In 2006, I visited Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the Alake of Egbaland in Abeokuta and I advised him publicly not to be the Oba of governors but Oba of all the citizens. I cited as an immoral example, a pathetic situation where students of Ilaro polytechnic were attacked and some murdered on the allegation that the first lady of Ogun State was attacked. Instead of visiting both the governor and the parents of the murdered and injured students, Obas Dapo Tejuosho and Michael Sonariwo the Akarigbo of Remoland were the first to call on the governor, ignoring the parents of the killed students. I counseled the Alake not to follow their depraved footsteps. Even though, I was deeply persuaded that the calling to speak was often a vocation of agony, I still broke the silence of the night to tell Alake nothing but the truth. I spoke with all the humility that is appropriate to my limited vision, having today in mind.
Thereafter, Otunba Dipo Dina, an opponent of Gbenga Daniel was attacked by the governors’ thug in Ilaro. Senator Ibikunle Amosun and his followers were attacked right there in Abeokuta by the governors’ thugs, and Amosun was shot at close range in an historical event tagged “Car Wash”. Many vehicles were burnt and many citizens were killed and matchetted. My handsome brother, Lanre Tejusosho, an opponent of Iyabo Obasanjo and the first son of Oba Dapo Tejuosho was attacked and almost killed. When he was interviewed by the Press on the matter, the extent to which he was dazed made him forgot how to spell Iyabo Obasanjo’s name. Shortly before the gubernatorial elections in April of 2007, Alake was aware of the cruel irony that a simple debate was not allowed by Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State, instead of the debate, it was gunshot and citizens were stabbed. All these events were proper and meet to Alake and other un-royal fathers in Ogun State, in as much as they are getting paid.
When the members of the Ogun State House of Assembly was considering impeaching Gbenga Daniel, Oba Michael Sonariwo, the Akarigbo of Ijebu-Remo and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona called for lynching and assassination of members of the House of Assembly who might dare the impeachment. On all these incidents, Alake, other Obas, and un-elderly council of elders saw nothing wrong with Daniel and the irresponsible act of these Kabiyesis continue to empower Daniel. As a matter of fact, Alake called Egbetokun and warned him not to dare it, even though the governor was alleged to have been incurably tainted with corruption and several illegalities. Thereafter, the Ogun State House of Assembly was broken into and the documents serving as sufficient appropriate evidence to impeach the governor were carted away, Alake still did not see anything wrong with Daniel. None of the Kabiyesis including Alake viewed silence as a betrayal of their subjects.
Since 2003, I have been shouting that Daniel was intolerant and for that my life has been attempted three times. My supporters were injured and my house destroyed. None of the Obas, moved beyond their selfish interest, based on the mandates of their conscience, to the high grounds of vision that the State government is cowing everybody into submission and it is being embarrassingly intolerant. Alake and the other Obas continued to give approbation to a reprobate in Oke Imosan who grouped all of them in the assembly of incorrigible men because of their stomachs and to the astonishment of their subjects who are wallowing in poverty. Today, Daniel feels that what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander, and he has extended a lesser maltreatment to one of his ardent supporters in wickedness just for exercising his civil duty. We are now hearing crucify him! No, Daniel owes Alake no apology.
As for Oba Michael Sonariwo, the Akarigbo of Ijebuland, his statement alone is a testimony to his avarice, naked selfish interest, lack of moral vision, and it mirrors a man who did not deserve to be a Chief in Ijebu-Remo, were most things in Nigeria not have been sold to the highest bidder. Like Daniel, he was imposed on Ijebu-Remo. Since his impositions, all sorts of calamities have befalling Sagamu. When Gbenga Daniel and I were contesting against Chief Olusegun Osoba, the former governor of Ogun State, Oba Sonariwo did not want to see either Daniel or myself because of his stomach. Because Daniel is in power today, all the maltreatments meted on Chief Osoba by Daniel is now appropriate in Sonariwo’s view. The fact that Nigeria is sinking in the lake of disappointment is a salient evidence of lack of principled elders.
To the deposed Chairman of the PDP Elders Forum, Chief Sule Onabiyi who spoke from London where he went for medical check up, Iyabo Obasanjo was a Commissioner of Health under Daniel. Then Daniel was the best governor in Nigeria, but today, he could not do ordinary medical check up in Ogun State. Daniel for some reasons stuck to his gun on certain issues and he all of a sudden becomes a rude governor in the eyes of Onabiyi. No sir, Chief Onabiyi we are not fools. Onabiyi mentioned the names of those who carried guns to steal ballot boxes in order to ensure Daniel’s victory in 2007 as illustrious sons and daughters of Egba. I disagree with Onabiyi that such mischievous and crocked characters represent my people in Egba.
