’Yinka ADETUNJI
Alaaje of Aaje Ologo, High Chief Reuben Adesina Amao Osunbiyi I, has described his reign as Alaaje of Aaje a.k.a. Ologo, Ogbomoso North local government of Oyo state as very turbulent. He made this revelation recently while celebrating the first anniversary of his assumption of the traditional stool.
ogbomosoinsoghtonline.com had asked him in a chat after the well-attended event, “So, how has it been in the last one year?” To which he had curtly responded, “It was turbulent.”
“Turbulent in what sense?” He was further grilled. Elucidating he said, “Turbulent in the sense that grave opposition arose, surprisingly people from my own family, they have been warring against me, bringing thugs into the town to harass our elders who are supporting me. Some of the opposition members are not even of our family, they are from Oyo town but because their fathers had settled here for long they are claiming too they own the town.
“But to the glory of God and with thanks to Governor Seyi Makinde, we are pressing on, and our people who do not know the president, who do not know the governor, who do not know the chairman, now know that they have a good leader who can fight for their cause and assist them. We have court cases but they are almost over.”
ogbomosoinsightonline.com recalls that High Chief Amao spearheaded the battle for the creation of Aaje chiefdom from Ikose and subsequently got nominated as first Baale Aaje by his people, a move ratified by the Engr. Seyi Makinde-led administration in Oyo state, following which he was officially installed on August 14, 2020 in a magnificent ceremony.
But shortly after, his cousin, in fact his former alter-ego, Chief Ademola Ogunmola, who had begun to lay claim to the Aaje stool too succeeded in pushing through his case, the aftermath being his installation too as Baale Aaje at the palace of Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III. And so suddenly, two Baales (traditional chiefs) emerged to reign in Aaje. Since then, the two cousins, one a security expert, who retired as a state director of the Department of State Service (DSS) and the other, with no definite job began to parade themselves as Alaaje of Aaje. But while Amao has built in Aaje community, a mansion, from the time he was still in service and which fittingly befits his current status as traditional ruler, his rival on the other hand has no house there and so lives in a rented apartment far from the community, a development that helps the entrenchment of Amao. That is the paradox of the community.
That is the basis on which Chief Amao stressed his reign had been turbulent as several crises had erupted including physical attacks, forceful sales of lands, trespasses, police invitations etc. He added, “I also suffered physical attacks, there was at a time when some sponsored thugs tried to forcefully remove my number plate bearing Alaaje of Aaje, deflating my car tyres in the process. In fact, that day I had to exercise a lot of restraint to prevent the matter from degenerating.”
There was also the issue of the crisis with Ikose as the Ikose chieftaincy family frowned at the prospect of Aaje securing chiefdom, the two communities having co-existed peacefully for long for which they became better known as Aaje-Ikose. This was another aspect of the turbulence Baale Amao made reference to.
He had therefore stated while retorting to the question of the genesis of the event held on August 14, “We are celebrating our independence.”
“But were you in bondage before? Or what do you mean by ‘we are celebrating our independence?’” His response, “We were not in bondage but we were like under the suzerainty of Ikose. So, we looked into the matter between Aaje and Ikose and we found out that they came out of us but we had assumed we were under them. Meanwhile, we are their father, thanks to Engr. Seyi Makinde for giving us the chiefdom and chieftaincy on 14th August, 2021.”
He meanwhile regretted that the emergence of a rival Alaaje constituted setback to achieving his dream for the community, “Sincerely speaking by now we would have gone farther than this. All because of the appointment of my cousin who felt Governor Makinde has no right to approve the appointment of a new chiefdom. But we have a higher institution now, Hermitage College of Health Technology. We will now move faster as we are overcoming the challenges.”
He added that more people are leaning towards him and pledging their support both Aaje and non-Aaje people. “To the glory of God it is me that has the people’s support. The majority supports me; I have the support of even our ancestors. He was my cousin and errand boy before now. He is only being treacherous.”
The one year anniversary programme held at the White Star Hall located within his expansive compound at Aaje witnessed a mixed grill of religious leaders – Christian, Muslim and traditional religious leaders – all well represented and who partook in the event.
Reacting to this, he explained, “I am not biased towards any religion especially the foundation of all religions, the traditional religion, it was on ground before any other religion. Though some of us may feel it is dirty but it is the way your mind takes it.”
High Chief Amao expressed similar sentiment in respect of the significance of the one year anniversary, when he told the large gathering during the ceremony, “The battle our fathers fought but which they did not complete is now complete during our time. We thank God, we thank Governor Seyi Makinde, we also thank our father, Soun of Ogbomosoland, His Imperial Majesty Oba Oyewumi, who had invited and endorsed me since 2015.
“I also express gratitude to our families, friends, pastors and other religious leaders as well as orphans and widows we care for under the umbrella of my foundation – Abigail Asakun Amao Widowhood Foundation. It is our joy that Aaje is now a separate town and a separate chieftaincy; we thank God extremely for this. That is what we are celebrating today, one year of independence.”
In his exhortation, Rev’d. Dr. Deji Adisa, Minister-in-Charge of Fountain of Power and Praise (FOPP) Baptist Church, Oke-Ado Akintola, Ogbomoso, who took his text from I Corinthians 15: 38-51, noted that any glorious attainment will attract envy, therefore charging the Aaje people to guard their heritage jealously.
“Glory always attracts problem, the one who attains glory is always a target of envy and opprobrium and so the glory must be jealously guarded.”
Rev’d Adisa added that the name Aaje Ologo is always enticing to him averring, “Everybody is born with glory except you feel yours is small. So, nobody needs to pursue anyone for his glory, we all have inbuilt glory.”
Continuing, the cleric admonished, “Aaje Ologo should be a community where we won’t hear of religious crisis, there should be amity among Christians, Muslims and traditional worshippers. What is important is for one to pray to God so that you can use your glory.”
Like the Christian cleric, both the Islamic cleric and traditional worshippers also delivered homilies to the audience.
This is just as the event witnessed conferment of chieftaincy titles on some deserving individuals.
Among the dignitaries at the occasion were Onpetu of Ijeru, Oba Sunday Oladapo Oyediran represented by Rev’d Dr. Deji Adisa who doubled as preacher; Onitapa of Tapa Ogo-Oluwa local government, Oba Sikiru Alao with his chiefs; Balogun Alasoko, Oke-Isoko Ogbomoso, Chief Ayanleke Jimoh; Baale Obada, High Chief Samuel Oladosu Oyekunle and several ministers of God.
