice according to established chieftaincy acts.”
He explained that a year after the demise of Oba Akinsanya, the Ikenne Local Government wrote the Igundaniyan ruling house to present their choice for the throne and the family forwarded the name of one Prince Saheed Abayomi.
Abayomi, however, died suddenly even before he was summoned by the local government.
The local government was also said to have revived the selection process for this vacant stool with a letter dated April 8, 2024, asking the ruling house to send in another nomination for the stool.
The family in a letter dated April 17, 2024, and signed by Moshood Onakoya and Pa Fasasi Ogunmuyiwa, the Secretary and the head of the family, urged the local government to give the family time to pick their nomination.
The local government was equally quoted to have replied the following day, April 18 telling the family to pick between two working days for the selection process which some officials of the local government would also attend as observers.
Omotehinse said that while the family was still wondering why the local government was giving them an ultimatum over the selection process, the local government delegation on a Saturday, just two days after writing the family, stormed the community and allegedly held the selection process without allowing the members of the Igundaniyan family to participate.
This alleged kangaroo process was said to have produced Shomade Olugbenga as the king-elect.
The human rights group has however called on Gov Abiodun as the father of all to rise to douse this tension before it generates a full-blown crisis.
Omotehinse also said that in the spirit of justice and peaceful coexistence, the House of Assembly, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and other relevant security agencies should step in to ensure that the right things are done.
Speaking with our correspondent, the Chairman of the local government, Ogunleye, debunked the allegation of partisanship levelled against him.
The LG boss said, “All that they are saying are tissues of lies, I was never involved in the selection process, it is what their family did that the local government is working on, they are the ones who selected Gbenga Shomade, he is not an impostor.
“I have documents for everything, including video. They have been to the Zone 2 office of the police in Lagos State to report me but when I brought out documents the police have a clearer picture of the whole issue, so it is not true that I have imposed anyone on the family.”
PUNCH
