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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli-Okunmade II, has decried the distruption of installation of some chiefs by hoodlums, who are thought to have been paid by some potential Mogajis.
The hoodlums reportedly disturbed the installation of some Mogajis that took place on Monday, forcing the monarch to halt proceedings abruptly.
It was learnt that there were disagreements about the selection of some of the Mogajis, which led to the disruption of Monday’s event.
Reacting, Oba Balogun, in a statement signed on Tuesday by his Personal Assistant on Media, Oladele Ogunsola, expressed disappointment at the unruly behaviour of some of the supporters of the prospective chiefs.
The monarch denounced the employment of criminals to resolve the matter, adding that the disruption led to the abrupt end of the programme shortly after the installation of only three out of 10 chiefs slated for the day.
“It was a sad scene, seeing miscreants storming the palace, where members of my council are seated to perform the traditional rites, throwing decorum to the wind in abeyance of the exalted and majestic positions of members of my council.
“Kabiyesi, who reiterated his commitment to equity, fairness and justice in the exercise of his traditional role, maintained that after thorough investigation of the incident, anyone found culpable among his staff on whatever might have led to the ugly disruption would be properly sanctioned.
“He empathised with the other chiefs, who had no contentious issue, but whose installation could not be performed due to the disruption caused by the miscreants, and assured them that what happened was a mere delay and not denial.
“Their installation would be performed unfailingly at the next exercise,” Ogunsola said.
Olubadan also charged every family presenting candidates for the positions of Baales and Mogajis to do their homework properly to avoid a repeat of Monday’s incident.
He further warned against unruly behaviour and advised that they should ensure that their family members who may accompany them to the palace conduct themselves in an orderly manner as anyone found in the habit of bringing miscreants to the palace would be sanctioned.
The monarch noted that every chieftaincy matter should be routed through his Personal Assistant on Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Isiaka Akinpelu.
“I have made it clear to members of the public when the palace was reorganised on the need to ensure that chieftaincy matters are made less cumbersome for me and members of my council by going through Chief Akinpelu, whose appointment was made solely to have smooth and stress-free procedures on promotion and installation of chiefs,” Oba Balogun added.
The monarch maintained that anybody who deals with any other person on chieftaincy matters apart from Chief Akinpelu does so at his or her own risk, stressing that the palace would not entertain any complaint in that regard after his repeated pronouncement.