Ogun: Egba Traditional Council Appoints Chief Oduntan, Four Others As Regency Council For Obafemi
Following the suspension and subsequent arraignment of Olu of Obafemi in Obafemi Owode Local Government area of Ogun state, Oba Taofeek Owolabi, for land grabbing, the Egba traditional Council has announced the appointment of Chief Sunday Oduntan, four other Chiefs to run the affairs of the town.
The appointment which follows recommendations from the Oluwo of Ijeun, Chief Edmund Adeboye, Chief Akanbi Usman, the Balogun Ijeun, Chief Simeon Ogunwale, the Baase of Ijeun and Dr Chief Fatai Badru, the Jagunna of Ijeun; and the approval by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Egba Traditional Council through its President, Alake of Egbaland named announced the high Chiefs from Ijeun section of Egbaland as the members of the regency council.
It could be recalled that Oba Owolabi, a coronet Oba and a member of the Egba Traditional Council, was arraigned last week and is currently under suspension.
Specifically, the government, in a statement last Wednesday by the Ministry of Justice, noted that the royal father was taken to court for conspiracy to sell property without authority, sale of property without authority, unlawful use of agents, forceful takeover of land, assault of a police officer, and obtaining by false pretence.
Oba Owolabi is also accused of laying an unlawful claim to 500 acres of land within Obafemi Owode town and deceiving a developer, one Dr. Michael Adeyemi, into paying him ₦75 million for the land.
The statement added, however, that Oba Owolabi never remitted the sum to the land holding families, adding that the traditional ruler also placed thugs on the land, who macheted one individual, while he attacked a police officer from the task force combating land grabbing in Ogun State.
Ogun State Government took several steps to call Oba Owolabi to order, saying that he ignored a July 2024 summons by the State House of Assembly, choosing instead to file two suits in court, which the Ministry of Justice defended.
“Oba Owolabi withdrew those cases subsequently but never submitted to the state House of Assembly investigations. The House Committee would eventually recommend that Oba Owolabi be prosecuted for land grabbing,” the statement said.
“Under the leadership of the paramount ruler of Egbaland, HRM Oba Aremu Gbadebo, the Alake of Egbaland, the Egba Traditional Council summoned Oba Owolabi several times, but the coronet Oba defied those invitations.
“The Ethical Committee of the Egba Traditional Council also engaged Oba Owolabi to no avail. Thus, on 13 December 2024, the Egba Traditional Council suspended Oba Owolabi from his office as Olu Obafemi for conducting himself in a manner entirely unexpected of a traditional ruler. That suspension is still in effect.”
The statement indicated that although Oba Owolabi perfected his bail conditions, his trial remains ongoing, while the Ogun State Government remains committed to seeing justice done.
But, announcing the appointment of the five man regency Council in a memo signed by Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, the appointed Chiefs are:
1. Chief Oluwafemi Folarin – 0dofin Ijeun
2. Chief Afolabi Michael Fasanu (SAN) – Lisa Ijeun
3. Chief Micheal Sokenu – Sakosi Ijeun
4. Chief Sunday Oduntan – Baamofin of Ijeun, and
5. Chief (Mrs.) Victoria Adunni Adeboye – Olori Erelu Ijeun
The memo stated that the appointees “possesses the wisdom, integrity and leadership skills necessary to serve our township with distinction.
