Barely seven months after Wale Oladoja returned to office as the Mogaji Akinsola of Opopo Labiran Family Compound following his suspension, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, has removed him, asking family to immediately present a new candidate as to occupy the chieftain’s seat.
Oladoja’s removal was approved by the monarch after his recent media outbursts which did not go downwell with the traditional institution in the ancient city.
This decision was the fall-out of the emergency meeting of the Olubadan Advisory Council presided over by the monarch at his Alarere residence and which had in attendance representatives of the Association of Mogajis of Ibadanland led by its President-General, Chief Asimiyu Adepoju Ariori and the Assistant Secretary-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Suleiman Raufu, who stood in for Niyi Ajewole, the President-General of the Council.
While announcing the palace stance, the council described as divisive, disparaging and insulting and unbecoming of Oladoja who was a supposed leader expected to be urbane and cautious in deeds and actions.
In a press statement made available to journalists in Ibadan by the Personal Assistant (Media) to the Olubadan, Oladele Ogunsola, the big axe fell on Oladoja on account of his recent media outbursts described as “divisive, disparaging and insulting and unbecoming of a supposed leader, who is expected to be urbane and cautious in deeds and actions”.
The Council stressed that the conduct of Oladoja since his short suspension about six months ago was not suggestive of any sense of remorse.
During Saturday’s meeting, the Council recalled that the suspension placed on him then did not last long because of his perceived genuine remorse and principally, because of His Imperial Majesty’s peaceful disposition.
“The recent outbursts by the same person have shown him as somebody without an iota of respect for constituted authority and any failure to bring upon him the full weight of the Council’s power would amount to condoning indiscipline”.
The Akinsola Family which produced him in the first instance was subsequently asked to present another person to replace him as the Mogaji of the family if they are still interested in having a substantive Mogaji.
The deposed Mogaji was invited to the meeting but failed to show up on an excuse that his mother died about 24 hours before the meeting, an alibi that failed to convince the Council.
Members, who spoke on his excuse described it as a gimmick to evade interrogation on the allegations against him and said they could not be swayed by such antics.
According to the members, “a person of his character and his love for social media could not have hidden such a very important incident from the public through social media announcement.
What’s more, he had made two different posts on social media today without any faint reference to the sad news of his mother’s death. His refusal to honour the invitation is like adding salt to an injury”, the Council concluded.
