Orile Ilawo, a town in the Odeda local government area of Ogun State may be enmeshed in a Chieftaincy crisis following the demise of the monarch of the town, Oba Aina who passed on about a year ago, one of the purported Chiefs in the town, Chief Lawrence Ogunsanya has been making frantic efforts to succeed the late monarch.
It was gathered that recently Chief Ogunsanya who some residents of the town regarded as an impostor has cunningly been installed as the Akogun of Orile Ilawo following the suspension of Chief Wasiu Balogun.
Chief Balogun who was installed as the Akogun of Ilawo in 2016 by the Isle of Oke-Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, was suspended following accusations from some chiefs in Ilawo that he was engaged in land grabbing, a move that was denied by Chief Wasiu Balogun.
"But despite the denial and findings, the Chiefs went ahead and suspend Chief Wasiu Balogun, and within a twinkling of an eye, they cunningly went ahead and installed another person as Akogun of Orile Ilawo.
"Chief Lawrence Ogunsanya was therefore installed as a replacement for Chief Wasiu Balogun who was merely suspended for phantom lies, in May 2022, a source told Our Correspondent.
This has therefore generated reactions and crisis in the town as the residents believe that Chief Wasiu Balogun was unjustly treated.
The action made Chief Balogun petition Oba Tejuoso on the illegality and called for the stoppage of the injustice.
A source added that " what broke the camel's back was that a few weeks after his installation, Chief Ogunsanya has continued to root for how he is going to succeed the late Oba Aina as the Olu of Orile Ilawo.
Speaking to our correspondent, the Osi of Ilawo, Chief Olufade directed our correspondent to Oliwo of Orile Ilawo, saying that he holds a minor title compared to the Oluwo of the town.
"Yea it's only Oluwo that has the right to speak to you on the matter you asked me."
Contacted the Akeweje of the town, Chief Kayode Sobande said "all that you were told are true, but it will be better if you can speak with those concerned".
Narrating his side of the story, Chief Wasiu Balogun said he was not around when the whole drama started,
"I was in Ghana then, and they told me that they wanted to install Apagun, but not knowing that what they intend to do is to depose me.
"I know that these people are on a wild goose chase, they can not remove me as Akogun of Ilawo, I was properly installed by his Majesty, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso and indigenes of the town, so all that they are doing is just drama.
"Though I was not born with any Chieftaincy title, I am a full Ilawo son, my maternal and paternal homes are from Ilawo, and nobody can send me away from my home."
He vowed to defend what is his, calling on authorities to wade into the crisis rocking the town.
Meanwhile, in a petition sent to the Isle of Oke Ona Egba, Chief Wasiu Balogun urged Oba Tejuoso to annul the process.
"I am Chief Wasiu Balogun, the Akogun of Ilawo Community and duly certified by your Majesty vide the certificate issued to me by your Majesty many years back.
"However Sir, owing to some disagreements, while I have not been removed as the Akogun of Ilawo, the Oluwo of Ilawo and some members of the Ilawo traditional Council of Chiefs proceeded illegally and without approval from your Majesty to appoint and install one Mr Lawrence as the Akogun of Ilawo.
"The fillers before the event was that the said Mr Lawrence was to be installed as the Apagun of Ilawo.
"However Kabiesi, it came as a shock when contrary to Justice, the Oluwo and some members of the Council proceeded to install illegally as the Akogun of Ilawo despite my subsisting chieftaincy as the Akogun of Ilawo.
"I hereby write to complain against Oluwo and some members of the law traditional Council of Chiefs and urge Kablesi to call them to order and make far-reaching orders nullifying the purported installation of Mr Lawrence as the Akogun of law which was carried out illegally".
Meanwhile, all efforts to get to the Oluwo and Lawrence Ogunsanya for his side of the story proves abortive as of the time of filing this report.
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