…Gov Abiodun To Summon Aides, Remo North LG Chair
The Ogun State government is contemplating nullifying the selection of Mr Taiwo Taiwo as the Onipara-elect and further investigate the circumstances surrounding his emergence in the selection process.
A reliable and competent source in the Ogun State Governor’s Office told CompassNG, “A petition, written by Ipara Cultural Heritage Protection Council, ICPHC, and which has gone viral on the internet, has received the attention of the Ogun State governor, Chief Dapo Abiodun, who is not comfortable with the content of the petition.”
The source, one of the Senior Special Assistants, SSAs, to Governor Abiodun, disclosed that “the governor is feeling uncomfortable and irritated, because he had earlier warned his aides not to be involved or meddle in the selection process of any vacant traditional stools in the state.
He said, “Thus, he was perturbed that some of his aides were fingered as active participants in the unwholesome practices detailed in the said petition.
“His Excellency, Chief Dapo Abiodun, apart from the fact that he is from Remo, has a lot of regard for traditional institutions and processes of ascending the thrones as laid down by our forefathers; and has zero-tolerance for whatever will pitch his government against any traditional institution and the process of ascending the throne of an oba in the state.“
It would be recalled that in the petition written by IPCHC, it was alleged that “the emergence of Taiwo Taiwo as the Onipara-elect is the highest frightening traditional fraud ever perpetrated in Ipara land since its foundation by the great hero Ogunola. A daylight robbery planned, nurtured and prosecuted by a non – kingmaker, Chief Yemi Ogunbiyi, in conjunction with Hon. Adebiyi Adeleye, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Political Affairs and Hon. Abiodun Somoye, Chairman, Remo North Local Government Council and his willing tool Secretary, Hon Muyiwa Sodade.”
The petition also stressed further that “It was Chief Ogunbiyi, with the active connivance of Hon. Adeleye, SSA on Political Affairs to Governor Dapo Abiodun and Hon. Somoye, Chairman Remo North Local Government, who hijacked the selection process, discarded the traditional rites, lured only three kingmakers; excluded Chief Oluwole Sorinlola, the Oluwo of lpara Remo and the Chairman of Kingmakers, his vice, OloriEmo Prince Adekunle Adeyiga and others from the selection process at the town hall under heavy security cover and announced Mr Taiwo Taiwo, a non- prince of unknown ruling houses as the new Onipara-elect.”
According to the source, Governor Abiodun felt betrayed that despite his admonition to his aides, some of them still went ahead to be noticed in the selection process of a very important traditional stool within his state.”
The source added, “Governor Abiodun has also directed that a thorough investigation of the allegations in the petition should urgently be carried out; and if found to be true, the government of Ogun State may be left with no option than to withdraw the temporal recognition that has been accorded Taiwo Taiwo as the Onipara-elect.”
Meanwhile, one of the contestants (names withheld) had previously petitioned the Ogun State government over the inclusion of a non-prince in the selection process, which has been generating controversies within the ruling house.
Stakeholders in Ipara-Remo has also called on Governor Abiodun to warn Taiwo Taiwo to stop parading himself as Oba-elect and desist from wearing crown, as none has been given to him, neither has he been presented with a staff of office by constituted authorities.
