The Eselu of Iselu in the Yewa-North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, has tackled the Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle for endorsing two governorship candidates ahead of the 2023 governorship election in Ogun state.
Akinyemi, who is a member of Yewa traditional council under the leadership of Olugbenle, said the latest remarks on the candidacy of the Biyi Otegbeye of the African Democratic Congress after he had thrown his weight behind the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, on his second term bid, is confusing.
The monarch in an open letter addressed to the paramount ruler accused him of confusing him and other royal fathers about the council’s stance on the 2023 governorship election in the state.
The Eselu said he wanted to set the record straight and draw the attention of Oba Olugbenle to the extent of the confusion he has put them into on who to support for governor in 2023.
He said, “Paramount Ruler Sir, you will recall that in August 2022, you openly endorsed Governor Dapo Abiodun, the incumbent executive governor of Ogun State for the second term. At the event where you did the endorsement, I recall you praised the Governor to the high heaven and you did this before a mammoth crowd.
“On that fateful day, Your Majesty announced that it was not yet the turn of Yewa to produce the Governor of Ogun State; hence, you insisted that any son of Yewa who may be interested in contesting in 2023 should wait till 2027.”
According to Oba Akinyemi, the paramount ruler’s endorsement of Abiodun was the reason other monarchs in Ogun West declared open support for the governor, wondering why you are now in support of the candidacy of the Ilaro-born Biyi Otegbeye of the African Democratic Congress.
He said, “Kabiyesi, your last endorsement of the Incumbent Governor for second term gave all Yewa monarchs and children the direction to follow during the 2023 gubernatorial election in our dear State.
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“In fact, the trusted monarchs from Yewa paid a courtesy visit to Governor Dapo Abiodun recently in order to further buttress your August 14, 2022 endorsement.
“To my greatest dismay, I read in the dailies on Thursday, 5th October 2022 that Your Majesty openly prayed for the success of the gubernatorial ambition of Barrister Biyi Otegbeye, a Yewa son who also hails from Your Majesty’s town, Ilaro, Ogun State. Kabiyesi, I must state without any fear of equivocation that Your Majesty’s latest action has thrown many of us who are Yewa Monarchs like you into a great deal of confusion.
“In one breath, Your Majesty endorsed the Incumbent Governor Dapo Abiodun for a second term and in another breath, you prayed for the success of Barrister Biyi Otegbeye. This simply means Your Majesty does not wish Governor Dapo Abiodun success in his bid to return for the second term. Where is the integrity in this sudden change of gear which you singlehandedly harshed and executed?
“Your Majesty needs to realize that your action is putting the integrity of the Yewa Council of Obas at stake and this will not portray us as a trusted and reliable division in Ogun State.
“To enable the good sons and daughters of Yewa Division, other citizens of Ogun State and the general public not to be fed with any distorted information, I am using this medium to announce that the prayer offered by Kabiyesi Olugbenle for the success of Barrister Biyi Otegbeye was His Royal Majesty, Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle’s personal opinion. It does not reflect the position of all the Members of Yewa Traditional Council.
“Interestingly, no Yewa Monarch out of the fifty-three Members of the Yewa Traditional Council Members was at the venue where Kabiyesi Olugbenle prayed for the success of Barrister Biyi Otegbeye.” (The Punch Newspaper)
