The Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has waded into the crisis rocking the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII).
The crisis, as reliably gathered, emanated from the disqualification of some candidates from contesting for some offices in the forthcoming election of the Council.
This development has forced aggrieved members to seek redress in the court of law.
However, Oba Ladoja, at a meeting which had in attendance about fifty members of the warring groups at his Bodija, Ibadan residence, ordered aggrieved candidates to withdraw all cases filed against the apex socio-cultural body from court to allow for the peaceful conduct of elections slated for April.
He also decried the use of libellous and uncharitable language to describe perceived and real opponents in the run-up to the elections, wondering why service-driven and voluntary assignments in CCII now attract so much hostility.
Oba Ladoja regretted that as enlightened individuals, contestants and their supporters should have resorted to marketing their candidates and their manifesto rather than resorting to the use of derogatory and disturbing remarks “that we are daily inundated with on social media.”
“This is very disturbing. Many social media users see the platform as an avenue to say anything. Users should be mindful that there is proper record-keeping of every item dropped.”
He, thereby, urged CCII members to desist from labelling people who seek to serve their fatherland as “thieves,” asking what you have kept with them that they have stolen or impersonated. If the accused goes to court, you will have to prove the person he impersonated.
Oba Ladoja prayed for the peace and progress of Ibadanland.
The reconciliatory meeting had two opposition figures and their supporters in attendance. While the CCII President-General, Barrister Niyi Ajewole, led the Consolidation Group, Mogaji Samson Olukayode Taiwo, the PG candidate for Ibadan New Era Group, led his candidates to the meeting.
It will be recalled that Barrister Ajewole narrowly escaped disqualification in 2023 by the CCII Electoral Committee when his club, Oluyole Social Elites, was accused of constitutional breach for attempting to present more than one candidate.
The then Olubadan, late Oba Mohood Balogun, overruled his disqualification, saying he should be allowed to run whilst the then CCII secretary had to resign.
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