The popular Onyabo vigilante group providing support to government agencies in Ikorodu is embroiled in internal crisis for succession to the vacant seat of the group’s leadership. Since the demise of the founder and pioneer coordinator, Chief Kamorudeen Bombata last year, there have been issue over the right successor to the syndicated vigilante command. Interest by a chieftain of the group, Mr. Lanre Labinjo has threatened the unity of the vigilante group.
Many members of the organizations have expressed their disfavor with Mr. Lanre Labinjo, describing him as a usurper trying to sabotage the group. This enmity between the founding members and Labinjo’s group now threatens the existence of the organization as, the die-hard loyalists have vowed to break away if Lanre Labinjo emerge leader of the Onyabo Vigilante group.
A former Secretary General of the organization and leader of the Odonguyan Zone, Rahman Folarin, commented that the syndicated vigilante group is facing a serious crisis which could lead to its disintegration if not resolved on time. Rahman Folarin believes that when the centre is shattered by the struggle for leadership succession, things will fall apart and the cult boys and other miscreants will take advantage of the situation to unleash havoc in Ikorodu.
According to Folarin, Lanre Labinjo is not suitable to occupy office of the Commander/Coordinator of the group. He said accepting Labinjo as the leader is violating the organisational creed, since Labinjo refused to take oath of allegiance to the group.
His loyalty and fealty to the cause of the group is questioned. He narrated that Labinjo’s anti group activities have been noticed since onset, as Labinjo refused to show up when oat of fealty to the cause of the group was administered to newly appointed executives years back. Then notable stakeholders in Ikorodu and concerned elders were gathered to witness the rite of installation of newly appointed chieftain of the Onyabo vigilante group, but Lanre Labinjo boycott the event at will. The ceremony was conducted without Lanre, making him not a bona fide member of the group. “Again when the erstwhile leader of the Onyabo group, Kamorudeen Dambata asked Lanre Labinjo about what he would like be in the group, he replied that he is content being the Provost Marshal, and has not been following the group’s code of operation”, Rahman stated. Rahman Folarin appealed to the Oba of Ikorodu, His Royal Majesty to consider the tenets and code of brotherhood of the Onyabo by not imposing Lanre Labinjo on the group, a move that will jeopardize everything they are trying to build.
Raheem Yahaya, who is the current General Secretary of the Ikorodu division and leader of the Oreta zone, asked for the Oba’s forgiveness on behalf of the group. He believed that the council members have offended His Royal Majesty at the onset of the leadership issue by not consulting His Majesty before taking action. Being the Royal Father and the Guardian of Ikorodu Kingdom, Oba should forgive and pardon them for their misgivings.
However, the Oba should understand that their actions was premised on code of the group and they intend to protect the order and tradition. He stated that Lanre Labinjo is not suitable for the leadership of the syndicate security group, after failing to properly integrate into the group right from the start. “right from the onset, Lanre Labinjo was content being the Provost Marshal and has been working largely in isolation from the central directives of the Onyabo Ikorodu Division, his emergence as the mal defector of the group at this point in time will jeopardize the unity and existence of the group”, he explained.
Babatunde Gabriel a member from the Ikorodu Central Zone is happy that the Oba has intervene, but also pleads with His Royal Majesty to refrain from taking sides on the matter, instead to make decision based on factual disclosures. “When the Onyabo was founded in 2003, the first requirement for every intending member is taking oath of allegiance and fealty, a requirement Lanre has not fulfil till date. The late Kamorudeen Bombata admitted Lanre into the group because he taught Lanre will use his position as Chairman of the Zones in Ikorodu to play strategic role in of relating information to the zones, Lanre was never placed in the succession line to the Command”, he narrated. Babatunde complained that Lanre became and recluse and start acting contrary to the operational mechanism of the group, since the demise of Kamorudeen Bombata. “Lanre suddenly demanded for the official car of the Onyabo vigilante, the same car he and his zone refused to make donations when we needed 1.6 million naira to fix and refurbish after our late leader had accident in it. Same thing he did recently when every other zones contributed the sum ninety thousand naira for the car maintenance, Lanre and his cohorts did not contribute a dim”. Babatunde Gabriel said the hierarchy of succession to the group’s leadership is clearly spelt and Lanre is nowhere on the ladder. The office of the Commander / Coordinator of Onyabo is traced behind with two deputy leaders, Rafiu Onilegboro and one other man are the two deputy leaders, next on the chain is the number 3 man, Nurudeen Oseni, aka J.J., presently, Nurudeen Oseni is the group most preferred to succeed because he has been displaying unflinching commitment and dedication to the cause of the group, more than the two deputy leaders ahead of him.
Saliu Bombata, son of the late Kamorudeen Bombata, asserted that the group was established sometime in 2001 when the family motor cycle was stolen. His father had vowed to fight the criminals terrorizing the community so they started as small group under the aegis of the Odua People’s Congress. “Our group then was named Paramole, we later got support and volunteers from the neighbourhood when they saw our commitment to rid the environment off miscreants. We later got the name Onyabo, when residents saw the full force of our men as we match against criminals.
Our frantic effort attracted the attention of the former Oba of Ikorodu, Oba S.A. Oyefusi who incorporated the group into Ikorodu affairs”, Saliu reminisced. He said it is ridiculous for Lanre Labinjo to claim the leadership position today, Saliu Bombata believe he holds more credence to the leadership than Lanre. “I am a founding member of the Onyabo vigilante with my late father, I was the one who invited Lanre Labinjo to join after introducing him to my father. Then Lanre brought a case involving land grabbing at Ogombo area of Lekki to me, in the cause of handling the matter, my father then considered Lanre by making him a member of the group. By all standard I am more suitable for the leadership than Lanre, yet the group have a hierarchical system”. Saliu is not contesting for the leadership because he respected the chain of command laid down by the organization.
Jimoh Rafiu Adebayo, a member of the group believe that Lanre Labinjo did not only fail the oath of allegiance criteria but also lacks other requisite qualities to lead the organization and hold the group members together. According to Adebayo the group values commitment and dedication to the point of not installing the second in command, Olowogboro Rafiu, because he lacked the will to lead. The group members have given their approval to the third in command, Nurudeen Oseni who has all it takes and majority of the members trust him to lead well. “We are appealing to His Royal Majesty not to take sides but allow us vote for who should lead the group”, he pleaded.
Wasiu Adesanya a founding member of Onyabo, insisted that Lanre Labinjo should not be installed the group leader. “If Lanre is forced on us, my men and I will withdraw our membership from the syndicate. And I know for sure that other leaders will follow suit”, Adesanya threatened. He recounted a time when Lanre Labinjo went against the group over self-gain, and even threatened to sabotage the group’s efforts if not allowed to have his way. Adesanya appeal to the Oba to emulate the erstwhile Kabiyesi by not meddling with the group’s internal strife.
Adiatu Bombata, wife of the late leader, Kamorudeen Bombata expressed her disappointments in how the family was treated by the Ikorodu community when her husband died. “No community representative visited us when my husband died. We paid the sum of one hundred and eighty thousand naira for the town hall for the internment. Considering all my husband has done for the community, they should have shown the family some respect”, Adiatu complained. On the leadership succession, she believe that the Oba should make effort to manage the crisis before it degenerate and end in the disintegration of the group, something with grave consequences to the community.