By Adetutu Adesanya
The Balogun of Owu, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Wednesday led the other Kingmakers of Owu Kingdom on a seven hours statutory selection process that would produce the next Olowu of Owu Kingdom.
It would be recalled that the Otileta Ruling House at the selection of candidates for the throne held on 10th March, 2022 in Agbeloba area of Abeokuta, picked 7 of the 12 candidates who were nominated by their different compounds for the throne, and sent their scores as follows to the kingmakers.
1. Prince Adegbemi A. Adewale Esq. PhD, (56), a Lawyer and a PhD (African Law) holder of the University of Ibadan with Supreme Court Reg. No. 052019 from Aderinoye’s Compound was scored 1027 points
2. Prince Semiu Adeyemi Adelani (59) of Omoleefon Compound a Master of Urban & Regional Planning Degree holder of the University of Ibadan and a Registered Town Planner (with RTP no 2050) scored 909 to take the 2nd position.
3. Prince Saka Adeola Matemilola (57) of Soke Compound, a PhD holder of the University of Cambridge and a COREN registered Mechanical Engineer (with Registration no R. 13,609) scored 886 to take the 3rd position.
4. Prince Olaniyi Adejumo Olatidoye (72) of Soke Compound, a Retired Perm Sec in the Ogun State Civil Service, an MBA degree holder of the University of Ado-Ekiti scored 863 to make the 4th position among the 7
5. Prince Adeyanju Kazeem Bakinson (40), from Otopo Compound, a 2021 Doctor of Science Degree Holder from Atlantic International University, USA, a Registered Town Planner with no RTP/2130 scored 862 to emerge 5th position.
6. Prince Simeon Abiodun Soyele, (63) from Lumosa Compound a Retired Director in Ogun State Civil Service, a Graduate of Sociology of the University of Ibadan and Post Graduate Diploma of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism scored 827 to make the 6th on the list while
7. Prince Adelani Olukayode Adesina (48), of Soke Compound, a 2020 Master of Science Degree holder of Bells University of Technology, Ota scored 801 to emerge 7th.
The 2nd round of interviews and engagement by the Kingmakers was a more thorough one with the Balogun of Owu, Chief Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo GCFR, PhD himself on seat for the 7hr duration.
Chief Obasanjo who addressed the 7 candidate before and after the rounds of interview which was witnessed by both the Abeokuta North Local Government Secretary, the HOGAS, and other Local Government Officials who came with the Local Government Information Unit to record the process.
The Kingmakers process according to the candidates is more thorough and neat because everyone was engaged by the Kingmakers. The outcome of which Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said lies on the shoulders of the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun whose statutory duty is to announce the OBA.
Mild drama occurred while the 2nd round of selection was ongoing at the Oke Ago-Owu, Palace of the Olowu where the Kingmakers were interviewing the candidates.
1. More than 100 Owu Sons and Daughters were seen around the Palace awaiting the announcement of their OBA, an announcement which never came, so, many of them went home disappointed.
2. A group of young men came in a Sienna Van demanding to see the Secretary of the Ruling House, Prince Tunde Adediran who was alleged to have enriched himself during the selection process, he was alleged to have collected a Camry (Big Daddy) from one of the 12 initial candidates who could not make the list of 7.
The young men said they have reclaimed 3 of the 4 vehicles collected from their candidate and they will make sure the last Car with the Secretary of Otileta is collected from him, even if they cannot collect the over N40m their candidate was made to waste by the Secretary.
3. Another group of young men were outside raining curses on one of the candidates Prince Olanrewaju Bakinson who was said- (a) to have bought his way into Otopo Compound about 4 days to the selection through the same Secretary of Otileta who was said to have collected so much from 2 candidates to become part of his own compound Otopo, which the Secretary’s father Alakoso Adediran is the current Chairman. Our reporter sited the affidavit sworn to by Prince Bakinson and discovered it was sworn to at the High Court of Lagos State on 4th March, 2022 in preparation for the selection on 10th March of the same month. The compound name was not even correctly spelt, but corrected with pen in the copy cited by our correspondent.
The young people said none of Prince Bakinson’s submitted dozier has any link with Otopo Compound, as he did not include his birth certificate,local government of origin certificate except the sworn affidavit which he did 4 days purposely for the selection.
Prince Bakinson was said to have spent so much money for the purpose of the Kingship which included spending so much for an Owu Oba, who is said to be solidly behind the candidate. (d). Bakinson was also accused of gathering Owu Baales to a function he organized to mark his 40th birthday ceremony and his house warming ceremony recently held in Lagos where he lavishly spent so much on the Baales under the Royal influence of an Owu Oba.
The young men outside the Palace on that day raised issues on why Prince Saka Matemilola who should have been screened out for perjury should be allowed to continue in the race because apart from his Sworn Affidavit of 15th May, 2000 which says he is a native of Ibadan in Ibadan-North East Local Government Area of Oyo State of Nigeria, his submitted birth certificate gave his parents name as Sule and Aliratu Motemilola and not Matemilola. On citing the Certificate of Registration of Birth issued by Ibadan City Council on 24th February, 1965, our correspondent discovered that the claims of the young men against him in the said document are facts.
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