The Ibadan Peace Ambassadors, led by the Mogaji of Adanla, Engineer Abduljelyl Adekunle Karheem, have indicated their dismay at the present resurgence of hostilities between the traditional ruling class in Ibadan.
In a press release made available to the Nigerian Tribune, signed by Adewale Badmos, the Mogaji of Ita Abigbo and who doubles as the secretary of the group, the ambassadors stated that they were group of Ibadan indigenes with a passion for culture and tradition and were saddened by the current trend of events, describing the actions by the Ibadan high chiefs as a desecration of avowed common heritage.
The statement read, “It is our cherished belief that elders are supposed to be the repository of good values and ethics.
Inflammatory utterances are not what we need at this point in time but words of unity and peace. All hands need to be on deck to reposition Ibadanland and put garbs of honour on our cultural heritage represented by His Imperial Majesty, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji.
We plead with the high chiefs to please accord respect and honor to the same stool they aspire to ascend one day if God permits. We should unite to build and not to destroy.
Above all, we wish to respectfully appeal to our father, His Imperial Majesty, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, to please continue on the path of patience and tolerance. The slow stride of a lion is definitely not an act of cowardice. You are the father of all.
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A fi Ori Ade be Oba Alayeluwa, A fi Ose Meji ti won fi te Ile Ibadan be Baba, ki won ma se Binu. Agba ti ko binu ni omo re n’po! Peace shall reign in Ibadanland. All are hereby sincerely implored to eschew inflammatory statements and close ranks for the glory of our land.
Oke’Badan Yio Gbe Gbogbo Wa o. Amin”.
The obas had accused the monarch of denigrating the Olubadan institution by embarking on illegal practices and lacking respect for them as members of the Olubadan-in-council.
However, Oba Saliu Adetunji, had said that he has no objection to the return of his embattled obas to his palace, “once they remove their illegal crowns” and apologise for desecrating Yoruba culture.
He also dismissed a statement credited to the embattled chiefs, saying he was not the one that stopped them from coming to the palace for the Olubadan-in-Council meetings.
He had also stated that rather than engaging in the blame game, the affected obas should be bold enough to “remove their illegal crowns and apologise to the people of Ibadanland in particular and the Yoruba people in general for undermining our customs and tradition.”
The royal father was quoted to have said that he had expected the high chiefs to comply with the Oyo State High Court judgment which declared the state government reforms of the Ibadan traditional institution that produced their crowns “as illegal, null, void and of no effect.”