The attempt of both Chief Onabiyi and Akarigbo to make the issue Ijebu versus Egba should be rebuffed by the citizens of Ogun State. I besiege the citizens of Ogun State to respect the saying that there is no honor among crooks and rogues. When they are all sharing the treasure of Ogun State, it was not shared based on ethnicity in the manner that it would trickle down to the masses. We should therefore tell both Onabiyi and Sonariwo to direct their children to return from London and America to do their fight for them.
Signed:
Ogbeni Lanre Banjo
Ogun State Gubernatorial Candidate, 2007
Wale
23 October 2008 14:11Hmmm…. Ogbeni Lanre Banjo, Words are like egg, once broken, you can not gather it again. Beware! you might need the assistance of any of the Obas in future for your political ambition. O oro agba,…………
Dr Pat Kolawole Boboye
23 October 2008 17:28Gov Gbenga Daniel should learn more manner and respect traditional institutions in Yoruba land and Nigeria .Gbenga Daniel is power-drunk and thought he is bigger than Alake of Egbaland.Gbenga Daniel must be reminded that Oba Adedotun Gbadebo ascebded his father’s throne which is his birth-right but Gbenga Daniel is a politician and governor for that matter that has embezzled and looted Ogun state public treasury and became rich now part of evidence against him is the COMPASS-newspaper which he established while he is still in office and which is one of the corrupt evidence that EFCC and ICPC must use to investigate Gbenga Daniel and additional evidence against Gbenga Daniel is the billion of naira he was accused of stolen and looted from Ogun state public fund by a magazine in Lagos.Alake of Egbaland,Oba Adedotun Gbadebo is an Oba as a result of his birth-right but governoship position is temporary and not Gbenga Daniel’s birth-right.When Gbenga Daniel is finally remove from office through impeachment,he would be made to face EFCC and ICPC and his travel document would be seized from him while he faces prosecution and jail-term as a criminal who looted and embezzled public fund while Oba Adedotun Gbadebo remains Oba till he died. Dr Pat Kolawole Boboye,Canada.
Sanni Akande
23 October 2008 17:45Dear Editor,
I was astonished to read articles concerning the war between Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State and the Ogun State House of Assembly. Reading through the article makes me feel that investigative journalism is dead in Nigeria. Ogun State is a ‘timed bomb’. It is not that the people of the state do not love peace but because Daniel with his ‘hired killers’ and the Nigerian Police have killed many people because of his political ambition. Gbenga Daniel has ‘climbed a tree beyond its’ leaves’.
Daniel uses Nigerian Police to kill people who do not want him to impose his own candidates. He is an occultist especially ‘Awo Ile-Ife’ and many others.
Oba Michael Sonariwo, the Akarigbo of Ijebuland and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona do not deserve our respects anymore.
Gbenga Daniel and his “boys” organized the killing of the late Odemo of Isara, Oba Onadeko in 2007. I would like the Federal Government to investigate this allegation thoroughly.
Daniel has carried out politically motivated killing than any military/civilian governors in the history of Nigeria. Daniel is imposing drug barons as politicians in Ogun State. I wondered why he has not been to the USA for many years. He is a drug baron but people think he is a successful businessman. The truth will come out very soon.
The ‘blood’ of the people directly or indirectly killed by Daniel will continue to hunt him and God, the Almighty will revenge their ‘blood’ on his ‘head’.
Daniel does not deserve to continue to be the governor of Ogun State. He must be brought to book. He must be impeached for peace to reign in Ogun State.
The monarchs who are threatening the members’ of Ogun State house of assembly are doing so for their own selfish interest and they are also occultists like him. They are not the voice of people anymore.
OGUN STATE WILL WITNESS MORE THAN WHAT YOU SEE IN ‘NIGER-DELTA’ IF DANIEL IS NOT IMPEACHED.
