…Threatens To Make Village Ungovernable For New Baale
Instead of thaw, the rivalry between the families of Olukolu and Abogun over the chieftaincy tussle if Igbo Efon community of Lagos State has continued unabated.
The royal tussle in the town involves Abogun family and both Olukolu and Jinadu families.
Barely a week after the Ojomu of Ajiranland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Tijani Akinloye, installed Chief Tajudeen Olukolu as the new Baale of Igbo Efon, the Abogun family allegedly stormed the village, with armed mobile policement, destroyed property and valuables.
In the ensuing melee, two people were allegedly shot, while some ammunition and an AK-47 riffle was recovered from one of the mobile policemen, who were used for the illegal attack.
In the fracas that follow afterwards, the family home of the head of Olukolu family, Alhaji Shakiru Ologolo-Olukolu, along Baale Street, Igbo-Efon, was viciously attacked and destroyed on Sunday, for the second time in less than two years, while several of the Jinadus’ properties were also destroyed.
An eyewitness account revealed that one Rilwan Abogun invaded the village on Sunday morning, with about 10 mobile policemen, shooting sporadically into the air to scare everyone.
The alleged leader of the attacking team, Rilwan, according to the people of the area, does not live within the community.
The eye witness said, “One of the policemen who started shooting sporadically to satisfy his master later dropped his weapon; an AK-47 with ammunition, which was later handed over to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Ilasan Police Station, as evidence ,while several buildings and vehicles were damaged.
“The DPO later brokered a truce and urged the warring faction to give peace a chance, but was surprised when the group returned in the evening yesterday and continue with the attack. Two villagers were shot and are now being treated at an undisclosed hospital.
“The DPO had to call for reinforcements and the Yemoja groove was raided, where about 19 hoodlums and a member of the Abogun family, who signed the peace accord earlier that day were arrested.”
The source added further that the Abogun family is bragging that they have their own Baale and won’t have anything to do with the validly elected Chief Olukolu, who has the backing of the law and was installed by Oba Akinloye, the paramount ruler of the area.
When contacted by CompassNG and asked what he is doing to forestall reoccurrence of the ugly incident in the future, the new Baale, Chief Olukolu, said, “It is the duty of the law enforcement agencies to ensure that peace reigns; and I think they are doing their best for now.
“The DPO of Ilasan, the Area Commander at Elemoro and the RRS Commander were all here yesterday. They were able to arrest many of the hoodlums, including one of the representatives of the Abogun family, who was also a signatory to the peace accord. His name is Kazeem Abogun.
“I don’t know why some people like causing mayhem. If you have any grievances, go to court instead of causing unnecessary mayhem and disturbing the peace of the community.”
Recall that the late Semiu Abogun made futile attempts to be elevated from Baale to Oba of Igbo Efon, as
the Lagos State Chieftaincy Tribunal declared that the late Semiu Abogun and the Abogun family generally were not of royal blood or lineage known to any Yorubaland, and therefore, could not become Oba.
Meanwhile, the Olukolu’s royal lineage to the Ojomu stool through the Oluge branch was confirmed by the tribunal, which also admonished the Aboguns for not carrying along the Olukolu and Jinadu families.
