Power play over chieftaincy title threatens Ogun community

*Four families battle for supremacy

A misunderstanding among four families in Suboyede village, a community in Ogijo, Sagamu-Remo area of Ogun state, has resulted into crisis, as people are beginning to see the unification of the families as a mirage.

This is because one of the four families have chosen to wash its dirty linen in public and allowed external influence to complicate issues rather than embrace dialogue as a means to settle their differences as one family.

The four families are Roshogun, Oduro, Adeniyi and Awotedu said to be direct descendant of Oguntalabi, a brave hunter who came from Ile-Ife to find Suboyede village, over two hundred years ago.

It was gathered that sometimes in June 2015, Pa Sadiku Odelana with the help of one Chief Adedoyin from Sagamu Remo, conspired together to cause crisis in Suboyede village by presenting Akeem Sadiku Odelana to the late Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo, to be installed as the Baale of Suboyede village, when a Baale had already been installed for the community for about two years by the then Ologijo of Ojaji-Remo under which domain Suboyede village exists.

This action of Pa Sadiku Odelana and Chief Adedoyin, it was learnt angered the Roshogun, Adeniyi and Awotedu families who saw the move as an attempt to disorganize the Baale stool, subjugate and embarrass Baale Sikiru Okeowo.

However, to prevent any crisis among the families, Akeem Sadiku Odelana was said to have been cautioned by the Roshogun, Adeniyi and Awotedu families not to heed to the action taken by his father and Chief Adedoyin but rather to wait till the time the Baale stool will be occupied by the Oduro family, since Roshogun and Oduro families had reigned as Baale of the village and that it is now the turn of Adeniyi to rule, of which Chief Sakiru Okeowo comes from.

Not satisfied with the position of Roshogun Adeniyi and Awotedu families on the matter, Akeem Sadiku Odelana with the help of some elements allegedly invited thugs and unleashed mayhem on the village to actualize his dream of becoming the Baale.

It was learnt that the other three families resisted the action taken by Akeem Sadiku Odelana and this subsequently led to a serious crisis during which houses and other valuables running to several thousands of naira were destroyed. Also destroyed was the personal residence of Baale Sikiru Okeowo including traditional deities and shrines brought from Ile-Ife to the village by Oguntalabi.

When contacted on the issue, the head of the four families, Olotu Ganiyu Olowofela Adeniyi accused Pa Sadiku Odelana and his son of fanning the ember of discord among the families on a succession arrangement already put in place by the four families to the Baale stool of the village.

He said that an external force would not be allowed to meddle into the issue which could best be solved amicably by the families, warning that Akeem Sadiku Adelana meeting with the OPC leader, Chief Gani Adams, to come to his aid on the crisis would be firmly resisted by the other families.

Chief Ganiyu Olowofela Adeniyi said the matter had been reported at the Federal SARS of the Adeniji Adele Police Station, in Lagos.

Attempt by our correspondent to get some of the villagers to comment on the crisis proved abortive as the village has been deserted with weeds overgrown everywhere.