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Tag: Awujale of Ijebuland

  • Alake, Awujale’s feud not in Yoruba’s interest – lawmaker

    Alake, Awujale’s feud not in Yoruba’s interest – lawmaker

    The lawmaker representing Epe Constituency II at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Segun Olulade has expressed displeasure over the current supremacy feud between the Alake of Egba-Land, Oba Israel Adedotun Gbadebo and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona.

    Olulade said the show of class among the first class and highly placed Obas in Yorubaland is uncalled for at a moment when the nation is battling with more serious national issues ranging from poor state of economy to security issue and Mr. President’s relentless fight against corruption and indiscipline in the country.

    Olulade said there are better roles for royal class to play at this trying moment than to engage in fruitless royal battle that is of no immediate or remote benefit to the Yorubaland, our people and the nation.

    “The royal thrones are our sacred authorities in Yorubaland which we hold in high esteem; taking them to the public place for disgrace and insults are disgraceful to the entire Yorubaland and uncalled for,” Olulade said.

    He, however, appealed to the two royal fathers to sheath their swords and engage in royal responsibilities that brings honour, dignity and development to their people and the Yoruba race.

    He also applauded the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi Enitan for playing unifying role among the Obas in Yorubaland and providing empowerment for the people to support government’s efforts at achieving sound economic growth and development.

    “I have the highest number of royal fathers in my constituency in Lagos State or possibly in the entire country, but there is peace because the Obas are very conscious of the current situation of our country and the need to help promote peace and harmony in the land.

    “The Yoruba race earns its global respects from the refined class of its royal authorities and it will be so unfortunate to see same dragged in the mud for mere supremacy fight. Every royal father should administer its constituency with best practices in leadership rather than cross-carpet fight over who is higher than the other.

    “The royal authorities all have histories that make each unique; therefore, the best way to show supremacy is in deploying exemplary leadership and not in media war and unhealthy fight amongst the royal father,” he added.

  • Awujale is last in ranking among Yoruba Obas – Alake

    Awujale is last in ranking among Yoruba Obas – Alake

    The rift between the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, worsened on Monday with the Alake insisting that the Awujale remained the least in the echelon of status among the Yoruba major traditional rulers.

    Alake said his earlier listing of the Awujale as occupying the last position after the quartet of the Ooni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba of Benin and Alake of Egbaland, “was supported by documentary evidence and therefore stands by his position.”

    Oba Adetona had last Thursday claimed among other things that the Alake was a junior chief in Egba forest under Alaafin who fled to Ibadan and that Alake is also of the same status with some Ijebu Obas like the Ebumawe of Ago – Iwoye that are under his (Adetona) jurisdiction.

    The Ijebu Paramount Ruler made the remarks in Lagos during the launch of an Endowment Fund for a Chair at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago – Iwoye, in reply to an earlier ranking of the Yoruba obas by Alake which placed him at the tail end on the hierarchy.

    But Monday, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, who spoke through 22 Egba chiefs, including 15 Ogboni chiefs, that gathered in Ake Palace, Abeokuta, Ogun state, to reply Adetona, said the ranking of the Yoruba Traditional Rulers was carried out in 1937 by the then Ooni of Ife.

    Reading a prepared speech signed by the Balogun of Egbaland, Chief Sikirulai Atobatele during a press conference, the Baaroyin of Egbaland, Chief Layi Labode, said the ranking took place at the Central Native Council meeting in Lagos and was chaired by the Governor – General, Sir William Macgregor.

    Labode added that those in attendance at the said 1937 meeting in Government House, Lagos, were the Ooni of Ife, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba of Benin, Alake of Abeokuta and the Awujale of Ijebu – Ode.

    He said their concern about Awujale’s comment is predicated on the monarch’s “self – indulgence to churn out outright historical falsehoods in the presence of knowledgeable Nigerians.”

    Labode said; “historically speaking, Alake was higher by Salary Differentials paid by the Colonial Government” at the time.

    According to him, the Alake of Abeokuta earned £2,250 while the Awujale of Ijebu – Ode earned £1,700 during the colonial era.

    “Awujale (claimed he) made several calls to Alake to confirm if Alake actually made the statement on Yoruba Obas ranking. Awujale also claimed that Oba Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, also contacted Alake on the same issue which Alake again denied.

    “(The fact) both Awujale and Oba of Lagos actually called Alake on the ranking of Yoruba Obas, Alake responded that his ranking was supported by documentary evidence and he therefore stands by his position,” Labode said.

    The Baaroyin of Egbaland and Media aide of the Alake also refuted claims by Oba Adetona that the Alake was a junior chief in Egba forest under Alaafin where he(Alake) fled to Ibadan and later to Abeokuta and met the Osile, Olowu, Agura and Olubara already on ground.

    Labode said, on the contrary, 20 Alake had reigned in Egba forest prior to the founding of Abeokuta, the modern day capital of Ogun state, explaining that that there was also no Alake that fled to Ibadan or took refuge there.

    According to him, the Egbas arrived and settled in Abeokuta in 1830 with the first Alake installed in 1854 followed by the Olowu in 1855, the Agura in 1870 and Osile in 1897.

