The ten Egba chiefs sacked by the Olu of Orile Ilawo, Oba Professor Alexander MacGregor of Abeokuta, on Wednesday, fired back, saying he lacks such powers.
The chiefs declared that Oba MacGregor is not the prescribing authority over Ilawo Kingdom.
DAILY POST reports that Oba MacGregor last week sacked the Oluwo of Ilawo, Chief Oluwole Dosunmu; the Balogun of Ilawo, Chief Abraham Soyoye; Jagunna of Ilawo, Fatai Sodimu; and seven others, over their alleged involvement in the illegal sale of community lands, insubordination, flagrant disrespect to the royal stool, and constituted authority.
He alleged that the chiefs have sold not less than 1,600 acres of land without having the authority to do so.
But the chiefs denied the allegations, saying they were installed by the Osile of Oke Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, who is the prescribing authority over Ilawo Kingdom, several years ago, even before the coronation of Oba MacGregor two years ago.
Speaking on behalf of the chiefs at a briefing held at Adedotun, Ilawo, Abeokuta, on Wednesday, the Aro of Ilawo, Chief Olufemi Adebayo, alleged that Oba MacGregor was only being mischievous, insincere, and probably power-drunk with his announcement of the deposition of the 10 chiefs in the kingdom.
Chief Adebayo said, “It is a lie that we sold land; it is the individuals who owned the land that sold them. Only when they sold their land, they gave us a percentage because we are the original owners.
“We have a gazette that anybody who sells land in any of our communities will give us 50%. The land he was talking about was sold about six or seven years ago during the reign of the king before him, and part of what we were given then was used to provide 24-hour water supply to our community.
“He said he has deposed us, but he does not have such prescribed authority because we got our certificates from Osile of Oke, Oba Dr. Adedapo Tejuoso, who is the consenting authority over this kingdom.
“He is going against the provisions of Section 24 of the Ogun State Chief Laws of 2021, which forbids a king from exercising his powers beyond his domain and local government. Why come to Obafemi-Owode, Abeokuta North, or Ewekoro? He’s just trying to cause problems. Osile is the prescribed authority over Ilawo Kingdom, and that is the law.”
Chief Adebayo has, however, called on Gov. Dapo Abiodun as well as the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland to call Oba MacGregor to order before the conflict snowballs into a full-blown crisis.
One of the chiefs and Balogun of Ilawo, Abraham Soyoye, said that he was surprised hearing the news of their sack by Oba MacGregor.
Soyoye described the royal father’s sacking of the 10 chiefs as an exercise in futility because the Osile of Oke Ona is still the prescribed authority over Ilawo township, adding that “If anything would change, the law must change. So, his supposed removal of the chiefs is ultravires. He didn’t install us and can’t remove us. What you don’t give, you can’t take.”
Speaking earlier, the Oluwo of Ilawo, Chief Oluwole Dosunmu, also corroborated the stand of the other sacked chiefs in the kingdom, explaining that Oba MacGregor’s proclamation lacked substance and should be ignored.
Chief Dosunmu said that there was never a time the chiefs sold any land, revealing that it has always been the landowners who sold their land, after which they would give part of the proceeds to the community.
Ogun: You lack powers to sack us – Ilawo Chiefs reply Oba MacGregor
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