A monarch in Osun State, Oba David Omodunbi Adekunle Ajetomobi, (Arobiere III), the Ejisun of Ipo-Arakeji in Oriade Local Government Area, has dragged his three deposed Chiefs before the Nigeria Police authority over allegations of criminal activities in his community, calling for the urgent treatment of the matter by the Police.
The monarch dragged the Chiefs to the police through his legal Counsel, Lekan Alabi, who wrote a petition.
The monarch also complained about the criminal activities of the deposed Chiefs against one Moruf Azeez, an indigene of Ipo-Arakeji, who has been banned by the deposed Chiefs from entering the ancient town over his failure to pay them before he could be allowed to bury his late son in the land of the community.
The monarch gave the names of the deposed Chiefs as Olatunde Joseph Omobogunje, Safe Olalere Oguntufehinti and late Johnson Gbadurami Atanmokun as Elemo, Ashaye and Aremo of Ipo-Arakeji community respectively.
The monarch urged the Police to do a thorough and credible investigation into the criminal allegations levelled against the deposed Chiefs for possible and urgent prosecution before a Court of competent jurisdiction.
The petition was dated August 22, 2022, addressed to the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode, with copies made available to newsmen.
It was also alleged that the aforementioned deposed Chiefs have been engaging in series of unprintable behaviours which have reduced the dignity, honour and respect that is exclusively reserved for Oba Ajetomobi by arrogating unto themselves the power of installing new Chiefs in Ipo-Arakeji, without the king’s consent.
The petition cited the example of the installation of one Tunrayo Ogunsinmirin as Yeye Eesa of Ipo-Arakeji.
Part of the petition reads: “That Chief Olatunde Joseph Omobogunje, the deposed Elemo of Ipo-Arakeji has ordered the people of Ipo-Arakeji to be reporting any matters or issues that borders on the day to day activities in Ipo-Arakeji town and its environ to him as the new ‘King’ of Ipo-Arakeji.
“That the people of Ipo-Arakeji town have since been reporting issues and Ipo-Arakeji’s town matters to him out of the fear of unknown. The people of Ipo-Arakeji have been subjected to the whims and caprices of Chief Olatunde Joseph Omobogunje, the deposed Elemo of Ipo-Arakeji and his cohorts.
“That whenever there is any official and/or traditional ceremony in Ipo-Arakeji town, the would-be celebrants must first and foremost pay homage to the self installed ‘King’ and his ‘Chiefs’ at his residence where a list of items, ranging from money, goats, bottle of schnapps, wine and goodies must first be provided by the such celebrant before they are permitted to carry out any ceremony in Ipo-Arakeji.”
The petition further alleged that the deposed Chiefs have been attending meetings with the State Ministry of Education and management of Joseph Ayo Babalola University without any approval from Oba Ajetomobi wherein they have been presenting themselves as the authority in charge of Ipo-Arakeji community.
It added: “That these rebellious Chiefs do perform series of evil rituals in Ipo-Arakeji town and one of such terrible situation occurred when our second client, Mr. Moruf Azeez who happens to be living and farming in Ipo-Arakeji near Power Line Area lost his son to the cold hands of death sometimes in February, 2022.
“That when the sad news got to the hearing of the ‘Almighty Chiefs’, they quickly sent for the man, Mr. Moruf Azeez and wrongfully accused him of killing his own son (Abdulbakri Moruf). The Chiefs immediately passed judgement on our client by ordering him to make some money available for the purposes of atoning the gods in Ipo-Arakeji town.
“That our client, Mr. Moruf Azeez was shocked about their demands wherein, he made it clear that he did not have such money to part with, then, the Chiefs in their anger ordered him to carry the corpse of his son on his shoulder and walk around the Ipo-Arakeji town as a form of punishment for him, all because our client could not meet up with the Chief’s financial demands.”