    He stressed that by the Egba United Government Proclamation of February 1st, 1898, and approved by the then Governor of Lagos, the Egba cabinet had Alake as President, Osile Minister of Justice, Agura Minister of Communications and Works and the Olowu, the Minister of Finance.

    He also noted that some of the comments on Alake by Oba Adetona was “uncalled for and neither civil nor decent,” but said the Egba chiefs would not “defile the sacred Yoruba Traditional Institution and therefore, refrain from trading insult with a highly regarded monarch of his (Awujale) status.”

    Among the Chiefs present are Bameto of Egbaland, Chief George Taylor, Balogun of Ilaho, Chief Adebayo Soyoye, and the Ilagbe of Egbaland, Chief Akin Akinwale.

  • Awujale churning out falsehoods – Egba chiefs

    Awujale churning out falsehoods – Egba chiefs

    The royal rumble between the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, took a dizzying dimension on Monday morning as 22 Egba chiefs, including 15 Ogboni chiefs, gathered in Ake Palace, Abeokuta, Ogun state, to reply Adetona over what they alleged as his “comments against the person and office of Alake.”

    Oba Adetona had last Thursday in Lagos claimed among other  things that the Alake was a junior chief in Egba forest under Alaafin who fled to Ibadan and that Alake is also of the same status with some Ijebu

    Obas like the Ebumawe of Ago – Iwoye that are under the jurisdiction of Awujale.

    The Awujale made the remarks in reply to an earlier ranking of the Yoruba obas by Alake which placed the  Awujale at the tail end on the hierarchy of status.

    But reading a prepared speech signed by the Balogun of Egbaland, Chief Sikirulai Atobatele, the BaaIroyin of Egbaland, Chief Lai Labode, said their concern about Awujale’s comment is predicated on the monarch’s self – indulgence to “churn out outright historical falsehoods in the presence of knowledgeable Nigerians.”

    Labode said “historically speaking, Alake was higher by Salary differentials paid by the Colonial Government” at the time.

    According to him, the Alake of Abeokuta earned £2,250 while the Awujale of  Ijebu – Ode earned £1,700 during the colonial era.

    Among the Chiefs present are Bameto of Egbaland, Chief George Taylor, Balogun of Ilaho, Chief Adebayo Soyoye, and the Ilagbe of Egbaland, Chief Akin Akinwale.

  • Photos: Jonathan visits Oba Adetona

    Photos: Jonathan visits Oba Adetona

    Jonathan in Ijebu 2

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    President Jonathan exchanging handshake with the Awujale of Ijebu
    Oba Adetona welcomes President Jonathan to his palace in Ijebuland

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Jonathan in Ijebu
    Oba Adetona with microphone, illustrating special points about Ijebu history.
  • Jonathan meets Oba Adetona, others amid heavy security

    Jonathan meets Oba Adetona, others amid heavy security

    President Goodluck Jonathan arrived Ijebu – Ode, the royal home of the Awujale of Ijebuland, amid heavy security.

    The President was on a visit to the Paramount ruler, Oba Sikiru Adetona, to solicit support from him and other traditional rulers in his domain ahead of the rescheduled March 28 Presidential election.

    A military chopper that brought him touched ground at the Otunba Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu – Ode few minutes to 11 am.

    Jonathan who is facing a stiff opposition to his re – election ambition on the same ticket of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the main challenger and the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, arrived the palace at 11: 15am to meet with Oba Adetona.

    He was accompanied to the palace by chieftain of PDP in Ogun state including former governor Gbenga Daniel, the party’s flagbearer, Prince Gboyega Isiaka among others.

    Over a dozen of journalists from Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, who had laid siege at the enterance of Awujale’s Palace as early as 10:30am were barred from entering the Palace by hordes of soldiers, operatives of Department of State Security Service (DSS), the Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) dispatched to provide security cover for the President.

    About two of the journalists managed to beat the security and entered the expanse Palace compound in disguise but were prevented from gaining entrance to the venue of the meeting between Jonathan and Ijebu monarchs.

    President Jonathan was accompanied by Adamu Mu’azu, PDP National Chairman, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state as well as Senator Musiliu Obanikoro among others.

     

  • Awujale becomes Chairman of Ogun Council of Obas

    Awujale becomes Chairman of Ogun Council of Obas

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State on Tuesday appointed the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, as the new Chairman of the Council of Obas in the state.

    Adetona, who succeeded the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, would hold the office for one year.

    The law provides for annual appointment and inauguration of the chairman of the council in order of rotation among the four traditional councils in the state, namely: Egba, Ijebu, Remo and Yewa.

    Amosun said at the inauguration that the body served as a veritable platform through which the traditional rulers could provide advice and support for the government.

    He added that the event was part of the re-engineering process embarked by his administration to re-position all institutions of governance for a more effective discharge of their duties and responsibilities.

    He said his administration had commenced a review of all laws with a view to re-aligning their relevant provisions to meet modern day governance.

    “Our commitment to improve the living standard of the people at the grassroots demands a commensurate amendments to legislations that will enlarge the council, re-classify some chieftaincies to the status desirable for the discharge of their responsibilities,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the governor as saying at the event.

    Amosun urged the new chairman to ensure rapid resolutions of pending chieftaincy and other related issues among the monarchs.

    He pledged government continued commitment to the welfare of the traditional rulers.