Can you take us down memory lane on how you emerged as the Onirolu of Irolu Remo?
It was sometimes in 1990 after the demise of my predecessor; there was a letter from the Ministry of Local Government (Ogun State) that it was the turn of Agbelesebiogun to produce a candidate so my family met and a date was set for the selection. Two names were mentioned; my name and that of my co-contestant. I think I got over 270 votes while my co-contestant got about 14. The two names were referred to the kingmakers because it is the kingmakers that make a king. The kingmakers were unanimous in their decision on me. Although at the initial stage I did not like to be an Oba but what can I do if my community says I am needed? If it were to be nowadays when people are so anxious, one would just rush to the ministry to commence the process but I allowed the process to take its course. About four to five months later, my third wife came from Abuja and inquired from me about how far we had gone with the process. I told her I had not gone to anywhere. Later, we discovered from the file that there was a petition. The governor wondered why I did not do a follow up and that was how we started the court case.
The man that petitioned was a lone plaintiff. His family members were not in it with him. Several months after, before the judgment date – about two weeks to the judgment date – the plaintiff died. When we got to the court on the judgment date, the plaintiff’s lawyer told the judge that he could not give the judgment because his client had died and that he would like to come up with a substitute. The judge replied that he had already prepared his judgment. So, the judgment was given in my favour.
The lawyer went to Abeokuta division and complained. Every one of us was told to report at Abeokuta. The judge was Justice Shomolu. The case started all over again and in the end, the judgment was in my favour. Even before we headed to Abeokuta, the ministry had approved my nomination and on September 6, 1992, I was installed but that did not stop us from going ahead with the court.
After the judgment at Abeokuta, they proceeded to Appeal Court in Ibadan. In the end, the appellate court said the first judge should have allowed the lawyer to come up with a substitute before the judgment. They referred us back to Shagamu to start all over again. At the time, I was advised to change my lawyer, a very quiet and simple man. So, I had to change my lawyer. The new lawyer told me that everything would be deliberated on motions. There were motions and counter-motions with about four to five rulings. Their substitutes started dying one after the other.
They had three substitutes and when the last one died, my co-contestant, who is the financier of the court case that is against my nomination, said he should be allowed to come in as a substitute. I then informed my lawyer that the man was my co-contestant who almost did not have any vote when we were nominated and referred to the kingsmakers. I said since that time, he never raised any complaints that he was cheated or not. Mind you, the man who wrote the petition was not my co-contestant. So, the judge said that my co-contestant had no right to come in as substitute, stating that if he had been cheated since 1990, why was he just coming out after two years? Mind you, I had been given the staff of office all along. The court matter was for legal validation.
Before ascending the throne, what were you doing?
I was born a Muslim but I attended Irolu Wesley School. I left the school in 1956 after which my father took me to one of my cousins in Ibadan who was a manager at UAC along Gbagi Road. I tried to secure a job, but because I had a short stature, four feet tall, I was not given a job. So, my cousin established a shop where UAC goods were sold. I and one Mr. Daudu were managing the shop. He started paying me 1 pound ten shillings, that was about 3 naira and it was a lot of money then. I made sure I did not spend more than 10 shillings invariably saving 1 pound. I was the one who used to lodge the shop’s proceeds at National Bank at Ogunpa. One fateful day, after being through with transaction at the bank, a man beckoned at me to show him the way to Dugbe Market. As a small boy who moved around freely and being conversant with Ibadan, I gave him the direction with ease. So, the man said I had done him a huge favour and thanked me. He asked if I had six pence, I told him yes. He told me to give him the six pence and go buy an envelope, which I did. He picked up a stone and started hitting the envelope containing the six pence and at the same time saying BBWA (British Bank of West Africa). On opening the envelope, it was filled with currency of those days which we had cocoa printed on it. He asked what do you see? I said money. He asked where I was coming from, so I explained that I usually came to the bank to lodge money everyday. Then he asked, what about the money with you? I said I had lodged in everything. He said that I could become rich, but all I had to do was to make new money from the one I intended lodging. He said I would go lodge the new money into the bank while we would now share the money I intended lodging equally. So we agreed to be meeting at Kingsway.
