The kingmakers of Ijesaland have denied allegations of bribery levelled against them by two former chiefs, demanding verifiable evidence and threatening to petition the police over alleged criminal defamation.
The Council of Kingmakers of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland has condemned allegations of bribery made by the former Odole of Ilesa, Mr Bola Orolugbagbe, and former Obaodo, Mr Busuyi Gbadamosi, describing the claims as malicious, baseless and defamatory.
The kingmakers made their position known in a statement responding to allegations reportedly raised by the two former chiefs during a press conference held last Saturday.
According to the statement, the palace and the Council of Chiefs had initially maintained silence to avoid engaging in public exchanges, particularly while judicial proceedings relating to the traditional institution were ongoing.
However, the kingmakers said the alleged bribery accusations had crossed the line, making a public response necessary to protect their reputations and the integrity of Ijesaland's traditional institution.
The statement specifically identified four senior traditional titleholders as the targets of the allegations: His Royal Majesty Oba Oyebade, the Ogboni of Ipole; His Royal Majesty Oba Festus Awogboro, the Ogboni and Alademure of Ibokun; His Royal Majesty Oba Moses Oluwafemi Agunsoye, the Ogboni and Elegboro of Ijebu-Jesa; and High Chief Saka Fapounda, the Ogboni of Ilesa.
The four Ogbonis, alongside the other kingmakers, categorically denied receiving any bribe, inducement or gratification from the Owa Obokun Adimula, His Imperial Majesty Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, Ajimoko III, before, during or after his emergence as the paramount ruler of Ijesaland.
They reaffirmed their loyalty to the monarch, describing their commitment to the throne of Owa Olokun as sacred and unbroken.
Kingmakers Insist Owa's Emergence Followed Due Process
The council maintained that the emergence of Oba Haastrup as the Owa Obokun Adimula was a transparent and legitimate process conducted in accordance with Ijesa customs, traditions, native laws and the relevant Chieftaincy Declaration.
It described the bribery allegations as a deliberate attempt to tarnish the reputations of the kingmakers and bring the centuries-old traditional governance system of Ijesaland into disrepute.
Consequently, the council challenged Orolugbagbe and Gbadamosi to produce witnesses, documentary evidence or other credible proof to substantiate their claims.
The kingmakers warned that failure to provide verifiable evidence would prompt them to submit a formal petition to the police, specifically the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), seeking an investigation into alleged criminal defamation, character assassination and incitement of public unrest.
The statement stressed that the allegations should not be made without evidence, insisting that those making such claims must be prepared to substantiate them.
Council Recalls Removal of Former Chiefs
The kingmakers also recalled that Orolugbagbe and Gbadamosi had been stripped of their respective chieftaincy titles, attributing their removal to alleged gross misconduct and behaviour they said was inconsistent with the values of Ijesaland.
According to the statement, the removals constituted traditional disciplinary measures intended to preserve the integrity of the chieftaincy institution.
The council further explained that the palace's earlier decision not to engage in public exchanges should be understood as a demonstration of maturity and royal decorum rather than weakness.
It, however, warned that it would no longer tolerate what it described as persistent attempts by aggrieved individuals to discredit the palace and its traditional institutions.
The kingmakers urged journalists and members of the public to treat the bribery allegations with caution unless supported by verifiable evidence.
They expressed confidence that the judiciary would ultimately vindicate them, while reiterating their allegiance to Oba Haastrup and the throne of Owa Obokun Adimula.
The statement concluded with a declaration of support for the monarch and a prayer for the continued reign of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland.
FULL TEXT
Read by His Royal Majesty Oba Omokehinde Oyebade, the Ogboni of Ipole and His Royal Majesty Oba Festus Awogboro, the Ogboni and Alademure of Ibokun;
Council of kingmakers Condemns Malicious Defamation By Ousted Chiefs (ex - Odole and ex - ObaOdo) demands proof of bribery or imminent Police petition*
We, the kingmakers of OWA OBOKUN ADIMULA OF IJESALAND speaking authoritatively on behalf of the Palace,
has broken its silence to categorically condemn, deny, and refute the slanderous, defamatory, and comptemptuos allegations made by the former Odole of Ilesa, Mr. Bola Orolugbagbe and former Obaodo, Mr. Busuyi Gbadamosi, during their press conference of last Saturday.
While the Palace and Council of Chiefs previously maintained a dignified silence to avoid joining issues or commenting on ongoing judicial proceedings,
the baseless accusations of bribery targeted at the ranking custodians of our heritage have crossed a line, making a definitive and forceful public response absolutely necessary.
We, the kingmakers, state under no uncertain terms that the allegation of bribery is a complete fabrication borne out of malice and desperation.
The primary targets of this vitriol are myself, HRM ALAYELUWA OBA OYEBADE ,( the Ogboni of Ipole, )
HRM ALAYELUWA OBA FESTUS AWOGBORO (the Ogboni and Alademure of Ibokun)
HRM ALAYELUWA OBA MOSES OLUWAFEMI AGUNSOYE (the Ogboni and Elegboro of Ijebu-Jesa And HIGH CHIEF SAKA FAPOUNDA ( the Ogboni of iLESA)
We stand unified in completely clearing our names.
We The four Ogbonis hereby ,*reaffirm our absolute support, unalloyed loyalty, and deepest respect to the Paramount Ruler, His Imperial Majesty, Owa Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, Ajimoko III, Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland*.
Our commitment to the throne of Owa Olokun remains sacred and unbroken.
No member of the four Ogbonis, who serve as the supreme traditional pillars and kingmakers of our land, accepted any bribe, inducement, or gratification from the Paramount Ruler, before, during, or after his ascension to the throne.
The ascension of Owa Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, Ajimoko III, was a transparent, legitimate, and sacred process conducted strictly according to ancient Ijesa customs, traditions, and native laws and in full compliance with the relevant Chieftaincy Declaration.
These wild claims are a deliberate attempt to tarnish our hard-earned reputation and to drag the sacred, centuries-old- traditional governance of Ijesaland into disrepute.
We, the four Ogbonis and the entire kingmakers, throw a direct challenge to these frustrated and disgruntled individuals regarding their wild bribery claims: *prove it or face the full wrath of the law*
We challenge the former Odole and the former Obaodo to immediately bring forth their proof, witness, or any credible evidence of bribery to the public domain.
If they fail to substantiate these defamatory claims with verifiable facts, a former petition will be submitted immediately to the police authorities - specifically the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) - to investigate them for criminal defamation, character assassination, and the intentional incitement of public unrest..
We, the kingmakers, remind the general public and the media that these two individuals were stripped of their chieftaincy titles due to their own *gross misconduct and unsavory behavior,* which desecrated the values of Ijesaland.
Their removal was a traditional disciplinary action executed to preserve the integrity of the Chieftaincy institution of Ijesaland.
The previous refusal of the palace to engage in media warfare was not a sign of weakness, a reflection of maturity and royal decorum.
However, the Palace will no longer tolerate the continuous dragging of its sacred institution into the mud by frustrated individuals who have been engaged in fraudulent activities that are not in tandem with the noble values of Ijesaland.
We urge the members of the press and the general public to disregard these toxic falsehoods completely.
We remain confident that the judiciary will ultimately vindicate the kingmakers.
Long live Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland
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