IYALOJA GENERAL: ASIWAJU OLORUNFUNMI BASORUN FROWNS AT IGBOGBO MONARCH, FOLASHADE TINUBU-OJO, DESCRIBING THEIR ACTIONS AS NULLITY. ...Insists rule of law must be respected, to avoid another crisis in Igbogbo.

The Asiwaju of Igbogbo Kingdom and the ordained 'Baba Aladura', Chief Reuben Olorunfunmi Basorun, has expressed displeasure over the Capping of Iyaloja General of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, while describing the actions of His Royal Majesty, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, Adeboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom and Chief Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja General of Lagos State, as Nullity. This was explained to MegaXpression Correspondence, during a press briefing at his Igbogbo residence on Monday, November 25, 2024.

Basorun, who's the former SSG Lagos State, and Member, Governance Advisory Council GAC, insisted that he cannot be in Igbogbo and allow issues that can bring crisis to the town again happen, noting that Igbogbo has not recovered from the wound of the past crisis during the reign of late Oba Johnson Olatunji Fatola.

According to Asiwaju, "I avoided a national press briefing on this matter, because I have advised that we should avoid it to save ourselves from possible eruption of controversy in the community, and I also want to limit it to the community, that's why I invited community reporters alone.

"A new Iyaloja General, they say has been appointed in Igbogbo, and the way it has been done, to me is not right. It is like trampling on the rughys of the people of Igbogbo. I was born here, in Igbogbo community, on Saturday, 15th of October 1938. And most of my life, I have spent it here in this community.

"Occasionally, I live in Lagos but most of the time, I live here at least, since 1972. I have been living in this apartment until some time later, I changed it to office and have an apartment behind in 1998. So I am right inside here. My part of Igbogbo is called Itun-Abosan. As a young boy, through the late Oba Molaja Ogunlewe, I got properly mentored to be involved in community service. 

"I founded several organizations, such as Igbogbo multi-purpose Agricultural, Igbogbo corporative for marketing foodstuff, Igbogbo Students' Union, established with some other colleagues and in 1973 precisely, I founded the Igbogbo Market Association. I have been guiding the market association since then, I was the Secretary of that association from 1973 to 1996. 

"The late Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji held me in high esteem for coming down to be Secretary, and even when I was Secretary to the State Government, I remained the Secretary of the Market Association. I handed over to the man who is now our LGA Chairman, Matthew Orenuga in 1996. 

"Among other organizations, this one has survived, we've had several Iyalojas and we have never had problem. But what I gathered from last week Monday, precisely a week ago, that Kabiyesi had submitted name of somebody to be Iyaloja General of this community, up till now, I don't even know the person. 

"When he put a report in the media which I saw one Mrs Wahab as the new Iyaloja General. Chairman of the Council, Builder Olusesan Daini, told me on Monday that he told Kabiyesi that on Monday he will be holding a meeting to appoint Acting Iyaloja General, I said "Acting?" "At this time?" I told him it's an ingenious approach because crisis was almost coming, that one happend to be the deputy Iyaloja General, the Iyaloja of Owode Ibeshe, he said he mentioned it to Kabiyesi on Saturday before that Monday, and Kabiyesi said "ati pa'se l'ori iyen". 

"I said did he say that? He cannot say so, I will get through to him. I picked my phone and called Kabiyesi and begged him that he should put it on hold, until we move and get things sorted out, and he said "dont worry, I am at a meeting, as soon as I come back, I will get in touch with you". He came back but along the line he sent one of the Chiefs to come and see me, the Odofin of Igbogbo Kingdom. Chief Tajudeen Alade Onasanya.

"On that day, I was not in this office, I was busy in my study office and from there I went to relax, but when I got his message that he came, I called him, he said Kabiyesi sent him to me on the matter of Iyaloja General. I said as a matter of principle, I don't want to get involved in this matter, I can only offer advise to Kabiyesi, I insisted.

"Up till the time I started texting Kabiyesi, he never phoned me to say anything after that Monday discussion, when he was at Alausa Secretariat, attending meeting. When I got a hint, I was holding a revival service on Wednesday, I got a call from Chairman that tomorrow, they are planning to cap Iyaloja General, that I should warn Kabiyesi against this. 

