Stop Fuelling Crisis Over Final Rites For Oba Famodun In Igbajo, APC Warns Osun Govt

-Calls For Urgent Security Intervention

By Michael Ojo, Osogbo

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the state government of complicity in the promotion of crisis in the ancient town of Igbajo in the Boluwaduro Local Government Area of the state following the death of the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Philip Adegboyega Famodun III, the Owa of Igbajoland, four days ago.

To this effect, the opposition APC has enjoined the Inspector-General of Police to take charge of the unsavoury development in order to ensure that no forces irrespective of their socio-political standing in the state are allowed to cause any form of crisis in the town which is mourning the recent passing of its highly revered traditional ruler.

According to Osun State chairman of the APC, in a statement issued by the spokesman of the party, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, on Monday, it was disheartening that the Governor Adeleke-led government could not hide its pathological hatred for the deceased Oba Famodun who was the immediate-past state chairman of the opposition APC even in death.

APC said that the declaration of curfew on the ancient town of Igbajo by the state government this morning during the period that the traditional chiefs and kingmakers are performing the mandatory seven-day traditional rites which was started on Sunday in the commemoration of the death of Oba Famodun was antithetical to the peaceful atmosphere of the community.

“It is strange that while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been trying all possible means to nip in the bud crises across the nooks and crannies of the nation, a sub-national could be embracing avoidable fueling of crisis as it is being currently witnessed in Osun State.

“We want to state unequivocally that the Adeleke government should be held accountable for any crisis that may erupt in Igbajo over the conduct of the ongoing traditional rites for the fallen Owa of Igbajoland, Oba Gboyega Famodun.

“The state government should cast its mind back that this was how the communal strife between Ilobu and Ifon-Osun and Erin-Osun was orchestrated through the administrative inefficiency and ingenuity of the current state government was started and subsequently snowballed into killings and destruction of houses and valuable property of the innocent inhabitants.

“While the much appreciated Oba Famodun was being mourned, the Osun State Government committed a massive blunder as usual.

Oba Famodun was crowned the Owa of Igbajo in November 2022, but the Adeleke-led government by “executive order” and “white paper”, nullified his installation.

The High Court of Osun State, on the 31st January, 2025, reinstated Oba Philip Adegboyega Famodun as the Owa of Igbajo.