Ogbomoso Parapo: Heads begin to roll – Soun’s aide affected, dissolution of youth wing, probe of finances demanded
Khalid ABRAHAM
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The last might not have been heard about the rumpus in the Ogbomoso Parapo Worldwide, which many believed is infiltrated by those opposed to the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III.
Sunday, ogbomosoinsightonline.com learnt of the suspension of an aide of the Soun, Bolaji Asagbe, who was a joint anchor of the programme at the last annual general meeting (AGM) of the apex socio-cultural association on December 26.
According to information, Asagbe was suspended for attending the AGM without authorization. He is an employee of the Ogbomoso North local government, posted to the palace as an aide of the Soun.
The characteristic of the 2024 AGM is being pointed at as another proof of suspected conspiratorial angst by the association against the monarch, who incidentally is its grand patron and spiritual guardian.
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Some programme personnel at the AGM did not go down well with a lot of people who believed some of them are opposed to the Oba. The ground for this is not unconnected with the Chief Imam’s imbroglio, who is embroiled in a crisis of paternity with his family and is required to prove himself before he could continue, this decision has however set him on warpath with Oba Ghandi. His band of followers joined in the fray, and the crisis degenerated into verbal attacks on the monarch.
“Therefore, the AGM prominently featuring such persons seen as opposed to the Oba when the latter was expected to attend is an anathema, a blatant attempt to humiliate the revered Oba. Thank God, the king did not attend the meeting, only God knows what would have happened,” an indigene who however spoke under the condition of anonymity told ogbomosoinsightonline.com.
“The Chief Imam Toliat was selected to take the opening prayer. Then, there was the chairman appointed for the occasion, who is believed to be the chief promoter of the Chief Imam, Alhaji Monsur. Then you saw Oluwatanna in his Ewi rendition, unabashedly declaring Imam Toliat as ‘my Imam,’ and going ahead to lampoon the high chiefs, the Ilus, calling them unprintable names. That is too much.”
Confirming the suspension of Asagbe, a credible palace source informs.“Yes, Asagbe has been given a letter of suspension from the palace because he did not obtain permission before attending the meeting,”
In another dimension, the chairman of the home zone of the association, Prince Farouk Aderemi Olude, has called for the dissolution of the youth wing alleging them of the “aberrations” that happened at the AGM.
Prince Olude in a WhatsApp message and voice note made available to Ogbomoso Insight disapproved of what he called “conspiracy” against the Oba.
He said in Yoruba, “Iran Baba mi kii di ote. Ogbomoso parapo agbaye kiise egbe awon olote. Oju wa o koro si ote ati awon olote. (My fathers never were involved in conspiracies. Ogbomoso Parapo Worldwide is not conspiratorial. We frown at conspiracy and at conspirators.”
Olude who is set to lead the celebration of Olude Day in Ijeru on January 2 and had initially invited the youth wing of Ogbomoso Parapo has now rescinded the decision declaring them personal non-grata at the event.
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“Good morning youths. I am now withdrawing my invitation to you on our Olude Day celebration. Pls, I don’t want to see any youth there.To God must always be the glory.” Copies of the message according to him were also sent to the “Area Commander Owode, Justice Afolabi Adeniran (president of the association), the secretary of the Soun of Ogbomoso, the Imperial Majesty himself, media houses and all security agencies.”
Olude who angrily rejected an award meant to be given to him at the AGM because of how the event unfolded, also stressed he had advised Justice Adeniran to disband forthwith the youth wing., “My lord sir, please, take action now. The leadership of the youths should be banned from functioning from now till further notice,” he wrote in a message to Justice Adeniran.
He also fumed, “Oluwatanna was not invited at all. Asagbe too. We instead invited Arole Foyanmu and Wolex respectively. But surprisingly, their names (Oluwatanna and Asagbe) were put in the programme. We are investigating those who slotted their names at the point of printing.
“They are in a big problem now, the culprits. When Oluwatanna came, we asked who invited him and he was saying rubbish. The youth wing members, and their leaders are now posting unpalatable messages.in the social media .
“So, l had withdrawn my invitation to them. I don’t want to see them at our Olude Day on January 2, l am not a conspirator. I have advised the president to take action, to ban them, especially the exco. That would be a proof Parapo is not in support of conspiracy.”
In the same vein, it’s learnt internal probe of finances of the body is being instituted but how far this will go is not known. The ball for this was set rolling by Dr Saka Balogun when he faulted the “shoddiness” with which the account of the association was prepared and presented by the treasurer, Alhaji Bukola Badmus, during the AGM.
Recall individuals have also been calling for the dissolution of the association’s leadership on social media, citing conduct incongruous with the principles of the association and undermining of the Soun stool as reason.
