Osun: Village Head Docked Over Alleged Impersonation

A 62-year-old impersonator, Micheal Oyelowo Oladeji has been arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Oyelowo who was charged with four-count charge bordering on false representation, false sworn affidavit, and a misdemeanour to cause a breach of peace pleaded not guilty to the charges slammed against him.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Lamidi Rasaq, alleged that the accused did parade himself as the Baale of Ogbaaga under Ayedaade Local Government.

According to the charge sheet, “Micheal Oyelowo Oladeji “M” between the month of November 2005 till date at Ogbaga via Gbongan in the Gbongan Magisterial District sitting at Osogbo did falsely present himself to be Baale of Ogbaga.

“On the 17th of March, 2010 at the High court of Justice Registry Ikire in the aforementioned Magisterial District, the accused did swear a false affidavit in Suit No. ARE/25/2007 especially in paragraph 2 and 7 of the same affidavit that you are the present Baale of Ogbaga via Gbongan under Ayedade Local Government which knowing fully to you to be false.”

It was further disclosed that the accused and others now at large between the month of January 2006 and 2019 did conspire among themselves to commit misdemeanour to wit conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.

Oyelowo and others also incited people against Baale Ekanade Ajani Amusan, calling him an Illegal and fake Baale of Ogbaga.

The offences contravened and are punishable under Sections 484, 117, 118, 517, and 249 (D) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

Defence Counsel, J. A Adeboye, applied for the bail of his client in the most liberal terms, adding that the accused is “a community leader and won’t jump bail.”

In a swift reaction, the prosecutor opposed the bail on the basis that “since the arraignment of the accused person, he has never allowed peace to reign in the community by parading himself as the Baale of Ogbaaga also threatening to kill Baale Ekanade Amusan.”

However, J. A. Adeboye prayed the court to dismiss the objection, maintaining that it is “accusation from the arch-enemy.”

The presiding Magistrate O. A. Olayade granted the bail application of N500, 000 and two sureties in like sum.

She, thereafter, adjourned the matter to January 28th, 2021 for hearing.

Meanwhile, the sitting Ologbaaga of Ogbaaga, Baale Ekanade Ajani Amusan JP, Attorney General Chambers of Osun State noted that the accused’s action is an affront to constituted authority.“

He said, “I was enthroned as the Baale of Ogbaaga on January 20, 2006, after the demise of my predecessor, Chief Yesufu Oyewo Akinyinka who transited on the 12th of August 2005.

“There were contests to the throne. But unfortunately, Michael Oyelowo Oladeji from the same ruling house in Ifafolajin Dynasty of Ogbaaga assumed himself to be the Baale of Ogbaaga and installed himself as the Baale of Ogbaaga with his cohorts on 22 November 2005.

“This is an affront to the constituted authority. And the Ayedaade Local Government Traditional Council of Obas and Chiefs convened this sad news to the chairman, Osun State Council of Obas, the late Ooni of Ife, HIM, Oba Okunade Sijuade who brought Michael Oyelowo Oladeji to the floor of the Osun State Council of Obas.

“And he was disrobed there. That was January 5, 2006, that he has committed great offence. They asked that if he has interest, he should go and appeal at the Ayedaade local government council of Obas.

“Unfortunately for him, we were invited to the chieftaincy committee that we should bring people that are conversant with the tradition of Ogbaaga. Instead for him to come with the three people we were asked to come with, he came with several people. Unfortunately, the police, SSS that were there disallowed the ugly incident.

“January 18th, a letter of confirmation came to me that I was appointed the Baale of Ogbaaga and I made my installation immediately in January 2006.

“Since then, he has disallowed peace to reign in Ogbaaga. He went to High Court of Justice, Ikire Division. And unfortunately, the court shut him out that he has not the remedies applicable to him.

“When that happened, on April 28, 2009, his matter was struck out. He went to Appeal Court and he withdrew there. He was not comfortable. He went to High Court again. That was December 24th, 2012. He proceeded again to the Court of Appeal in Akure.

“Eventually, his matter was dismissed by the court of appeal. The commissioner for local government came to inform us that in the August meeting, the government of Osun sent him to tell Oyelowo to allow peace to reign in Ogbaaga. He refused to let peace reign.

“I brought investors, he did not allow anyone to stay. He has threatened to kill me because I am the pointer to investors, where they will go.

“July last year, the AIG took him to the court for impersonation, conduct likely parading himself as the Baale of Ogbaaga.

“He doesn’t have any hiding place. He went to a contender too and told him to give him the Baaleship of Ogbaaga. Unfortunately, he did not know what he was doing. He withdrew from here. He went to Ayedaade local government. He went to Irewole. And said that Ogbaaga is not from Ayedaade, but from Irewole. He brought confusion to everybody.

“Later, we heard that Akire gave him letter of appointment vid an executive decision, not judicial decision by the ministry of local government, and I challenged them that the matter between me and Akire is before the court of appeal, Akure. That the stay of execution is there and there is nobody who can literally cede a community from his local government to another local government.

“The Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs’ Decision is an excessive Executive Decision, neither Legislative nor Judicial that have such, thus it has to fail. Moreso, what they are doing is unconstitutional.

“We have never been under Ikire. In 2010, he went to High Court in Ikire to declare that he is the present Baale of Ogbaaga which is a lie and that is perjury. He was never the Baale of Ogbaaga.”