Facts emerging about some reports on the Obaship tussle in Itele-Awori Kingdom area of Ogun State have pointed to some false claims by a group of people that identified themselves as members of Adogun Itele Family in the community.

The said family had written a petition dated August 9, 2021 to the Chairman of the Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Oke Mosan, and alleged that the Olota of Ota, Oba Kabiru Adeyemi Obalanlege connived  with the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Moruf Afolabi Afuape to sell the Onitele stool to Ademola Asorota at a sum of N100 Million.

The letter was titled: Re: Fraudulent Sale Of Itele-Awori Kingdom And Election Over The Stool Of Onitele Of Itele-Awori Vacant Stool And The Criminal Breach Of Trust By Commissioner For Local Government And Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Moruf Afolabi Afuape And Threat To Cause Bloodshed In Itele By Olota Of Ota, HRM Oba Kabiru Adeyemi Obalanlege- Request To Intervene And Prevent Bloodshed In Itele.”

It was jointly signed by Chief Taoreed Muhammadu Dada, Pa Nurudeen Akanbi Alimi Akapo, Head (Olori Ebi), Ogunrounbi Ruling House Head, Oosa Ruling House, Mr Sunday Mathew Taiwo Owotolu, Alhaji Monsuru Oseni Yusuf, Head, Imidawo Ruling House, Head, Alagbeji Ruling House.

They claimed to have had a Supreme Court judgment dated December 16, 2011 to the effect that Adogun was the founder and first settler of Itele and that the only family comprising of four Ruling Houses are those eligible to the stool of Onitele of Itele Awori via Ota Ogun State.

They further alleged that immediately Olota of Ota, Oba Obalanlege got into the scene he offered their family a sum of N50 Million so that Ademola Asorota could be installed as Onitele of Itele and that they rejected the money.

According to them, Ademola Asorota is from Iseyin in Oyo State, and that he was impersonating and parading himself as a member of Adogun Atele.

They made several unsubstantiated allegations against Ademola Asorota, which have been found to be false through investigations.

Sources revealed that Ademola Asorota is not only from Itele-Awori, but that he is from a royal family that is entitled to the coveted throne.

It was also discovered that their allegations that Ademola Asorota wanted to buy the stool for a sum of N100 million through Olota and Bashorun Olanrewaju “were figment of the imagination of those who said they are from Adogun Atele family in Itele community.”

They also indicted Mr. Solomon Dada and the  then Transition Committee Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, Alhaji Wasiu Lawal in the petition, which was said to be false allegation.

It was also discovered that there is nothing like Adogun Atele family in Itele and that “the four families just formed a common front to fight for what they felt they deserve.”

It was also found out that allegations that various sums of money ranging from N20,000 to N100,000 from the said N100 Million bribe by Ademola Asorota were given out to delegates during a meeting in the palace of Olota on June 24, 2020 to resolve the issues surrounding the obaship seat was unfounded and “a figment of their imagination.”

According to a source close to the palace, “there was nothing like such a meeting. The Olota of Ota could never be involved in such, when he knows it’s implications.

“In any case, what does the monarch stand to gain by involving in such a deal. He was brought into office through a fair process and so he wouldn’t want to be involved in dirty deals all because someone wants to be installed as an Oba.”

He added that all the allegations that some personalities were impersonated at the meeting couldn’t have been true, where it was alleged that “our own respected and first class monarch was present.”

He stressed that the writers of the petition were wrong to have alleged that Oba Obalanlege was lobbying “many personalities close to the family and offering us the sum of N50,000,000.00 (N50  Million)  to concede the stool of Onitele of Itele to Ademola Asorota with the promise that Asorota would make undertaking that none of his family members would ever ascend to the stool after him.”