The Ogun State House of Assembly passed a resolution on Tuesday calling for the immediate suspension of the Olu of Obafemi, Oba Taofeek Kayode Owolabi.
This decision follows allegations that the monarch’s actions are disturbing the peace in Agboro-Olatunde village and causing unrest in the state.
The Assembly also directed the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), to prosecute Oba Owolabi under the State anti-land grabbing law of 2016 and other relevant laws.
The resolution came after the House Committees on Justice, Ethics, and Public Petitions reviewed petitions from the Agboro-Olatunde Community Development Association against the Olu. The Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Tella Babatunde, presented the report. The motion to adopt the report was seconded by Hon. Olusegun Kaka and supported by a voice vote from the entire House.
The Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, then moved to convert the Committee’s recommendations into a House resolution. This motion was seconded by Minority Leader Lukman Adeleye and was also supported by a unanimous voice vote.
The report highlighted key issues:
“The petitioners raised serious allegations, and the Olu of Obafemi failed to attend the House’s invitation. The Committee inspected the disputed land and found that over 30 hectares belonging to Agboro-Olatunde residents were cleared. The monarch, accused of land grabbing, had brought in a developer who destroyed crops worth millions of naira,” the report stated.
The report also noted that Oba Owolabi did not have any valid title documents for the disputed land, making his actions a violation of the Ogun State Anti-Land Grabbing Law, 2016.
In addition to addressing this issue, the Assembly passed a bill to amend the Obas and Chiefs, Council of Obas, and Traditional Council Laws of Ogun State, 2021. This bill was presented by Hon. Dickson Awolaja, Vice Chairman of the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. The bill was adopted clause-by-clause and passed through a unanimous voice vote.
The Clerk and Head of Legislative Service, Mr. Sakiru Adebakin, read the bill for the third time. The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, directed that the bill be sent to the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for final approval.
