On April 17, 2023, the Osun State Government approved the elevation of the Baale of Agbowo, Chief Musibau Gbenusola, to Part II status under the Chiefs’ Law (Cap. 25) of the state. This effectively raised the status of Chief Gbenusola, who was first appointed as Baale in 2018, to that of an Oba….CONTINUE READING...CONTINUE READING
Letter
Moments after this development became public knowledge, a letter pur- porting Chief Gbenusola’s suspension as Baale by the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba AbdulRasheed Adewale Akabi, Telu I, surfaced on social media. In the April 6, 2023 letter, Oluwo had claimed Chief Gbenusola had no historical link to Agbowo, and as such, holding the title of the Baale of the settlement would be an aberration.
“You’re enjoined to stop parading yourself as Baale. Failure to adhere to this strictly will be an affront which may not be entertained by the Oluwo in Council,” the letter had warned. But findings by this newspaper revealed that Oluwo’s letter came just a few days after he was informed of the state government’s decision to elevate Chief Gbenusola to the status of an Oba. It is usually customary for the state government to inform a foremost traditional ruler exercising influence over an area it plans to exercise constitutional authority on chieftaincy matters. It was, however, after Oluwo became aware of the state government’s decision that he took the step to suspend Chief Gbenusola as the Baale of Agbowo even though he had held that position for five years.
How it began?
Chief Gbenusola first settled in Agbowo 21 years ago. At that time, the settle- ment, which is a few distance away from the popular Odo-Ori market, was home to wild animals as human beings are barely inhabitants there.
“When Chief Gbenusola settled in Agbowo, it was just an empty land occupied by tick bush and wild animals,” Prince Tadese Adedeji went down memory lane. Before Chief Gbenusola settled in Agbowo, he recalled, he held the traditional title of Eesiki of Feesuland under Baale Oparonke. The Eesiki is the second in command to the Baale by tradition. It was learnt that Agbowo is a part of Feesuland bequeathed on them by the Oluwo at the point of their settlement, but was parted off sometimes in the early 80s for government mass housing estate. There was, however, no serious interest in the area after the project failed, leaving the large ex- panse of land unutilised for so many years. It was this sad reality that prompted Chief Gbenusola to seek the leave of the Baale of Feesu to move to Agbowo 21 years ago to pursue its development, another source informed this paper. “When he (Gbenusola) got here (Ag- bowo), there was no presence of anything. Everywhere was empty and the sights and sounds of animals were what you will al- ways come across,” he narrated. But Chief Gbenusola, he added, was determined to change the face of the area, and begin to install infrastructure and busi- nesses that will attract the interest of people to settle in Agbowo. “He (Gbenusola) established a sawmill factory, connected the area to the electricity grid, built a shopping complex and numerous buildings that propelled other people to come and settle in Agbowo,” he stressed.
Transformation to baale
As the Eesiki of Feesuland, Chief Gbenusola leveraged his relationship with the late Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Olatunbosun Tadese to pave the way for his elevation to the Baale of Feesuland to part II status un- der the Chiefs’ Law (Cap. 25) of Osun State. Upon his ascension to the throne, the Oba of Feesuland elevated Chief Gbenusola to the status of Baale of Agbowo as a show of appreciation for his role in his elevation. The installation of Chief Gbenusola as Baale in 2018 was graced by government officials, politicians, traditional rulers and other distinguished personalities, including Prince Adelani Akanbi, the Aremo of Oluwo. It was learnt that Prince Akanbi at- tended the event as a representative of the Oluwo of Iwoland.
Before the bubble burst
At the beginning, it was gathered that the Oluwo of Iwoland had a cordial rela- tionship with Chief Gbenusola. Both men are said to maintain a father and son re- lationship, which at a point, saw the Oba Akanbi delegating Chief Gbenusola to at- tend events on his behalf. On August 28, 2021, Oba Akanbi at- tended the third year anniversary of Chief Gbenusola as the Baale of Agbowo. At that event, it was learnt that the Oluwo com- missioned the newly built palace of the Baale of Agbowo, underscoring the close relationship that exists between them. Pictures of the event conveyed the affin- ity of Oluwo and Agbowo, as they were sur- rounded by the wives of Chief Gbenusola in a joyous mood. Both men could also be seen walking around the compound. “Chief Gbenusola has a lot of respect for the Oluwo of Iwoland just like a son to his father. And they enjoyed a good relationship until recently when I sus- pect some people may have misinformed Kabiyesi (Oba Akanbi) on the true situation of Agbowo,” Prince Tadese noted.
Suspension and its reversal on Agbowo
On April 6, 2023, the Oluwo had authorised a letter be written suspending the Baale of Agbowo from his position. This suspension came only a few days after Oluwo became aware of the state government’s decision to elevate Chief Gbenusola to the status of Oba. The action of the Oluwo, it was learnt, was not received well by the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, who viewed the decision as a direct attack on him. Sources informed that the governor was at loss as to why the Oluwo waited until he decided to elevate Chief Gbenusola before coming up with the suspension. He was said to have registered his dis- pleasure with the Oluwo, who, however, was said to have made efforts to convince the governor that it had nothing to do with him. “The Governor (Adeleke) was not pleased with the action of the Oluwo as it was clearly targeted at him,” one of the sources shared, noting that: “He (Adeleke) could not understand why Oba Akanbi did not see all the reasons he cited for the suspension of Chief Gbenusola for five years that he had been Baale until his administration wanted to elevate him.” When the reservation of the governor got to the attention of the topmost body in Iwo, the Iwo Board of Trustees (IBoT), they took steps to arrest the situation. In a letter dated April 7, 2023, the IBoT had conveyed the decision of the Oluwo to re- verse the suspension of Chief Gbenusola to Governor Adeleke. “The board wishes to inform your Excellency that following the interven- tion of prominent and eminent Iwo sons and daughters, His Royal Majesty, the Oluwo of Iwo, had reversed the suspen- sion placed on the Baale of Agbowo (Adebiopon) with immediate effect,” the letter signed by its President, Professor Lai Olurode, reads in part. This development paved the way for the state government to go ahead with the elevation of Chief Gbenusola to the status of Oba.
Agbowo community hails Adeleke
Already the communities in Agbowo, a sub-hub of Iwo in Osun State, have hailed Governor Ademola Adeleke over the elevation of the Baale of Agbowo to Part II status with effect from April 17, 2023. The communities, which are Irewole, Ajekunle, Kondo, Surulere, Olorunsogo, Ifelagba Housing Estate, Ifelodun, Bolo- runduro, Ayedade, Olugusi, Oganla 1 and Oganla 2, had in a letter addressed to the governor, lauded Governor Adeleke for graciously approving the elevation of their traditional ruler. In the letter signed by Mr. Ojedele Ismail Ojebode, the Chairman of the umbrella body of the communities, the people of Ag- bowo described the elevation of the Agbowo by Governor Adeleke as a “great dividend of democracy from the current Sheriff in Osun State”, noting that it will further foster peace and progress of their area. “The above named community as the umbrella and apex body for (Irewole, Ajekunle, Kondo, Surulere, Olorunsogo, Ifelagba Housing Estate, Ifelodun, Bolo- runduro, Ayedade, Olugusi, Oganla 1 and Oganla 2 communities), hereby uses this glorious opportunity to register our un- diluted appreciation to His Excellency, Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke for using his good office to approved the elevation our esteemed Baale Of Agbowo to Part II (Recognised Status) under the Chiefs’ Law (Cap. 25) Laws of Osun State, 2022 with effect from 17th April, 2023,” the letter signed by Mr. Ojedele Ismail Ojebode reads in part….CONTINUE READING
