From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Family of Akere at Oritamerin, Ibadan, Oyo State, has alleged that the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Olalekan Balogun, wanted to appoint and install another Mogaji (compound head) in the family.
The allegation was made by three sections of Akere family that opposed the rumoured appointment of another Mogaji, when the incumbent, Moshood Gbolagade Akere, installed in 2016, is still alive.
Representatives of the three sections of the family, including Lamidi Oyewo Akere, Dauda Abioye Akere, and Saheed Akintaro Akere, from Bamgbegbin, Fagbirin, and Akintaro respectively, who are all children of Beyioku Akere, called on Olubadan to stop the proposed installation of another Mogaji for the family.
According to them, it is an abomination and sacrilege to Ibadan native law and customs for two Mogajis to sit over meetings inside only one family house. They warned that if the move is allowed to go, it could lead to breakdown of law and order.
The Akere family has, therefore, sent their position to the Olubadan and Olubadan-in-Council for consideration in the 19-point statement of claims filed at Court 9, with suit no 1/1376 /2022 in the Oyo State High Court, which the family deposed to through their lawyer, Niyi Ajewole. The family averred that when the contest for the post of Mogaji Akere was hot, the then Olubadan set up a committee of high chiefs comprising the late Otun Balogun Femi Olaifa and the living Otun Balogun Tajudeen Ajibola to look into the matter and report back their findings to him.
It was their findings which formed the basis of appointment and installation of Moshood Gbolagade Akere. Two of the combatants allegedly signed an undertaking that whoever won the contest would be supported by the other. But to the chagrin of the entire family, Wasiu Akere went to court to challenge the appointment and installation of Moshood Gbolagade Akere as the authentic Mogaji of Beyioku Akere family in 2017.
The claimants averred that the 1st claimant contested the suit and equally counter claimed and at the end, the case of the claimant was struck out for failure to comply with condition precedence, hence robbing the court of the requisite jurisdiction. The certified true copy of the ruling of the court in suit No1/314 /2017 is available for trial.
So the Beyioku Akere family is requesting the Olubadan to note that there can only be one Mogaji chieftain in the Beyioku Akere family sponsored by all the sections of the family, and that the Bamgbegbin section has produced the Mogaji of Beyioku Akere family and another section of that same family cannot be appointed as the Mogaji of a section of Beyioku Akere family.
When contacted, Personal Assistant to Olubadan on Media, Mr. Oladele Ogunsola, said the allegation was unfounded because the Olubadan did not plan to install new Mogajis yesterday.
He said: “If the palace will install any chief yesterday, it should be Baales (village heads), and not Mogajis. But no installation will hold on Monday (yesterday).”