Exclusive: VP Osinbajo Implicated As Crisis Looms Over Soun Of Ogbomosho Stool

ThecitypulsenewsFeb 15, 2022Read original

– On Sunday December 12, 2021, the metropolitan town of Ogbomosho in the northern part of Oyo State, Nigeria; which boasts of many prominent indigenes across various walks of life home and abroad, lost her 48 years-long-reigning monarch, late Oba (Dr) Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III, CON, CFR.

As a tradition, ascendancy to the throne of Soun of Ogbomosho is rotated among five ruling houses namely Odunaro, Bolanta, Aburumaku, Laoye and Gbagun. Currently, it is the turn of Laoye Ruling House of Kapelaye Quarters; Masifa Area to produce the next Soun.

Therefore, shortly after the demise of Jimoh Oladunni was made public, the Mogaji (family head) of Laoye Ruling House; Prince Amos Oluwole Laoye called on all eligible princes interested in Soun’s stool to signify their intentions.

For the first time in Ogbomosho history, Laoye Ruling House introduced expression of interest form sold at Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira; for any willing prince to purchase, with a closing date fixed for the sale of the forms. The move, it was said; was to raise the bar and set new standards.

According to sources, 21 eligible princes bought their forms within the stipulated time. However, long after the sale of form has closed; a US-based pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God who is also a prince demanded to buy his form; and when he was told that sale of form has closed, he threatened the family with a court action through a letter written by his lawyer, to that effect.

The family however yielded to him in the interest of peace and family unity, according to a source. Meanwhile, the action made another prince, a retired Army officer who did not show interest initially demand to buy a form too; perhaps just to rock the boat. So, at the end of the day, 23 princes in all bought forms altogether.

Besides the form, certain criteria such as age limit, academic qualification, social standing and so on were also set to make the selection process rigorous and thorough; in order to produce a Soun-Elect that all and sundry will be proud of and pleased with.

Along the line, Ogbomoso North Local Government where Masifa area of the Laoye Ruling House falls within, wrote a letter of request to the family to forward the names of suitable crown princes for consideration and subsequent recommendation to the Governor of Oyo State; for endorsement and approval.

In response, the family set up an 11-man panel representing each arm of the entire Laoye Ruling House family tree; to screen and interview every one of the contesting princes, for their suitability for the throne.

However, laudable as the Ruling House approach might seem, rumours currently making the rounds in Ogbomoso indicates that the process is already bedeviled with arm-twisting and imposition with the name of Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Nigeria’s Vice President, mentioned in connection with the underhand tactics.

Sources told

that if things are not brought under control soon enough, multi-faceted crisis leading to violence and destruction might erupt in the hitherto peaceful town; especially with the role Yemi Osinbajo is said to be playing.

Reports say, the Vice President has mounted pressure on

Governor, Engr. Oluseyi Makinde to impose the US-based RCCG pastor, said to be his bosom friend named Afolabi Laoye, as Soun; whether people want him or not.

While some school of thoughts opine that Yemi Osinbajo could not have done such a thing; the princely pastor in question is however reported to have said it openly times without number; that the Soun stool is already a given for him, boasting of his connections to the Vice President and Governor Seyi Makinde; as well as many other powerful names in the country.

However, the said VP’s bosom friend popularly known as Ghandi, a nickname sources say he picked up in the unruly days of his youth; might not, from all indications be the choice of Ogbomoso people for obvious reasons; among which is the fact that he is older than the age limit of 60 years set as part of the criteria.

Besides, Gandhi, according to sources is reported to have said it pointblank to the screening panel that, as an RCCG pastor; he would not partake of any traditional rites as king, neither would he be part of any traditional festival.

Nevertheless, apart from the fact that Osinbajo is allegedly pulling the strings for him, Ghandi himself is reported to have compromised the process with money. He is said to have given huge amounts to some family elders and selected kingmakers.

A source said Ghandi bought new furniture for the family head, Mogaji Amos Laoye; with a promise to build a new house for him; while he has also bought a car for one of the kingmakers, who is his contact to the others; the source added.

According to an observer, even though Ghandi himself knows that being a pastor, he has no business whatsoever with something as traditional as the stool of an Oba; therefore, he is perhaps on a clandestine mission best-known to him and his backers. And most likely he was late to buy his expression of interest form because he had to wait to get Osinbajo’s clearance.

An Ogbomoso elder who does not want his name in print advised Professor Yemi Osinbajo to wash his hands off Soun of Ogbomoso selection process, if it was true, he is trying to impose a candidate on the town; as he is not from Ogbomoso and not in any way related by blood to the ancient town. He therefore appealed to him not to cause the kind of crisis the Awolowos caused in Ikenne that has deprived the town from having a recognized king to date.

Another elder who gave his name as Adewale Isola Popoola however appealed to the governor of Oyo State, Engr. Oluseyi Makinde not to allow himself to be used against the will of the people; because as the governor; Ogbomoso people are his people and by virtue of his office, he has a stake in the town whereas Osinbajo has none.

Speaking further, he advised the governor to learn from the excesses of his predecessor in office; late Abiola Ajimobi, over the stool of Olubadan of Ibadan and the aftermath of it; which God has recently used Seyi Makinde himself to resolve. Concluding, he said what should matter to the governor now is keeping every nook and cranny of Oyo State peaceful, for his reelection for a second term in office.

Meanwhile, a youth activist and Ogbomoso indigene by name Gabriel Gbadebo is of the view that the people of Ogbomoso would accept any Soun-Elect if the selection process is open, free and fair. However, anything other than that will throw the town into an unprecedented turmoil and all well-meaning people should do everything to prevent that from happening.

A woman, who gave her name as Mrs Comfort Oyedele confirmed that the rumour has been ongoing for some time but she is of the view that perhaps, it was being peddled by some Ghandi’s backers just to intimidate other contestants.

However, she opined that true or false: all the prominent indigenes of Ogbomoso should rise up now and see to it that the right candidate is made the next Soun. That Ogbomoso elite should not to let any external influence determine the fate of their ancestral home and fatherland; she concluded.

While it is in order for prominent citizens and members of the elite class to be interested in who becomes the Oba of a city or town, and while Osinbajo’s alleged interference in Ogbomoso remains a rumour; what is however worrisome if it was true is that the Vice President has no stake in the ancient town; he only has a prince friend who is interested in Soun’s stool; if indeed Ghandi is his friend.

But if Ghandi is not just a common name dropper and indeed has the backing of Osinbajo, one wonders why the VP’s name is always embroiled in controversy. It will be recalled that Osinbajo’s name was mentioned in connection to the high-rise block of luxury flats under construction that collapsed in Ikoyi in Lagos, Nigeria on November 1, 2022 where at least 42 people died.

It is public knowledge that the government of Lagos State has served a stop-work notice on the site and even sealed it up in July; however, it was widely reported on social media that the executive order to unseal and continue work on the building was issued to the developer of the ill-fated property, directly from the office of the Vice President; bypassing Lagos State authorities.

Nevertheless, the VP’s office denied any connection with the 21-storey collapsed building after the unfortunate has happened, and there was no one to confirm or confront the VP’s side of the story; even as the controversial real estate developer who was at the centre of the imbroglio also died in the collapsed building.

At any rate, as things now stand in the ancient town founded by Soun Ogunlola, it is left to be seen whether Yemi Osinbajo has a vested interest in who becomes the next Soun. And even if he did; it is left to be seen whether he can wield more influence than Ogbomoso people home and abroad put together over their fatherland. Also, it is left to be seen how much he has the governor of Oyo State in his grip; as events unfold.