The Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Chieftaincy Committee and Onibeju of Ibeju , Oba Waliu Olasunkanmi Razaq Oguntolu 1, the Onise of Ise Land, Oba AbdulGaniyu Adebowale Adegbesan, and the Baale of Imedu, High Chief Mubashiru Sodiq Sangodeyi have declared that there is no dispute over the Obaship stool of Imedu Town in the Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State, contrary to the rumour being bandied about by certain individuals.
The trio made the clarification in separate interviews at the weekend. They emphasised that Imedu has remained peaceful as ever following the unanimous selection of Prince Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu as the Oba-elect of Imedu and the subsequent approval by the Ibeju-Lekki Chieftaincy Committee.
Oba Oguntolu stated that due process was followed in the selection and approval of Oba-elect of Imedu, Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu. He said the Ibeju-Lekki Chieftaincy Committee duly approved his selection after doing its due diligence for three months.
The Onibeju explained that “when the Imedu Community led by Baale Mubashiru Sadiq Sangodeyi formally presented Prince Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu Sangodeyi as the Oba-elect of Imedu to the Ibeju-Lekki Chieftaincy Committee, it took us nothing less than three months before granting him approval. We did our due diligence and ensured his selection as Oba-elect was not only unanimous, but also rancour-free.”
“We then asked the Oba-elect to visit the palaces of some existing Obas in Ibeju-Lekki for appraisal, which he did. All the Obas he visited, including the Onise of Ise Land who is the consenting authority for Imedu gave him a clean bill of health. Even the Oba Of Lepia kingdom, Oba Adeleke Akibu Ismaila had initially supported him, before raising an objection for personal reasons later. Oba Ismaila’s objection was based on the erroneous claim that he is the consenting authority for Imedu, whereas he is not”, he added.
Onibeju urged the Lagos state Government, to grant the Oba-elect Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu Sangodeyi the staff of office without any further delay because he was dully selected by his community and dully approved by the chieftaincy committee.
He advised the Oba of Lepia against taking any sinister action that could jeopardise the peace and tranquility in Imedu Town.
Corroborating the Onibeju’s statement, Oba AbdulGaniyu Adebowale Adegbesan of Ise Land explained that he is the consenting authority for Imedu Town, saying the Oba of Lepia has no such right.
Oba Adegbesan confirmed that Oba-elect Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu Sangodeyi was properly selected by his community and dully approved by the chieftaincy committee.
According to him “ by convention, Baale Mubashiru Sangodeyi of Imedu ought to be the Oba of the town since he is still alive, but he has ceded that right to Oba-elect Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu Sangodeyi with the consent of his people. So, what noise is the Oba of Lepia making”.
Similarly, Baale Mubashiru Sodiq Sangodeyi confirmed that “there is no tension, dispute or any trouble whatsoever in Imedu over the creation of Obaship stool. Imedu is an ancient town which deserves the stool, and we are all happy that the Lagos State Government is making it happen. I have been the Baale of Imedu for over forty years and by right, I should be the Oba, but my health is failing and I have ceded that right to an illustrious and worthy son of Imedu, Prince Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu whom the entire indigenes of Imedu have unanimously selected as our Oba-elect, following his nomination by my humble self.”
The Baale said those spreading the rumour about a fictitious dispute are rabble-rousers without any stake in the Imedu royal stool. He declared that Oba Adeleke Akibu Ismaila of Lepia Town and a serving police officer, ASP Aliu adeyemi Shittu Olumade who made the allegation of dispute via a baseless petition issued last February, were just being mischievous.
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According to him, “Oba Ismaila is a native of Shiriwon from where his father hails, his mother hails from Lepia Town currently being ruled by him; only his grand mother has a connection with Imedu. So, why is he crying wolf where there’s none. As for the Olumades, they are from Ode-Omi, our forefathers only gave them refuge in Imedu when they were being pursued by the Awujale after committing murder. Our forefathers gave them a small piece of land to settle on at Ebute Imedu, so they remain our guests; they have no claim whatsoever to the Imedu royal stool. How can a guest lay claim to the bedroom of his host?”
“ASP Aliu has, over the years, been using his office as a serving police officer to harass and intimidate my people and we have petitioned the Police Service Commission and the Inspector General of Police over that”, the Baale added.
He reaffirmed that the selection of the Oba-elect Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu “was unanimous, without any opposition whatsoever”, adding that the Oba-elect was presented to the Ibeju-Lekki Chieftaincy Committee which duly approved his selection after doing its due diligence for three months.
The Baale explained further that the chieftaincy committee subsequently presented the Oba-elect to the Ibeju-Lekki Local Government.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of Imedu Community, Chief Adewale Adenuga has also reiterated that Oba-elect Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu was unanimously selected. He said “the Baale nominated him, and we all accepted him. There is no dispute whatsoever. The notion that there is a dispute is a figment of the imagination of some mischief makers led by the Oba of Lepia .”