The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, has issued a stern warning to newly installed compound heads (Mogajis) and village heads (Baales) in Ibadan, cautioning them against engaging in land grabbing and exhibiting insubordination to family elders.
The monarch gave the warning on Monday during the formal installation ceremony of nine Mogajis and two Baales at his palace in Oke-Aremo, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
In a statement released on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Gbenga Ayoade, Oba Olakulehin stressed the importance of peace in local communities, adding that meaningful development cannot be achieved in an atmosphere of unrest or conflict.
He urged the newly appointed leaders to serve as agents of harmony and to resist the temptation to exploit their positions for personal gain, particularly regarding land ownership and family disputes.
“You are to uphold the values of justice, peace, and respect for tradition,” the monarch said. “Do not allow greed or disobedience to destroy the legacies of your forefathers.”
Among those installed were Giwa Kamaldeen of the Aliiwo Compound in Ibadan North East LGA; Kamorudeen Adebimpe of the Adebimpe family in Odinjo, Ibadan South East; and Muritala Aloba of the Aloba family in Inalende, Ibadan North.
Others include Kazeem Rabiu of the Akinsumbo Compound in Ibadan North West; and Kadir Farayola of the Samonda family, Oje, in Ibadan North East.
The Olubadan reiterated that traditional rulers and heads of families must work hand-in-hand to ensure lasting peace, especially amid rising land disputes and communal tensions in various parts of the state.