While we parted ways, as soon as I was approaching the shop, I noticed the man was trailing me. When he realized I saw him, he just walked away so I became restless. I did not tell anybody. At midnight when I was fast asleep, I saw myself with the man where we discussed. My mind was telling me this man was a magician. If the money we planned to make should vanish while in the bank, who was I going to hold? Then I woke up. This happened when 419 fraudsters were not pronounced, this happened in late 1957. I started evading him until I left Ibadan. In mid 1958, my father took me to another cousin. He was a manager at Kingsway, Broad Street on Lagos Island. He was living at Clifford Street, now Muritala Way. He shared the same compound with Chief Shonibare; I lived with him there. Late 1958, I was invited for interview with Kingsway though, I was still the same stature so I was unable to get the job. While staying with my cousin, I was not happy with myself until one day, my cousin called me. He said he noticed I was home-sick and I said that was true after which I had to go back to my father. Until 1960, my father took me again to one of our town’s man, Chief Abati Olanrewaju, who was working with ECN. I was staying with him at Ebutemeta. Immediately I got to his place, he took me to ECN at Broad Street for an interview but still, I did not get the job. So, I was just at home doing nothing and this was not pleasant to me. There was a man we lived together; he was a driver to one man who had a singlet factory. I was very useful to this driver. I washed his clothes and ran errands for him. One day, the man called me and asked if I was not bothered just sitting at home. I told him I was bothered. He asked if I could do the job of an assistant bus conductor and I said yes. At least, that would take me out of home. He took me to a man who was running a contract bus with LMTS. So, I joined them. Our route was Oyingbo- Apapa road. My seniors told me that I would be the first to alight from the bus to give others passage to come out. As a novice, I did not know much about the job. So, when we got to Oyingbo, one of my seniors just told me to come out first for others. I jumped out of the moving bus and tumbled like two times with bruises all over my body. We bought a bottle of Izal to clean up the bruises. I reported back for work the fourth day when I was getting better. Not long after, the LMTS bus changed to ticketing and with ticketing, assistant bus conductor was no longer necessary. I started working with someone at Elias bus stop and I was okay with the man until very early 1966, the man I was staying with told me to follow him to office. When we got to there, he told someone to take me to the District Manager of ECN (Electricity Corporation of Nigeria), a European. The European interviewed me and said they would give me a job as Bills Distributor. He asked if I had a bicycle, I said no but I said I would buy one that day. Immediately, I came with the bicycle that I bought for 7 pounds, I started the job. I was still with the job in 1973, the year I travelled to Mecca. When I returned from Mecca, ECN planned on restructuring and sent some staff on training but I was not part of them. When they returned from training, I saw the way they were preparing bills. I learnt how to prepare bills from them and before you know it I had started preparing bills.
One day, one of our commercial managers saw me preparing bills and asked why I was the one doing it. I said I knew how to do it. Then, he said he was going to recommend me for promotion, I was on level 3 then. He said my position would have to change from bill distributor to meter reader. I was given double promotion to level 5. The European I was working with was not happy because he recommended level 8 but they said promotions were not given in such manner. The European said all he believed was efficiency. Not long after, I was given acting level 6. And, as God would have it, I was a sectional head with 50 staff under my supervision.
However, in 1976, towards Christmas, while thinking about my new year resolution, it occurred to me that I had to put in my resignation. After I disengaged with NEPA, I moved to my own house at Ketu and started my own business by supplying electrical materials and appliances. I was known at the Federal Ministry of Works. I was doing my personal business when I was called to occupy the throne.
What is the significance of this 80th birthday to you?
The birthday means a lot to me. First, I have to thank God for sparing my life to be hail and hearty to witness the birthday. My 80th birthday is for thanking my God.
You have been on the throne since 1992; what are the achievements you have recorded?
I would not say much but we thank God. In 1993, we were able to establish a community bank that transformed to micro finance bank. We have a police station. We have started building a befitting palace. When l was launching a book, I promised that the proceeds would be used for building a palace for Irolu. We thank God, we have started that. Most of the NYSC members that were posted here do not have lodges that is comfortable to live in, so I started constructing a corpers’ lodge. It will be commissioned this December.
What were the challenges you faced as an Oba and how did you surmount them?
As a man of God, I do not carry burdens around. Challenges normally come but God has told us that he has power over everything. Not a leaf has fallen down without the permission of God.
As a Muslim, how do you relate with your subjects who are of other faith?
It is said in the Bible, give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and unto God what belongs to God. As human beings, we look at the face while God looks at the heart. God almighty knows who serves Him in truth. What you are telling me is what you are telling me; I do not see your mind. I treat everyone as same irrespective of their faith.
What does your community want from government?
I believe that we are part of the country and the government knows the right thing to do. They should not wait until when we start crying before they come to our aid. There is a road from Ilisan to Ago Iwoye under construction; it is on course, but we don’t know the completion time.
What message do you have for sons and daughters of Irolu?
I am appealing to them to come and develop home. There is no place like home.
and then