It was a tensed atmosphere at the venue of installation of Mogajis and Baales of Ibadan on Monday as suspected hoodlums loyal to some of the prospective chiefs stormed the Aliwo Palace and unleash mayhem.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, who strongly condemned the unruly act, suspended the installation exercise after three of the ten would-be chiefs were installed.
Oba Lekan Balogun, Ali Okunmade II, in a statement by Oladele Ogunsola, his Personal Assistant on Media, described the situation at his Aliwo venue of the event as ‘sad scene’.
Below is the Statement from the Olubadan’s palace:
“The disruptive activities of the supporters of some prospective Mogajis and Baales who were billed for installation on Monday at the Aliiwo ruling house in Ibadan have been condemned by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II.
“It was alleged that some of the prospective new Chiefs had brought some miscreants to the venue of the installation, ostensibly to cause disruption which unfortunately led to the forceful suspension of the programme mid-way.
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“Oba Balogun, in a statement signed on his behalf by his Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola expressed disappointment at the unruly behaviour of the supporters of the prospective chiefs, which he said led to the abrupt end of the programme shortly after the installation of only three out of 10 Chiefs slated for the day.
“The installation exercise of new Mogajis and Baales was for 10 new Chiefs, consisting of five Mogajis and Baales apiece, but which could not be completed due to the storming of the venue of the installation by some undesirable elements.
“According to Olubadan, “it was a sad scene, seeing miscreants storming the palace, where, accompanied by my members of Council seated to perform the traditional rites throwing decorum to the wind in abeyance of the exalted and majestic positions of my members of the Council”.
“Kabiyesi, who reiterated his commitment to equity, fairness and justice in the exercise of his traditional role maintained that whoever, after thorough investigation of the incident is found culpable among his staff on whatever might have led to the ugly disruption would be properly sanctioned.
“He empathized with the other Chiefs, who had no contentious issue, but, whose installation could not be performed due to the disruption caused by the miscreants, assuring them that what happened was a mere delay and not denial, adding, “their installation would be performed unfailingly at the next exercise”.
“Oba Balogun equally charged every family presenting candidate for the positions of Baales and Mogajis to do their home work properly to avoid a repeat of Monday’s incident just as he warned against unruly behaviour as experienced on Monday, charging that they should ensure that their family members who may accompany them to the palace conduct themselves in an orderly manner as any one found in the habit of bringing miscreants to the palace will be sanctioned as appropriate.
“He also insisted that every chieftaincy matter should be routed through his Personal Assistant on Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Isiaka Akinpelu, saying, “I have made it clear to the members of public when the palace was reorganized on the need to ensure that Chieftaincy Matters are made less cumbersome for me and my members of Council by going through Chief Akinpelu, whose appointment was made solely to have smooth and stress-free procedures on promotion and installation of Chiefs”, Olubadan added
“The monarch maintained that anybody that goes outside of the pronouncement to deal with any other person on Chieftaincy Matters outside of Chief Akinpelu does so at his or her own risk, noting that the palace would not entertain any complaint in that regard after this repeated pronouncement.”
