For illegal sales of community lands, gross insubordination, flagrant disrespect to the stool and authority, the Olu of Orile Ilawo Oba Professor Alexander Olusegun MacGregor has disowned the Oluwo of Ilawo, Chief Oluwole Dosunmu, the Balogun of Ilawo, Chief Abraham Soyoye, Jagunna of Ilawo, Fatai Sodimu. and Seven others.
Speaking to Journalists at his Palace during a Press Conference on the State of Ilawo kingdom, Oba MacGregor who was flanked by some Chiefs said the town has been battling with the uncouth actions of the self proclaimed Chiefs who continue to sale lands belonging to the people with impunity while faking themselves to be a Chief in Ilawo town.
He said the so-called ‘Chiefs’ continue to use the Osile of Oke Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso as their shield , thereby going against the prescribed authority of Ilawo, who happens to be the Olu of Orile Ilawo.
He averred that the self proclaimed Chiefs never get any ratifications from him, neither do they represent Ilawo, but their selfish interests in illegal dispossession of people’s land.
Oba MacGregor alleged that the three Chiefs and other illegal Chiefs have sold not less than 1600 acres of land without having authority to do so.
He said Ilawo stool has been in existence for long before, but was only resuscitated during the government of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, hence the stool cannot be subservient to the Osile of Oke Ona Egba.
Going down memory lane, Oba Professor Macgregor said that Ilawo is known for industrious people, prosperous people.
“I am the Olu Of Orile Ilawo kingdom, I say that unreservedly, I am also the prescribed authority over Ilawo and all areas traditionally associated with Ilawo, no matter where they are, whether it be in Odeda, local government, Abeokuta, North local government, Ewekoro, Ifo and Obafemi, all the places where Ilawo has settled, where we practice our customs and tradition, I am the prescribed authority over the people and the domain that they exist.
“Our stool is an ancient stool, the Olu of Orile Ilawo represents the original migration of people who came to this place. That is why we picked Orile to represent the stool. We are not speaking about new settlements. We are not speaking about people who just came here 50 years ago, even 100 years we’re talking about a settlement that was there way before Abeokuta was formed,
“The province of Abeokuta came to being in 1830 and before Abeokuta came to being, Ilawo has been in existence as a group and a tribe of people coexisting, practicing their customs, the tradition, and united by a common ground.
The Monarch therefore said the Osile of Oke Ona can not continue to be the prescribed authority for Ilawo because Ilawo has a King, therefore warned Samson Oluwole Dosunmu, Abraham Adebayo Adisa and Fatai Sodimu,, to stop parading themselves as Oluwo, Balogun and Jagunna of Ilawo because they have not been recognized by the Olu of Orile Ilawo.
Oba Professor Macgregor said the actions of these self confessed Chiefs negates the Omoluabi ethos that Ilawo is known for and he cannot fold his arms and allow the names of the good people of Ilawo be dragged into the mud all in the name of land grabbing.
