Baale of Gberigbe-Orilade reinstalled two years after deposition

THE traditional head of Gberigbe-Orilade community in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Baale Oluwasegun Ogunlana, has been reinstalled two years after he was deposed.

Chief Ogunlana was first installed by the late Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba S.A. Oyefusi on October 18, 2008 but was deposed in an unconstitutional manner.

He was welcomed back into the community by a team of the seven traditional community leaders within Ikorodu led by Jagun Osalade Chieftaincy family of Omitoro land in Ikorodu, Waheed Odusoga, who is the current chairman of the council of baales.

Baale Ogunlana was welcomed back into the community with pomp and pageantry with an entourage of traditional rulers which include Baale of Jaiyesimi, Baale of Poro Bage, Baale of Okeolokun, Baale Agura Iponmi and Baale of Eleshin.

Others present at the ceremony appealed to the people to allow peace reign and shun acts that can take the community back to the doldrums.

They added that it is when there is peaceful coexistence among the people of the community that meaningful development can take place.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has called on the people of the community to eschew violence and acts capable of disrupting peace, urging them to live in harmony and warning that anyone found violating the law would be dealt with.

Chief Ogunlana had earlier, through his lawyer, Tola Onibon-Oje to the police to request for protection as armed and land grabbers had taken over the community and sacked the Baale.

The letter read in part: “In 2014 or thereabout, our client and his family members were chased out of the community by some groups of armed thugs and land grabbers.”

“The Lagos State Task Force team recently arrested some of the armed bandits disturbing the peace of Gberigbe-Orilade community and they are about to be prosecuted accordingly by the government.”