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By Emmanuel Adeleke
The deposed Onido of Ido land, Chief Benjamin Isola, Orobiyi II, has appealed to Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to reinstate him back to office.
Chief Isola made the appeal while addressing newsmen at his palace in Ido, on Tuesday.
He said he received a letter of deposition when there was a change of government in the state on August 11, 2011 for an undisclosed reason.
Chief Isola, who claimed that his deposition in 2011 was unjust and unwarranted, appealed to concerned authorities in the state to return normalcy back to Ido chieftaincy matter as it was in 2011 before intruders came to hijack the stool.
He said all the efforts of the paramount rulers in the state to restore normalcy back to Ido chieftaincy matter yielded no useful results.
“Tajudeen Akintola from Dada-Pero of Agura family was appointed but he was removed after a panel of enquiry sat to investigate his misdeeds in 2016. At this junction, the people of Ido hope that I would be re-instated but we heard a rumour that Muritala Babalola Gbolagade was going to be appointed.
“The true Ido indigenes demonstrated to important places and even to the then Otun Olubadan, who made them to know that he was the one who removed Orobiyi on misinformation given to them.
“He promised to help in the restoration of Orobiyi in December 2016. But, Olubadan in council later appointed Muritala Babalola Gbolagade, despite serious complaint by Ido people who were at the palace of Oba Saliu Adetunji Aje Oguguniso 1,” Chief Isola said.
Recall that Oyo State Government had on February 2, 2024 suspended Muritala Babalola Gbolagade as Onido of Ido land over alleged link with illegal miners.
The deposed Onido revealed that, during his reign, he appointed the suspended Gbolagade, who is not an indigene of Ido as Asipa Onido, due to his economic contribution to the development of the town.
“He is not a member of Agura family. He was forced on the people of Ido as an Oba. Only to now discover that he is engaged in illegal business, which led to his suspension from the undeserved position in Ido,” Chief Isola said.
According to Chief Isola, “the two intruders- Akinola Tajudeen and Muritala Babalola Gbolagade were not qualified to hold the headship of Ido.
He further explained that Tajudeen and Gbolgade cannot hold the title of Onido, because he is still alive, chieftaincy declaration was not followed in their selection, they have no control over the people of Ido and their selection was against the custom of Ido land.
“The family of Orobiyi is appealing to Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, who has the fear of God, in whom we saw transparency and good governance to look into this case and restore back the God appointed Oba of Ido, Benjamin Ademola Isola Orobiyi II, who is always loyal to good governance,” Chief Isola stated.