By Desire Emmanuel
Tension is currently brewing in the town of Owo, Odo State, following the decision of the Olowo-in-Council to ban the suspended chairman of the Owo Local Government Area of the state, Tope Omolayo, from entering the town.
Loyalist of the embattled chairman are already spoiling for showdown as they insisted that the council has no legal power to ban the chairman from entering the town where he was born despite the fact that he had apologised to the monarch.
The Olowo-in-Council of Owo had on Saturday , declared the suspended chairman a persona non grata over what it described as a public affront to the revered stool of the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye.
Omolayo was recently suspended by the Legislative Council of the local government for alleged gross misconduct and disrespect to the traditional institution as he was accused of making a phone conversation where he was heard making derogatory remarks against the traditional ruler
Speaking on behalf of the Olowo-in-Council at a press briefing held at the Olowo’s Palace on Saturday, the Ogwadogbon of Owo, High Chief Ademola Obanonyen, said the council considered the chairman’s comments as sacrilegious and unacceptable to the people and leadership of Owo.
He said the traditional council viewed the act as a desecration of the throne and an affront to Yoruba values, noting that the Owo kingdom would not condone such disrespect to its monarch.
Obanonyen said “The council expresses its total outrage and unequivocal condemnation of the recent public insult and disrespect directed at His Imperial Majesty by an individual whose actions are nothing short of utter sacrilege and crass contempt.
“Members of the council as a body of critical stakeholders consider the sacrilegious attitude of the Chairman as an act that should be treated with condemnation and negative sanctions that are rightly deserved, irrespective of his relationship with the royal family, which may have constrained His Majesty in taking immediate, extensive and appropriate actions, particularly traditional sanctions on the matter.
“All in all, we are duty bound to rise above sentiments, no matter who is involved, so as to avoid creating unpleasant precedence.”
Obanonyen however, said following extensive deliberations, the Olowo-in-Council, acting unanimously and in defense of the dignity and sanctity of the Owo throne, therefore banned him from entering the town until further notice.
It will be recalled that Omolayo apologised to Oba Ogunoye through a letter where he was said to have described his comments as regrettable and a “grave disrespect” to the throne.
