The new kings installed by Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, yesterday, confirmed that they were responsible for the stoppage of the monthly salary of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji and not the state government as being insinuated.
The monarchs said this after a meeting held with scores of community leaders (Mogajis) at Mapo Hall in Ibadan Oyo State.
This was as the monarchs issued a letter of suspension to the leaders of masquerades who flouted his order not to dance in the new kings’ compounds.
Led by Otun Olubadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, the new monarchs concluded that the salaries from 10 months which the Olubadan is entitled to would be suspended until he recognized their new status as kings.
The monarchs said it was sheer selfishness for the Olubadan to accept his new title of “Imperial Majesty” and maintain a rigid stance against their own installation.
Oba Balogun said: “The Olubadan got promotion from royal majesty to imperial majesty, he didn’t complain but he is not ready to recognise us as kings, how do you think that can be possible?
“He should remember that he couldn’t have become king if we, the kingmakers did not recommend him to the governor.
“It is not automatic that he should become king. In fact, anybody from the chieftaincy title of Ekerin from both lines can be picked as Olubadan of Ibadan. “We recommended him to the governor before he was installed by the same governor who installed us as kings”.
“We want to correct the misconception that it was the state government that stopped his salary. The governor is paying him his monthly salary from time to time. But, there is another N200,000 he usually collects from each of the 11 local governments in Ibadanland. That is the one we suspended. He will start collecting it as soon as he recognises us as duly installed kings.”
In another development, the leaders of masquerades attended the meeting at Mapo to report that they were issued a letter of suspension by the Olubadan.
The two leaders, Mr. Ojeniyi Akintomide Okugbaja from Isale Osun, Oranyan and Ojetunde Akinleye Asoleke told the kings that immediately after the conclusion of masquerade festival, the Olubadan ordered that they should give them suspension letter for flouting his directive.
While Asoleke collected the letter, Okugbaja rejected his own which was later sent to him directly.
(Vanguard)
