The head and principal members of Adogun Atele family comprising its four ruling houses, have promised to resist plans by any individual or group to impose a traditional ruler on the community, to achieve a hidden agenda.
The family accused the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Ogun State, Mr. Moruf Afolabi Afuape and the Olota of Ota, HRM Oba Kabiru Adeyemi Obalanlege, of scheming to impose a non-indigene on the stool of Onitele of Itele Awori, Ota, Ogun State.
The family, in a letter dated August 9, 2021, written to the Chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ogun State House of Assembly, accused ministry officials of planning to sell the stool of Onitele to Mr. Ademola Asorota, whom they claim is a stranger to the Itele family.
The letter, signed by Chief Taoreed Muhammadu Dada, Pa. Nurudeen Akanbi Alimi Akapo, Mr. Sunday Mathew Taiwo Owotolu and Alhaji Monsuru Oseni Yusuf on behalf of the ruling houses, urged the Ogun State House of Assembly to intervene and prevent bloodshed at Itele.
The family called on the Ogun State Government to respect the judgment of the Supreme Court delivered on December 16, 2011, in suit number SC:200/2003 between Alhaji Gafar Arowolo vs. Chief Sunday Olowookere & Others where the apex court held that Adogun was the founder and first settler of Itele and the only family comprising four ruling houses that are eligible to the stool of Onitele of Itele Awori.
The family alleged that there is an ongoing fraudulent plan to sell the vacant stool of Onitele of Itele-Awori to Ademola Asorota, who is not a member of their family and not related to them in any way.
The family said that it rejected N50 million allegedly offered them to relinquish their ancestral throne, adding that “Ademola Asorota, who is from Iseyin in Oyo State, has allegedly been parading himself as member of Adogun Atele.”
The family said immediately they became aware of the alleged impersonation, a petition was written to the Office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ogun State, saying Asorota is not from Itele and Adogun Atele family and therefore not eligible to the stool of Onitele of Itele.
“Historically, it has never been on records that any Olota of Ota in the past has had any influence or forcefully appointed an Oba to fill the stool of Onitele of Itele, but since the emergence of the current Olota of Ota, Oba Kabiru Obalanlege, he has done nothing but to cause acrimony and destruction of the age-long smooth relationship between Itele and Ota kingdoms. Let it be categorically stated that Itele and Ota have a common boundary, which is at Itamaje, that is to say that Olota of Ota power does not extend to Itele, likewise, Onitele has no power on Ota,” the petition said.
Copies of the letter were sent to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo Taiwo, Attorney General, Ogun State, Mr. Akingbolahan Adeniran, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Olayiwola Lamidi Adeyemi III and His Royal Majesty, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Awujale, Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland and Chairman, Ogun State Council of Obas and Chiefs, among others.
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