One of the claimants to the Balogun title in Ikorodu, Chief Mukaila Adio Onabanjo (Alias Mikimiki) was last August 2016, installed as the new Balogun of Ikorodu.
According to the report gathered by Oriwu Sun, Chief Onabanjo was said to have been locked in a fierce legal battle over the Balogun title with another claimant, Rasaki Dawodu Ilo from the Balogun family of Ikorodu since 2006.
Chief Onabanjo was eventually considered for the title in compliance with an alleged court judgement delivered by Justice H. A.B Abiru at the Ikorodu High Court in 2010, which declared him and his family (Odunsi family) as the next in line to produce the Balogun of Ikorodu.
In another report gathered, Chief Onabanjo had already gone through the necessary traditional rites both at Iledi (Osugbo cult) and Ayangbure Palace and plans were on-going for the final installation ceremony, which would fully confirm him as the new and authentic Balogun of Ikorodu.
It was also learnt that the battle for the Balogun title started several years ago between Chief Onabanjo and Chief Dawodu Ilo during the reign of the late Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi. It was also alleged that Chief Onabanjo had stormed the venue, where some prominent Ayangbure palace chiefs were purportedly attempting to install Chief Ilo as the Balogun of Ikorodu and he disrupted the proceeding.
After that, the police were reportedly brought in to convey all parties to the police station from where the matter was taken to the court of law. While there, Chief Onabanjo and his family were allegedly declared to be more entitled to the title than Chief Ilo and his Balogun family.
In an exclusive interview with Oriwu Sun at his residence along Lagos Road, Ikorodu, Chief Onabanjo explained that his installation as the new Balogun of Ikorodu was in conformity with the court judgement, which pronounced his family as the next in line to produce the next Balogun.
He explained further that after the court judgement, his family members unanimously presented him to Oba Oyefusi as their candidate for the Balogun title and the monarch immediately ordered the commencement of necessary preparations for his installation.
Chief Onabanjo stated that if not for the demise of Oba Oyefusi in 2014, he would have been installed as the new Balogun of Ikorodu as he had already provided everything demanded by the Ayangbure Palace as the requirements for his installation.
He, however, expressed gratitude to the new Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Shotobi and some prominent traditional Chiefs and elders in Ikorodu who consented to his installation after carefully going through all the requirements he presented including the court judgement.
Chief Onabanjo also clarified that his forefathers were the ones who brought the staff of the Balogun title to Ikorodu many years ago and were consequently the first sets of Baloguns to be installed in Ikorodu before the title was later extended to other families.
He said that with the status of the Odunsi family as the original bearer of the staff of Balogun title in Ikorodu, its turn to produce another Balogun was long overdue. According to him, the last Balogun produced by the family was over two hundred years ago.
Chief Onabanjo explained further that other contenders and their respective families, who were equally vying for the Balogun title were not traditionally entitled to the title, but were given the opportunity to produce the Balogun by his forefathers. He claimed that they did it in an attempt to compensate their forefathers for serving them loyally. This being the case, he said that now it is the turn of his family to produce the next Balogun and that the contestants and their families should reciprocate the favours done to them by his forefathers by supporting him and his family rather than attempting to snatch the title from them through the back door.
Also, while reacting to the alleged earlier installation of Chief Dawodu Ilo as the Balogun of Ikorodu, Chief Onabanjo claimed that the installation lacked substance as it was an unholy attempt by some palace Chiefs to make Chief Ilo the next Balogun through the backdoor.
Chief Onabanjo enjoined Chief Dawodu Ilo and other contestants to accept his emergence and wait for their turn.
Efforts to get Kabiyesi to comment on this matter proved abortive as a source confirmed that he was not willing to comment on the issues.
Also, Oriwu Sun made several visits to the family house of Chief Ilo at Itunmoja in Ikorodu to hear the reactions of his family members on the matter and to equally get Chief Ilo’s contacts since he’s said not to be residing in Ikorodu but all were to no avail as those we met at the house were neither able to say anything on the issue nor provide us with Chief Ilo’s contacts.
Meanwhile, in the copy of the judgement given to Oriwu Sun by Chief Onabanjo on the Balogun chieftaincy case with the suit No: IKD/7/2006 between Mr. Sarafa Bashorun, Mr. K. Ajao Mabodu, and Alhaji Mukaila Adio Onabanjo (for themselves and on behalf of the Balogun Odunsi family of Ikorodu) as claimants and Mr. Rasaki Dawodu Ilo (for himself and on behalf of the Balogun family of Ikorodu), Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Governor of Lagos State, The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State and Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi as Defendants, which was delivered in the High court of Lagos State in the Ikorodu Judicial Division Holden in Ikorodu on January 12, 2010, Justice (Hon) H.A. O. Abiru declared as follows:
· That the claimant’s family, Balogun Odunsi family, were the next and only family entitled to present a candidate to fill the vacant stool of Balogun in succession to the late Balogun, Yunisa Akinsowon Otambala.
· That the first defendant or any other person from the Balogun Ilo family was not entitled and should not be installed as the Balogun of Ikorodu.
· An order is hereby made directing the fifth defendant to write a letter to Balogun Odusi family requesting the family to present its candidate for the vacant stool of Balogun of Ikorodu chieftaincy.
· An order of injunction is hereby made restraining the first defendant from presenting himself for nomination, selection, appointment, approval or installation by the second, third, fifth and sixth defendants as the Balogun of Ikorodu.
· An order of injunction is hereby made restraining the first defendant from presenting himself for nomination, selection, appointment, approval or installation by the second, third, fifth and sixth defendants as the Balogun of Ikorodu.
· An order of injunction is hereby made restraining the sixth defendant from installing the first defendant as the Balogun of Ikorodu.
· An order of injunction is hereby made restraining the third defendant and the Lagos State Executive Council from recognizing and approving the first defendant or any candidate from the Balogun Ilo Ruling House as the Balogun of Ikorodu.