The Authentic Mogajis (family heads) in Ibadanland on Friday evening decried what it called “unguarded verbal assaults” on the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, by the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi.
The Mogajis said Governor Ajimobi had since Monday’s invasion of the Olubadan’s palace by unknown gunmen, who shot sporadically and wounded three journalists in the process, been telling the whole world that “Olubadan’s cup was full but for the respect he had for him as a father”.
Describing such utterances as a threat to the revered monarch, the family heads asked the governor to stop the assault or risk the wrath of all Ibadan sons and daughters.
Should Ajimobi change his mind and make real his threat, the Mogajis said: “Our families will rise to remove him unceremoniously too.”
The family heads also said they would no longer fold their arms and allow miscreants to turn the state to a war theater following Monday’s shooting at the palace, adding: “There is a limit to human endurance of illicit acts.”
The Mogajis in a press statement by their spokesmen, Chief Olawale Oladoja Akinsola (Akinsola Compound, Opopo Labiran) and Chief Abbas Oloko (Oloko Compound, Kobomoje), said the verbal assault of the governor against Olubadan was “the height of impunity and misuse of power”.
According to the statement, Ajimobi had uttered derogatory statements against the monarch more than three times in recent time.
Among such statements quoted by the family heads were when Ajimobi said one of the Queens in the palace was his errand girl in the past, disclosure of the amount he spent on Olubadan’s coronation and the dethronement threat.
The statement reads in part: “Yes our governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state has executive power to suspend or remove Olubadan of Ibadan land Oba Saliu Adetunji.
“But he shouldn’t forget that we the people of the state also have the power to call for his removal through the House of Assembly.
“We are all from Ibadan land and if you suspend our king you will be removed from office unceremoniously.
“We use this opportunity to call on Inspector General of Police to provide adequate security for Olubadan and all the Authentic Mogajis of Ibadan land.
“We call on our amiable President to wade in to the undemocratic governance in Oyo state.”
