Awujale
had written to inform the Governor of his plans to go to the UK for medical
attention. The letter contained information about the Oba’s itinerary and
contact details. The Governor read the letter. Finally! He responded. He
responded by asking for further and better particulars about Kabiyesi’s health
and the planned trip to enable him decide whether or not to approve the
request.
Request?
Awujale picked up his pen and explained that his initial letter was not a
request for approval, but information about his journey.
Information?
The governor fired another letter. “Your Majesty is hereby requested to comply
with His Excellency’s earlier letter.” Oba Adetona filed away the letter and
instead of picking his pen, it was his passport that he picked. Off to London!
The gathering
clouds became ominous!
The
governor was waiting patiently to receive Awujale’s response. He waited and
waited. When the news came, it was not the letter he was expecting. Instead the
news he got was that the Ogbagba II, Commander of the Federal Republic had left
for London.
Onabanjo
weighed carefully his options. He was an Ijebu son. He was Awujale’s subject.
But he was also the Executive Governor of the State, the first citizen of the
State by virtue of office. What was he to do? Should he call the Awujale and
order him to return? He picked the phone. He hesitated. No, he won’t call.
Instead, he called some prominent Obas in Ogun State.
Awujale
had hardly settled down in London when his phone began to ring. ‘Kabiyesi,
Gomina n binu o. E ma pada bo o!” It was a First Class Oba calling from
Nigeria. The phone rang again, another Kabiyesi, with the same message. Another
call. Another call. Another call. Another call. Alake of Egba called. Akarigbo
called. The husband of Olori Iyabo Adetona refused. They pleaded with the
husband of Olori Kemi Adetona. The Ogbagba II maintained his stand. When it
appeared that the phone would not stop ringing, Kabiyesi changed his telephone
number.
The
Governor was waiting to hear that Awujale had returned to the country. If he
heard anything, it was to be informed that Awujale was still in London.
The
ominous gathering cloud became a bit too heavy!
On
November 23, 1981, the people of Ogun State woke up to receive the first shock!
“Oba Sikiru Adetona is hereby suspended from office as the Awujale of Ijebuland
in the Ijebu-Ode Local Government area until further notice!”
Suspended
ke? Suspension bawo? From Abeokuta to Ota, from Ifo to Ilaro, from Ijebu Ode to
Sagamu, from Mowe to Idiroko, the question was the same. Could Awujale be
suspended by his ‘son’, the Governor?
The
second shock came almost immediately. The Government set up a Commission of
Enquiry to probe the affairs of the suspended Oba Sikiru Adetona as the Awujale
of Ijebuland. The commission was headed by Hon. Justice S. O. Sogbetun who
became a Judge of the State on June 1, 1977.
Awujale
picked his phone. He called two leading lawyers of the time; Chief FRA Williams
and Omooba Sina Odedina. Timi the Law advised his client not to appear
personally before the Commission, as it was not constituted properly. A case
was promptly filed challenging the constitutionality of the Sogbetun
Commission.
Well,
Awujale or no Awujale, case in court or no case in court, Sogbetun Commission
sat. Things became tense in Ijebuland whilst the Commission met. At the end of the day, the Commission
submitted its report. The Awujale was found guilty.
It
was in the evening that the report of the Commission was submitted to the government.
Overnight, government read the report, government reviewed the report, government
digested the report. All in the course of one night.
By
the following morning, having carefully reviewed and painstakingly considered
the report, the Government announced the deposition of Oba Sikiru Kayode
Adetona, CFR, as the Awujale of Ijebuland.
Ha!
From suspension to deposition! But Kabiyesi had a case in court! People
speculated. What could have happened? It was one speculation after another.
Off
to court again! The now deposed Kabiyei went to court. The case of His Royal
Highness Oba S. K. Adetona v. Governor of Ogun State and Others was assigned to
Hon. Justice Owolabi Kolawole. You remember him? His Lordship was the trial
judge in the case of AYINLA OMOWURA.
On
Friday, May 4, 1984, Justice Kolawole delivered his judgment. His Lordship
found that there was: “so much indecent haste on the part of Government to
depose the plaintiff that it overlooked so many fundamental issues…in its haste
to have the plaintiff deposed, it overlooked to give any reason for the
plaintiff’s deposition.” His Lordship therefore declared that the decision of
His Excellency to depose His Royal Majesty was null and void.
Now
something happened while the case was going on. A military coup occurred. His
Excellency, Chief Olabisi Onabanjo was removed from office as a result of the
coup. It was therefore the lot of the new military governor COL. OLADIPO DIYA
to restore Oba Sikiru Adetona to the throne of his fathers. Coincidentally Col
Oladipo Diya is another Son of Ijebuland! The saga continues……………
Thanks
for your time!
Please
visit https://onigegewura.blogspot.com.ng/
for other interesting historical narratives.
Please give us the concluding part of this quick
ReplyDeleteThank you. We are working on it.
DeletePlease, I would love to have the next scene. Kudos fur the good work. History is noble.
ReplyDeletePlease, I would love to have the next scene. Kudos fur the good work. History is noble.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading. Please visit the blog regularly in order not to miss the concluding part.
DeleteI'm hooked!
ReplyDeletePlease land I'm wating.
ReplyDeleteVery good piece of history... waiting for the conclusion please..
ReplyDeletePlease publish the concluding part. Thanks sir
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the concluding part
ReplyDeleteThis should be made into a movie!!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting story, i will appreciate the concluding part.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting tale from the master story teller himself. I discovered this blog a couple of days back but already hooked to it. Ride on Sir!
ReplyDeleteOnigegewura is a fantastic story teller.
ReplyDeleteAm loving this
ReplyDelete"When elephants fight, it's the grass that suffers..." - African proverb.
ReplyDeleteRiveting, true story!
Where is Ayekooto now? Long life Kabiyesi. The only one who told Abacha the blunt truth in the wake of Diya's coup in 1997. The only one who told Jonathan the raw truth in 2015. the only monarch I can stand and vouch for. K'ade pe lori, Ki bata pe lese!
ReplyDeleteWaooo...just discovered your blog... mind blowing and educative... May your ink never run dry...
ReplyDeleteAm still waiting for the concluding part....
Excellent blog. Lovely prose. The first one I read was the Sunny Ade saga and from that moment, I knew I was hooked. Keep up the splendid work.
ReplyDeleteOnigegewura we are still waiting for the concluding part
ReplyDeleteWe are still waiting for the concluding part
ReplyDeleteWe are still waiting for the conclusion Sir
ReplyDelete