Ogun community kicks, protests alleged plan to impose traditional ruler

Residents of Olorunda community in Abeokuta North Local Government, Ogun State, have raised concerns over an alleged plan to impose Segun Ogunsola Philip as the traditional ruler of the community.

Staging a protest in Abeokuta, they declared that Ogunsola is from Gbagura land and not from Olorunda community, vowing never to allow a non-indigene to rule their community.

The protesters carried placards with different inscriptions, such as ‘Ogunsola is not from Olorunda,’ ‘Ogunsola Segun was never a Baale. He can never be upgraded’, ‘There is an existing Baale in Olorunda’, and ‘Government should start listening to the poor and powerless on the obaship issue’.

Speaking with newsmen during the protest, the Secretary of Kesan Orile/Olorunda community, Chief Johnson Oguntade, appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene in the matter to forestall a breakdown of law and order in the community.

Oguntade said, “Olorunda is under Yewa in Abeokuta North Local Government. We only install Baale in Olorunda and not a king. We already have an acting Baale; his name is Chief Ashamu Adegbola Agbomabiwon.

“Olorunda is not under Gbagura. We are calling on the state government to intervene in the matter because we are hearing that some people want to impose Ogunsola Philip on us as monarch in Olorunda.

“Ogunsola is not the son of the soil. We are calling on the state government, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ganiu Hamzat; Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Oluwashina Ogungbade; Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo; and Corps Commander of Amotekun, Brig. Gen. Alade Adedigba (rtd), to intervene in the matter. We don’t want war in Olorunda; we are law-abiding and peaceful people.”

Also, the youth leader of Kesan Orile, Comrade Oyeyemi Abegunrin, added that Ogunsola was never a Baale and cannot be upgraded to the status of a king.

He said, “Ogunsola Segun was never a Baale; he can never be upgraded to the status of a king. Olorunda is not Egbaland; it is Yewa land. Ogunsola Philip is not an indigene of Olorunda; he is from Egbaland, and Olorunda is under Yewa land. Can you see now that he cannot rule us in Olorunda?”

He also called on the state government to intervene so that the issue would not lead to a crisis in the community.

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