Oba Alexander MacGregor, the Olu of Orile Ilawo, in Ogun State has dismissed ten chiefs for their alleged involvement in the unauthorized sale of approximately 1,600 acres of community land located at Alagbagba and other areas within the Odeda Local Government Area.
The chiefs affected by this decision include Chief Oluwole Dosunmu, the Oluwo of Ilawo; Chief Abraham Soyoye, the Balogun of Ilawo; and Chief Fatai Sodimu, the Jagunna of Ilawo, along with seven others. The announcement was made during a press briefing held at the Oba’s palace on Saturday, where he was accompanied by other chiefs.
Oba MacGregor expressed his disappointment at the actions of the chiefs, stating that they have repeatedly defied his authority.
“These chiefs have sold not less than 1,600 acres of land without my permission,” he alleged.
The Oba emphasized that the Osile of Oke Ona can no longer serve as the prescribed authority for Ilawo because Ilawo has its own king.
He further warned the deposed chiefs against continuing to use their titles, saying, “They must stop parading themselves as Oluwo, Balogun, and Jagunna of Ilawo. They are no longer recognized by me.”
According to Oba MacGregor, the actions of the dismissed chiefs go against the traditional values of Omoluabi, which Ilawo is known for.
He stated, “I cannot fold my arms and allow the good name of our community to be tarnished by land grabbing activities.”
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In response, Chief Oluwole Dosunmu, speaking on behalf of the sacked chiefs, denied any wrongdoing. He asserted that their actions had been approved by the community. The 80-year-old community leader expressed surprise at the accusations, noting that they first learned of the allegations through the radio and newspapers, not from any official communication from the Oba.
“We have not done anything wrong. Everything we did was with the community’s approval. We possess certificates as recognized chiefs from the Osile of Oke Ona Egba, Oba (Dr) Adedapo Tejuoso,” Dosunmu said.
He added, “It is surprising that we only heard about this land sale allegation on the radio. We have not received any official letter addressing these claims.”