Adegunle OLUGBAMILA
The monarch of Ibereko community, Oba Israel Adewale Okoya, has cried out to the Lagos State government and security agencies to forestall a looming crisis in his domain.
Oba Okoya said some people led by one John Adebari Olaitan, had resolved to trigger a crisis in the community.
The monarch, who spoke to The Nation in his palace yesterday, explained that Olaitan had been suspended as the Bashorun of Ibereko.
He accused Adebari of being involved in indiscriminate sale of land in his domain, using hoodlums to harass and exploit residents.
However, Adebari said he would not dignify the monarch with a responsive, saying he (monarch) does not act like a person with a blue blood in him.
Going down memory lane, Oba Okoya said Adebari acted as regent of the kingdom for 11 months before the Lagos State government eventually handed him the staff of office 13 years ago.
Being a prince from a royal family, Okoya said he then decided to confer on Adebari the Bashorun of the Ibereko, to show his appreciation.
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“I felt a brother who had been a regent before my emergence should be compensated, and that we should also run this kingdom together.
That was why I rewarded him with the Bashorun of Ibereko. Unfortunately, it did not occur to me that Adebari, within his 11 months as regent, had committed many atrocities until after I mounted the throne.”
“Different people started coming to my palace to lodge complaints about Adebari’s indiscriminate sale of land. He was going about with thugs to harass land owners and exploiting residents who were carrying out various forms of construction works on their properties.
The thugs were not mentioning his name but that it was kabiyesi’s that ordered them to collect omonile(land owners) levies. I drew his attention to this on several occasions. He promised to change but he did not.”
In December 2017, the monarch said Ibereko-In-Council officially suspended Adebari, and made him sign an undertaking not to parade himself as Bashorun of Ibereko or further be involved in alienation of communal land.
Despite the oath, the monarch said that Adebari breached the agreement when he sometime last month indiscriminately brought thugs to erect a foundation on a land that was once acquired by another person.
“I then went to the site to ask him why he betrayed the agreement he signed. Unfortunately, Adebari unleashed his thugs on me. They broke my staff of office and harassed my other chiefs. Concerned individuals had to take us out of the place for peace to reign.” the monarch added.
“We can’t take this anymore. I have tried to resolve this issue as brothers, to no avail. I’m pleading that government come to our rescue before the issue escalates.”
In his response however, Adebari wondered why the monarch should approach the media when he had already instituted the matter in the court which would be heard on April 30.
“I am from a royal family. My grandfather was an oba. When he died, my father also became a regent; and I too was a regent before he (Okoya) mounted the throne.
“He (monarch) is my younger brother. God sent me to him. I did him a great favour which he did not appreciate. Without me he wouldn’t have become the king.
Let him be talking anyhow. He is free to say whatever he wants. We are from a royal home.
When there are issues, we supposed to resolve them internally rather than exposing our dirty linen in public as he is doing now. I have a royal blood in me so I won’t discuss our private affairs outside.”
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