The indigenes of Igboodola in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State have urged the government to intervene by stopping an attempt by their neighbouring community, Ide, to allegedly impose on them, a non-indigene as their traditional head.
They alleged that their neighbours wanted to do this through violence.
The people, represented by Chief Morufu Kadiri, Chief Shefiu Bello, Chief Morufu Dabiri, Mr. Dabiri Taiwo and Mrs. Rashidat Fasasi, who spoke yesterday at Igboodola, Lagos, at a news conference, said the imposition was contrary to an agreement reached between them and their neighbours.
The Igboodola indigenes alleged that those behind the imposition had presented false information to a monarch in the area, the Ibeju Lekki Local Government and some prominent members of the community, in order to impose on them a traditional head.
Their spokesman, Chief Kadiri, said: “In the history of our community, we have had more than nine traditional heads (baale). The father of the man about to be imposed as a baale was never appointed as a baale.
“On June 18, 2012, the Citizens Mediation Centre (CMC) of the Ministry of Justice, Alausa, Ikeja, with Ref. No: CIVIC/LLCDA/2012-026, invited Ide and Igboodola communities and they concluded that parties and concerned villages should be autonomous of one another. That the baale of the villages on Refugee Island should maintain peaceful co-existence with one another. That the baale of all villages on the Island should report necessary matters directly to the HRM, Oba Liasim Olumuyiwa Ogunbekun, Oni-Lekki of Lekkiland, who is their consenting authority.
“On July 5, 2002, with Ref: No: HRM/OLLI/VOL1/70, the Oni-Lekki of Lekki wrote to the elders of Igboodola village and adopted the decision of the Lagos State Citizen Mediation Centre.
“But to our utter dismay, Mr. Ade Akoobada, the younger brother of Fariyu Arebi, was imposed on the community as the baale. Whereas Arebi is not in the same lineage or linked to the community either paternally, maternally or maritally. It is trite and according to our customary law that Baaleship is by succession and only indigenes can ascend to that throne.
“The community was informed that the alleged impostors are planning to storm our area on May 3 to cause violence, chase away residents and forcefully conduct the Jumat service, against the wish of the indigenes.
“We, therefore, appeal for quick intervention of the government and security agencies to protect the community from being encroached on by the impostors. We reject anybody who is not from our community as our traditional head.
“We want to say categorically that the community has appointed Chief Kazeem Dabiri, a bona fide indigene of Igboodola, as the head of the community.”
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