The Aliiwo Ruling House has expressed outrage and disappointment over the abrupt cancellation of the installation of a new Mogaji, Prince Kamaldeen Adeboye Giwa, at the Olubadan Palace in Ibadan.
The event, scheduled for Monday, was halted at the last minute, leaving family members and guests bewildered.
The Aliiwo Ruling House described the incident as an “unbefitting epitaph” for the late Olubadan, Oba Dr. Sen. Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunnade II, who passed away in March last year.
The family praised the current Olubadan, Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin, for his commitment to truth, justice, and fair play and acknowledged his respect for his predecessor.
According to investigations, the cancellation was orchestrated by Chief Isiaka Akinpelu, a Special Adviser to the Olubadan on Chieftaincy Matters, who was previously relieved of his duties as Personal Assistant (Chieftaincy Matters) to the late Olubadan due to unbecoming conduct.
The Aliiwo family questioned how a mere Special Adviser could override the decision of the Olubadan Advisory Council, which had sanctioned the installation.
In a release signed by Senator Balogun, the immediate past senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, the family advised the Council to be cautious of Chief Akinpelu’s counsel, citing his previous misconduct.
It noted that, as far as the family is concerned, “a leopard cannot change its skin when Chief Akinpelu is involved, but one can only hope that when a supposed advice is adversary, the Council members should smell it.
“Ordinarily and when a straightforward person has such an opportunity of having garnered experience of those number of years, such should become handy for the betterment of such an office, but, unfortunately, Chief Akinpelu is not so moulded.
“Even, as recently as the tenure of his former and late principal, Oba Lekan Balogun, it was a settled matter that only court judgment or injunction could stop the scheduled installation of any Mogaji or Baale.
“It was not once or twice that the issue was raised at the Olubadan Advisory Council’s meetings and was so reported in the media.
“The logic behind the decision, which cannot be faulted, is that for anybody to be scheduled for installation either as Mogaji or Baale, aside from meeting all the palace requirements, there must have been preparations at the family compound or the community to entertain guests.
“So, what happens to the prepared food if an installation is scuttled based on some frivolous petitions or whatever? It is not within the purview of our family to recommend to either the Olubadan or his Advisory Council who should be employed for whatever position. But we owe posterity and our fatherland the counsel that a sacked staff by the late Olubadan should be properly monitored if he must be engaged to avoid causing the institution unmitigated embarrassment.”
The incident has raised concerns about the integrity of traditional institutions and the need for accountability within their ranks.
The Aliiwo Ruling House then called for proper monitoring of Chief Akinpelu’s activities to prevent further embarrassment to the institution.
