“Osun State Accuses Aragbiji of Playing Politics in Chieftaincy Dispute”
The Osun State government has responded to allegations of bias and illegality raised by the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdulrasheed Olabomi, following the government’s decision to include a new family in the Iragbiji kingship system.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Dosu Babatunde, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the government dismissed the Aragbiji’s claims as politically motivated, accusing the monarch of twisting facts and playing politics with an issue of justice and equity.
The statement firmly absolved Governor Ademola Adeleke of any partisan interests in the matter, asserting that the state administration had the legal authority to review previous decisions concerning state matters. The government emphasized that the recent decision of the State Executive Council was merely a reversal of a prior action that unjustly excluded a ruling house from the chieftaincy declaration.
The government further rebuked Oba Olabomi for making disrespectful allegations against the governor, stressing that the monarch’s accusations that Governor Adeleke had no regard for the people of Iragbiji were unfounded. The statement highlighted several initiatives by the governor, including ongoing road projects, upgrades to tourist sites in the town, and the governor’s recent personal attendance at an SDG event in Iragbiji.
The dispute centers on the inclusion of the Lagbua Family in the Iragbiji Chieftaincy Declaration. The family has long sought recognition as a ruling house in the town. A judicial panel set up by the administration of former Governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola in 2010 recommended the inclusion of the Lagbua Family, a decision that was initially rejected by the State Executive Council in 2013. However, after sustained appeals from the family, the current administration revisited the matter.
A new committee was established to review the 2010 panel’s report, and it recommended that the earlier decision be overturned. The government agreed, recognizing the Lagbua Family as the fifth ruling house in the town, while ensuring the existing four ruling houses would not lose their rights. The decision was approved by the State Executive Council on January 29, 2025.
The state government emphasized that its decision was based on facts, including the family’s historical involvement in the town’s leadership, and reiterated that it was not intended to disrupt peace or create division within the community.
However, Oba Olabomi strongly opposed the decision, claiming it was politically motivated and warning that it could lead to unrest in Iragbiji. At a press conference on Friday, the monarch stated that no inquiry panel had recommended such a move during Governor Adeleke’s administration, arguing that the inclusion of the Lagbua Family would destabilize a town that had remained peaceful for nearly six centuries. He urged the governor to reconsider, citing concerns that the move could divide the community.
The Osun State government has reassured the public that its decision is based on justice and fairness, and not intended to incite conflict or undermine the stability of Iragbiji.
