Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has taken decisive action by suspending the traditional ruler of Ido town, Oba Gbolagade Babalola, known as Gbadewolu I. The suspension, effective immediately, was announced in a letter issued on February 2, 2024, by the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Olusegun Olayiwola.
Governor Makinde’s decision, made on February 1, 2024, was based on the powers vested in him by relevant sections of the Chiefs Law of Oyo State.
While the specific reasons for the suspension and its duration were not outlined in the announcement, the directive requires the monarch to surrender all government properties in his possession to the local government chairman. This move follows a longstanding dispute between Babalola and a deposed Baale, Tajudeen Agura, regarding the rightful claim to the Onido of Ido title. The dispute, rooted in lineage and historical appointments, has been a point of contention between the two parties.
In asserting his legitimacy as the Onido of Ido in 2018, Agura cited his Agura lineage, while Babalola countered by referring to his great-grandfather’s appointment of the first Agura as Baale of Ido, based on their longstanding friendship.
IMAGE: ThisDayLive
