By Peter Bakare
Itele, a town in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, Ogun State, is in the news again. This is because the Onitele stool crisis is still raging causing discomfort in the Late Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo’s descendants of Oosa family, Itele.
The family maintained that the alleged Onitele-nominee, Omolaja Sunday Jacob, is not direct/biological son of late Pa Akapo. They insisted that their preferred candidate remained Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo.
The family asserted that it became imperative “to put the record straight and enlightenment of the Ogun State Government and general public.” It claimed there was an earlier public notice reported in a national daily on January 21, 2020, “where the Akapo family stated that Omolaja Sunday Jacob is not a direct/biological son of late Pa Akapo.
“In another report on September 28, 2021, the family asks Supreme Court to compel Abiodun to comply with judgement.” The Akapo descendants said though their father was from Oosa family, “but the gazette of April 1, 2010, which clearly states government’s decision, views on the report of the commission of enquiry of Justice I.O. Sonoiki, into the Ayetoro-Itele-Ota crisis, recognised Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo, as head of the Adogun-Atele family, who has been side-lined but recommended to be brought into reckoning for his labour and effort in fighting for Itele family for over 60 years.”
Pa Kafaru Abimbola Akapo, chairman and junior brother to Pa Akapo, said: “We are yet to choose/select a king. Nobody should transact any business with Omolaja Sunday Jacob as king. He is our sister’s son. His father’s name is Jacob not Akapo. My elder brother told me on May 29, 2005, that he preferred his son, Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo to be king.”
Pa Alani Liadi Oshio, corroborated: “Royal houses entitled to the Onitele stool are Oosa, Imidawo, Ogunronbi and Alagbegi. Jacob is not member of our family. He only happens to be son to our sister, Silifat Akapo, who is daughter to Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo of Oosa family.
“By virtue of the gazette, no one can be selected or chosen without the consent of the Akapos. It is an aberration to have done so. As it is, we are yet to choose or select any one as Onitele. We prefer Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo to be the Onitele of Itele.”
Baale Idotele, Chief Adekunle Owofunmi, said: “The most disturbing and disappointing thing is that the lawyer told us that nobody has been selected for the stool, which is not true. The preferred candidate for the Onitele stool is Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo. So long the gazette favours their father, late Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo, it is morally right for other ruling houses to support Prince Akapo for the Onitele stool.”
Chief Ahmed Balogun, Baale Ilogun Itele, said: “The stool of Itele town belongs to the four ruling houses of Oosa, Imidawo, Ogunronbi and Alagbegi. The gazette considering the labour and efforts of late Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo, for over 60 years, ruled he should be compensated. He would later die and Pa Olowookere took up the case in his stead. So it is paramount to note that Pa Akapo’s children have not abdicated this ruling. They have a preferred candidate in the person of Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo.”
Prince Monday Olumuyiwa Akapo corroborated Pa Ohio: “Omolaja Sunday Jacob is not a member of our family, though son to our sister, Silifat Akapo. Our father, Late Pa Jimoh Oluwole Akapo was compensated and we the children neither supported anyone in the person of Omolaja to be enthroned as king.
“Omolaja has his father’s house, let him go and take possession of what belongs to him there and not in my father’s house. I prefer Prince Sunday Olushola Akapo to be the Onitele of Itele.”