The Stool of the Ataoja of Osogbo Deserves Utmost Respect and Honour: Not Ridicule, Desecration or Mockery

The stool of the Ataoja of Osogbo is referred which should not be ridiculed because of politics or any act.

This is in reaction to some statements allegedly credited to HRM, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Abidemi Larooye II, the Ataoja of Osogbo, where it was reported to have commended the Executive Governor of Osun State, His Excellency Asiwaju Dr. Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, for fulfilling his commitment to the development of Osogbo, the capital city of Osun State.

In addition, Kabiyesi, was said to have mentioned a role which he said was played by the Osogbo Progressives Union (OPU) in connection with the re-election bid of the present government under Governor Ademola.

It is important to state that the Osogbo Progressives Union, OPU has never at any point in time declared support for any of the candidates for the August, 15th,2026 governorship election in Osun State.

The Union whose sole interest is clothed in any agenda that can collectively bring real development and growth to Osogbo and her people is in a serious marathon of consultation with the elders and communities leaders making up the entire Osogbo for where to tilt her pendulum in respect of the approaching elections.

It is also important to state that the current executives of the Union under the leadership of Alhaji Kamarudeen Ajani Makinde will never, by antecedents, take any decision that touches on the interests of Osogbo in a hurry.

Little wonders the real grassroots and people in the town honour and respect opinions of the current leadership especially in a matter connected with the growth and development of Osogboland.

Members of the public are strongly advised to be wary of accepting any claims made in public especially,one touching on the collective interests of the Osogbo people.

OPU is a registered association under the law and she has her registered constitution, thus she has always been operating within the confine of the law.

There is only one O.P.U world-wide and Alhaji Kamarudeen Ajani Makinde is the elected president of the Union by her registered constitution.

It is not disputed that the Ataoja of Osogbo has unfettered right to his Majesty’s opinions however, exercise of such right ought to be done with respect to others’ same rights ,thus personal opinion is important to be separated from being taken and presented as a collective decision of the people.

People should not be taken for granted and when it is appropriate time, collective decisions of the majority of the people of Osogbo inclusive of elders, youths, women, men, traders, artisans, professionals, princes, princesses and others will be made public by the concerned unions or associations upon conclusion of thorough and effective deliberation.

It is also important that the Ataoja of Osogbo be advised to play the role of a father to all people of Osogbo regardless of their political inclination.

There are more than 100 monarchs in Osun State including the, Oni of Ife, Timi of Ede, Orangun of Ila and others who nurture their political wishes in a manner that their stool is not dragged into the murky water of politics.

The popular saying is that silence is golden.

While personalities like Hon. Teslim Igbalaye (Secretary to the State Government), Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa (Commissioner to the State Governmenton Rural Development) are appointees to Governor Ademola under the Accord party, Engr. Lekan Badmus, (Executive Director, Nigeria Port Authority) Alhaji Rahmon Tella, (INEC REC), Sen. Ajibola Basiru (National Secretary, APC and a Board member under one Federal Government Agency) are appointed under the current Federal Government under the platform of the All Progressives Congress. They are all contributing to the development of Osogbo one way or the other,is a reason for the Ataoja to maintain some amount of silence on certain political issues.

Similarly and by way of further advice, some allegations flew some days ago about an alleged attempted assassination of the monarch, the appropriate law enforcement agency, the police, did a sound investigation and came up with a definite conclusion that such allegation could not be supported with the really available facts thus same was dismissed.

It behoves the respected office as big as that of the Ataoja of Osogbo to strike a muted tone over that matter once an official statement has been made by the appropriate quarters.

Assassination allegation is not such a thing that can be taken lightly,unless serious attention to such is not required, it must come when it is real.

It is against the foregoing that our elders, fathers and mothers particularly,
Pa (Prince) Dejo Babalola,
Comrade Hassan Sunmonu, Asiwaju Khamis Olatunde Badmus, Alhaja Kudirat Nafiu and others are called upon to graciously prevail over the palace of Ataoja of Osogbo on some issues concerning the collective name, interests, honour and integrity of people of Osogbo to avoid recurrence of all these avoidable public reactions.

Monarchs reign and joins their ancestors but the palace remains.

BY O.P. U, PRESIDENT KAMORUDEEN MAKINDE

Disclaimer: This piece represents the opinion of the writer not that of ThesourceNews