Osun Monarch, Aragbiji Refutes Looming Religious Crisis In His Town, Cautions ‘Prince’ Over False Claims

By Deborah Akinpelu, Osogbo

Aragbiji of Iragbiji land, Oba Abdurasheed Ayotunde Olabomi had on Tuesday cautioned a ‘prince’, Tunde Olawale over claims of instigating religious crisis and flaunting the royal stool tradition.

The monarch made his position known during a briefing with journalists in his palace in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government area of Osun.

The monarch who lambasted Olawale for his conduct and utterances againt the stool of Aragbiji urged the general public to discountenance all the claims of Tunde Olawale regarding them as ‘fictitious claims’.

CityMirrorNews recalled that Olawale popular called Dansaki had on Tuesday called on stakeholders in the state to rise up and forestall the imminent crisis in the town.

In a letter by his lawyer, Abioye Kunle Charles, Tunde said the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba AbdurRasheed Olabomi, needs to be cautioned before he cause religious crisis in the town.

Olawale while addressing members of Correspondents’ chapel  explained that the monarch has gone against the dictate of culture by vacating the palace for his personal residence and deserved to be dethroned.

But Oba Olabomi while reacting explained that, “Iragbiji remains very peaceful, convivial , and happy community without an iota of perceived crisis. Relationship between various groups , interest and segments of the community have been most cordial more so with the election of our son, Isiaka Oyetola as the Governor state of Osun.”

“Neither Tunde Olawale nor his Counsel have locus to speak for either the community, the Muslim nor traditionalists who they profess to be speaking for Intact, they are mere ” charlatans ” and Tunde is an ordinary member of Iragbiji community where he does not have knowledge of its structure and governance. ”

“Tunde Olawale is not a true member any of the four Ruling house of Ajibode , Ogunmolu , Osungbemi and Arowodoye. However, because of his failed attempt to mischievously and surreptitiously present himself as a prince, he has successfully fed his Counsel with enough morsel of falsehood which the lawyer also cheaply swallowed. Perhaps, the lawyer is not busy or they have similar character traits.”

“There is not single shrine in the Aragbiji palace, and if Tunde Olawale or his Counsel know of any, they should point it out. Besides, I do not know either Tunde Olawale or his Counsel as accredited members of any known shrine or traditional religion even, the Counsel is not a member of Iragbiji community. Hence, they are mere busy body who did not have locus to lodge any complaint for or on behalf of any traditionalist. Rather, a section of traditionalists, the Ifa priests came to celebrate their annual Ifa festival in the palace on Thursday October 18, 2018 with the Aragbiji and his chiefs receiving them warmly while others have paid them warm homage within the past one week with prayers for the Aragbiji. The relationship have been very cordial ”

“Another section of the threat has to do with the alleged crisis with the Muslim faithful. It is a fact that Tunde Olawale is a Christian and all he is set out to do is to brew discord between the Muslims and Christians and disrupt the existing very cordial relationship within the various groups who never have iota of conflict .”

“The nativity of Tunde Olawale and his Counsel is again nakedly exhibiting in the case of the Aragbiji not staying in the palace .”

“I was enthroned the Aragbiji of Iragbiji on 22 may 2008 and have been permanently resident in the palace, until December 29, may 2017 when the community decided that the palace would be renovated and remodeled which made the Aragbiji and his immediate family temporarily relocate to private residence pending the completion of the palace. The said Tunde Olawale was in my palace on a number of occasions to commend the execution of the palace, before his current tendencies .”

“Also, Tunde Olawale and his Counsel do not fall into the category of any stakeholder of the Iragbiji. Tunde is neither a chief, an executive of Iragbiji indigenes Association nor member of any of the ruling houses. He therefore has no locus to decide or influence any decision on the building. He is therefore a mere busy body who decided to use is time to meddle into affairs which do not concern him.”

“He needs to be reminded that at a time in the history of Iragbiji, one of my predecessors was not in the palace for about seven (7) years and he later moved in. Besides there are many Obas in yorubaland who do not have in the palace for any reason or the other and heaven never fall. Even, Tunde Olawale and his parents were never part of traditional decision makers nor authorities in Iragbiji cultural history and he cannot claim to be one now.”

“The story cooked by him about Oba Ogunmolu is far from the reality. I do not blame him since he is not a prince, else he would not have derided, my own father, Oba Ogunmolu.”

“I like to state that the rantings of Tunde Olawale and his co-traveler, his Counsel are reactions to my judgement of January 12, 2017 where I declared that the Alapa compound where Tunde Olawale hail from do not rightly belong to the Aragbiji ruling house which they claim. They are migrants into Iragbiji about 150 years ago.”

“. In addition, I like to admonish journalists to always balance their stories. One wonder why a vagabond can just rise up and make and spurious allegations and for a journalist to accept those claims hook line and sinker without balancing the story.”

“Besides, Tunde Olawale does not have teeth to bite nor bark on any dethronement. Rather, members of the public should discountenance the empty threat of the busy body, whose sole interest is to attract attention”