Ogun High Chief cries out to State Governor over threat to peace in his community

A prominent high chief in the Odoralamo community, Odoralamo, Ijebu- Igbo, in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Chief James Odusoga Odukoya has petitioned the Ogun State Governor, alerting him of plans
by some people to usurp the traditional stool of the community, which might lead to a breakdown of law and order.

In a petition he sent to the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs through his Counsel, Segun Aleshinloye, Legal Practitioners, he alleged that some people led by the chairman of Odoralamo Development Association (ODA) in connivance with the Chairman of Ijebu North Local Government Area, want to hijack his stool which is presently the subject of a process for elevation from Olori Ilu to crowned/ Coronet Oba status and give it to another person with an appeal to the Ogun State government to intervene in the matter before it gets out of hand.

According to him, his community is made up of four recognized quarters namely; Itun Aleke, Itun Aledo, Itun Nla and Itun Odeseso with the headship of the community rotating amongst the quarters, noting that this rotation principle is foundation to any selection of the occupant of the stool and cannot be lawfully departed from.

He said that not minding this robust arrangement, it has been discovered that the Chairman of the town union, Elder Mathew .A. Adebambo is promoting one, Adeboye Dada, his preferred candidate and is scheming to have him publicilly announced and paraded as coronet Oba of the community on September, 19, 2026 during the opening of a health centre in the community, describing the plan as against the rotation principle of the Odoralamo since the same Adeboye Dada is from the same quarter that produced the last traditional ruler of the community.

“Our client informed us, and we believe that it was Mr. Adeboye Dada’s own quarter that last produced the immediate past Olori Ilu who incidentally was his father and as such, his quarter is not qualified under the rotation principle which the Development Association professes to uphold to produce the next candidate at this stage and as such he’s not qualified for consideration at this time.

The petitioner through his Lawyers also averred that he has come into possession of a printed invitation card for the official opening of Samuel Adetango Onadele Health Centre on September, 19, 2026 with the ODA named as among the hosts and organizers of the apolitical event, alleging that they want to use the occassion and platform to publicilly announce, parade and effectively impose Mr. Adeboye Dada as the coronet Oba of Odoralamo in the presence of unsuspecting public.

High Chief, Chief James Odusoga Odukoya described the plan as an aberration because ODA which is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as an incorporate Trustee whose registered objective is limited to pursuing the physical, cultural, social and economic development of the community does not have any legal right over chieftaincy matters

“The disturbing aspect of the whole thing is that ODA is registered with CAC as a sociocultural organisation with the sole objective of pursuing the physical, cultural, social and economic development of our community and there’s nowhere in it’s registered objective that it is empowered to select, screen, present, instal or determine the occupant of any traditional stool

The petitioner, further noted that assumption of exclusive control over the chieftaincy process is ultra vires because ODA is a voluntary association of well meaning indigenes of the community, deriving no authority whatsoever; customary, statutory or otherwise to screen or install a traditional ruler for the community, yet it has overtime and without the consent of the community arrogated to itself total control over the affairs of the community to the point that it is now brazenly asserting that it alone will install a king for Odoralamo.

In the petition, he appealed to the governor to urgently intervene in the interest of peace, order, and good governance to prevent and restrain any purported announcement, presentation, or installation of Mr. Adeboye Dada or any other candidate as coronet Oba at the commissioning of the Health Centre on September,19, 2026 or at any other date pending compliance with due process and the final determination of Suit No: HCR/55/2025.

He also want the governor to direct the Chairman of Ijebu North Local Government Area to henceforth relate with the petitioner as the sitting Olori Ilu and recognized head of the Odoralamo community and carry him along as the appropriate customary stakeholder in all correspondence and steps on the elevation and selection process rather than dealing exclusively with ODA

Chief Odukoya, also
want the governor to institute an inquiry into the apparent conflict of interest and abuse of office disclosed by the Executive Chairman of Ijebu North LGA’s personal association with Adeboye Dada and his stated intention to compensate him using the machinery of his office as is indicated in his letter of July,11, 2025 addressed solely to the ODA

The petitioner also want the governor to direct His Royal Majesty, the Orimolusi of Ijebu- Igbo and the Ijebu traditional council not to recognize, approve or ratify any nomination or recommendation emanating from the ODA in respect of the Odoralamo stool.

Also, to ensure that the quarter-by- quarter rotational principle is observed such that only a candidate from the quarter whose turn it is presently to produce a new king is considered.

Finally, he want it to be formally and publicly clarified that ODA being a mere voluntary incorporate trustee body with no customary or statutory role in chieftaincy matters, has no power whatsoever to select, present or install any person as a traditional ruler of Odoralamo and that any purported exercise of such power by the association is void and of no effect.

The petition was copied to the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of the state, His Royal Majesty Oba Lawrence Jaiyeaba Adebayo, the Orimolusi of Ijebu- Igbo, Ijebu traditional council of Obas and the secretary Ijebu traditional council of Obas amongst others