Finally, Soun meets Osupa chiefatincy family over Baptist Seminary, Bowen Teaching Hospital land
Yinka ADETUNJI
The lingering feud over the swaths of land on which two important Baptist institutions in Ogbomoso, Oyo state, sit – Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary (NBTS) and Bowen University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) – took a new turn Monday, as the Soun of Ogbomosoland Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege Ill held a parley with the Osupa Chieftaincy Family.
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The meeting held at the palace ogbomosoinsightonline.com learnt was fruitful.
ogbomosoinsightonline.com reports that the two institutions, each over 100 years in existence and adjacent each other, became subjects of litigation regarding the land on which they occupy as the Osupa ruling house, claims its ownership.
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The family claims the land was leased to the Baptist mission for 100 years by their forefathers and that at the expiration of the 100 years few years ago, the immediate past Soun late Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III without according the family deserved recognition or carrying it along awarded the land permanently to the Nigeria Baptist Convention (NBC).
This decision did not sit down well with the family and so instituted a court case to challenge the matter.
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The NBC recently reached out to the new Soun Oba Olaoye through the leadership of Ogbomoso Baptist Conference, led by Rev’d Dr Thomas Niyi-Ojo, and chairman Rev’d Segun Babalola seeking his intervention during which the monarch assured he would stand by the decision of his predecessor Oba Ajagungbade Ill, a declaration that prompted a thank-you visit later by the NBC president Rev’d Dr Israel Adelani Akanji.
The Soun reiterated his position though promising to hold a parley with the contending family.
He also justified the position of his predecessor by saying the recognition of the humongous contributions of the Baptist mission to Ogbomoso in the education, economic, health and other sectors must have guided the decision of Oba Oyewumi.
Oba Olaoye also commended the gesture and foresight of the ancestors of the Osupa ruling house for not demanding money for the land then, noting whatever was taken then would have been spent off.
That’s the background against which the Soun met on Monday with the members of the Osupa ruling house led by their Baale, at his palace in Oja’gbo.
Sources at the meeting informed ogbomosoinsightonline.com that the meeting unfolded in an atmosphere of mutual understanding with a resolve that the family present their demand, which will be passed to the NBC leadership.
“Yes, the matter will end in negotiation between the two parties, the family will present a list of requests to the NBC, which it will be expected to consider and respond to,” Ogbomoso Insight was told by sources at the meeting.
“What the chieftaincy family wants actually is recognition and a little concession and benefits for their role in helping the Baptists make such landmark achievements in Ogbomoso and beyond.
“When you want to shave our head it must be with our consent and we must be present, anything other than that is an act contrary to natural law.”
It’s learnt the family will meet this week or next week to chart the way forward.