Then, I said I told you I won't be involved in the market matter. I asked what he wanted me to do, he said right now, he's going to see the Iyaloja General, Chief Folashade Tinubu-Ojo. I said when you get there, call me and let me talk to her. When he got there, he called back and I spent about 10 minutes, trying to talk to Chief Tinubu-Ojo, as she would have found in the message. I tried to explain to her that I do not want crisis in Igbogbo community where I have grown. I am now 86+years, I cannot sit here and close my eyes and see this community in flames. 

"Apart from the activities that has to do with choosing Oba, Chiefs or Iyaloja General, don't call me, I have participated in confronting late Oba Johnson Olatunji Fatola, for 14years before we settled, and the day we settled, I warned myself that I won't be involved in such thing again. I said they have come again they want to get me involved.

"After talking to Folashade, I appraised her approach, she didn't even want to regard whether I could be her father, she knows me, I said when mama was alive, she takes me more serious than you are doing, she said "ti omode bati goke agba, oti ju agba lo". I felt threatened and that was why I sent the message, and in the message I didnt hide it that she ignored the words of our elders, so at the end of that message, you'll see what I said. I said and I put it in capital letters that 'A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE'.

"She went ahead on Thursday and performed the ceremony. I didn't bother myself. As I sent her the message that night, I also sent a message to Kabiyesi that he should put it on hold, that he shouldnt bring crisis to this community again. When I sent that message in the night, and in the morning I found that he had not done anything. So I sent another one and that's why the heading is "Repeat for Action". Then Kabiyesi replied. "Good morning sir, above is noted, I will try and reach out, be assured nothing will happen in the Palace in connection to the issue pending resolution".

"But Kabiyesi knew that Folashade Tinubu-Ojo was going to do the capping. So, what Oba Kasali and Chief Folashade have done in my opinion are 'Ultra Vires', they don't have role, the only role they have is ceremonial. When you look at the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, if somebody is to Establish, to Maintain and Regulate, such person should have hand in the appointment to start with. 

"I asked the Council Chairman, Sesan Daini, what did he do on Monday. He gave me list of those in attendance, he called all those who should involved, to discuss the appointment of the Acting Iyaloja. He invited two Chiefs from Adeboruwa Palace, Kabiyesi asked them not to go, so I'm told. He invited two Chiefs from Olubeshe of Ibeshe, they were there, the Odofin Ibeshe and one other person, he invited the Fidimolu of Elepe, that is the third Kabiyesi, and they sent two representatives. One of the two representatives is Chief Okemati, and another one person, they were all there. 

The Chairman did not lord it on himself. It's to only local recognition and respect that Kabiyesi would have hand in it, and that hand is after the appointment, to bless the person. The capping is also ceremonial. If you want to appoint a Kabiyesi and the State Executive Council has not giving approval, can you crown him? It's not possible! And who is the State Executive? He is Gov. Sanwo-Olu and his Cabinet.

"The Council, who is to Establish, to Maintain and Regulate the Market should be able to appoint whoever are going to operate in the Market structure. So I want to repeat that, what Oba Kasali who took the name for capping  and Chief Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, who accepted and capped it did, were 'Ultra Vires'. And whatever they have done, to me, it's a NULLITY.

"I did warned both of them to hold on, and allow us to sit down. When I finished that letter of Iyaloja, maybe he said who's Asiwaju of Igbogbo Kingdom. I became Asiwaju of Igbogbo Kingdom after the crisis of 14years with Oba Fatola, and precisely 30years ago, on the 31st of October. And come to talk of my age, I leave here, I don't leave outside Igbogbo, if you look for me in the midnight, I'm in my room working. I cannot sit here and allow Igbogbo to be in flames. 

"So, I called this press briefing, for the public to know, because people are saying 'Se o ma la'ju si'le, ki eleyi ma lo ni'lu'. I'm not involved, but I perceived this will cause problem. And I called all the parties involved, Kabiyesi and Iyaloja General, Chief Folashade Tinubu-Ojo. If she didn't read my message, I'm sure she heard my words when we talked on phone.

"So, what is left in the world nowadays is that 'the elder's mouth is smelling', but that's not correct. Whoever that said so is deceiving his/her self. So, I have no other town than Igbogbo, and I cannot sit here and allow the town to be destroyed. That is why I feel concerned, and I have told Kabiyesi over four or five days ago, I also wanted Shakiru Seidu, who is our local reporter to be here. That is my position," Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun narrated.

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