kunle constant
23 October 2008 17:53Good talk,
A nice piece from chief banjo as an egba man i feel highly embarassed,by OGDs action by i dnt have him to blame but all the Obas in ogun state who made god out of him.now he has the power and he can deal with anybody anyhow,but pride always go before fall.He should be carefull on how he deals with traditional rulers as this was the beginig of fayoses fall
Shola Oremade
25 October 2008 01:54For Gbega Daniel, the so-called governor of Ogun State. One should take notice of the biblical injunction that says who ever think he stands should be very careful so that he does not fall. Same goes to the Akarigbo of Shagamu my home town.If someone called for the lynching of your children, how would you feel? All these so-called Oba institutions should be scrapped, because our culture is bringing us back. I read the interview of Olu of Agege last month in the news paper Punch, he said he was a soldier during the war in marine commando. He claimed to have joined the army in 1966 under one Daramola in Abeokuta and was WOII, he is a blody liar and a disgrace to the throne.He may be refering to Brigadier S F Daramola who was my commanding officer at Abeokuta training deport in april 1967.There was no training depot in Abeokuta in 1966, I was among the first in-take at the training deport in april 1967. Among my course mates were Major Akinwale now the owner of Adakson hotel in Ipaja near Jakande estate, Major Nicholas Oshuntokun formerly of the artillery, Shola Akinmolayan now of the custom, and Okunola Olagbende formerly of the brigade of guards.
The second in command to Daramola then was Colonel Adeniran, now in Ogbomosho his home town.The so-called Olu of Agege never mention his commanding officer or brigade commander apart from Brigadier Adekunle the GOC. May be he is WO419.How can those of us that knows the truth respect the kind of Oba, NEVER.
Shola Oremade
Canada.
Olabode Ayodele
28 October 2008 14:47I do hope that the war against indiscipline be reintroduced with a heavier force than before in Nigeria.
The WAI should be enforced against all including our traditional fathers. With due respect to them, there are times when they make nonsense of yoruba wise saying that the elders should always speak less. I was indeed aghast when a traditional ruler threatened that legislators against Governor Daniel from his domain would be lynched and their houses burnt down. Haba!
The WAI should have dealt with such traditional ruler because the legislators, no matter how good or bad they are at their job, have a job to do.
I really hope that traditional fathers will remain what they are supposed to be and to all.
Importantly, the traditional fathers need to relate with the wise saying that ‘nothing lasts forever’ and those in executive power should remember Ukpabi Asika’s saying to Gowon that ‘no condition is permanent’.
Benn
29 October 2008 22:16Who cares whether Alake hit his head on the Rock or Ogibiti (sorry OGD) jump into river Ogun, all na same side of a coin. Be it Gbolebo, Alariwo or Awojale, ole ni gbogbo won, Ogibiti had used them for his purpose which was his 2nd term including their Grand master Oba-to-so-ojo-nu (Obasanjo) no wonder he had gone under G. The Almighty God will punish everyone of them from thisgeneration to their great-great, they will know no peace as long as they live. Insha Allah.
The war has just started and you aint seen nothing yet. Before it was House of Assembly v The Gov, now Royal v Gov, ….. who is next?
THIS IS THE WRATH OF GOD.
Olumide
1 November 2008 12:35Dear Editor,
As an Ijebu man, I am not really surprised at the kind of politics being played by Gbenga Daniel.
The Awujale of Ijebuland was the only respectable and reverred rmonarch during the Abacha era of video watch at Abuja. But now, things are changing for our dear monarch and it is a pity. What all these people do not realise is that history would not forgive them if all they care for now is lining their pockets with money from the government.
It is apparent that Gbenga Daniel’s regime is a failure, forget all the razzmatazz in the media. Have you ever been to Akute, Isashi, Denro, Oke-Aro, Lambe, Abule Ekun, Onibudo, Adigboluja in the Ifo LGA of Ogun State? You would agree with me that the current regime of Gbenga Daniel is a collossal waste and failure.
Even though I know that we would be delivered some day, let it be on record that I am not a politician or a businessman. I am a thoroughbred professional.
alabesekele
2 November 2008 07:29All,
Gbenga Daniel? Show me your friends and I will know who you are. While Ogbeni Lanre Banjo’s write up is apt and justified, may I implore him and others to please let us “le eleyoro(Gbenga Daniel) jina, ki a wa fi abo fun adie(the un-royal fathers)”, the current Gorvenor of Ogun State is a disaster of unimgainable proportions. However, if all the Sonariwos, Adetonas & Adedotuns have consistently and continuously told Daniel that not fixing the roads in Ogun State is evidence of governmental non-performance, then maybe, just maybe, we might have been better off.
When all is said and done, Alake waking up from his slumber and calling on Gbenga to fix the roads should not have attracted such heavy language as Daniel’s henchmen used. However, looking at the quality of aides that Gbenga Daniel is using in ruining Ogun State, I am not surprised, enough!
boniface abbey
3 November 2008 09:07that is good for the people of ogun state. why i said this is that when you dont have chance of coursing confustion in Nigeria you have to face yourselve. and wht is going on presently is not your governor but the people of ogun state who have mislead this country and who dont have chance of causing confustion at the fedral level.
they are back home to make the state ungovernoable for mr daniel
thanks