Deposed Onido of Ido, Oba Benjamin Ademola Isola Orobiyi (II), has made an appeal to the Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, to reinstate him back to the throne.
The deposed traditional ruler made the appeal while addressing a press conference in his palace in Ido, Ido Local Goverment Area, on Tuesday.
He said the call for his reinstatement, more than 12 years after he was deposed, was in tune with the wish of his people, to ensure justice and return normalcy to Ido.
He said he was the choice of the people and was rightfully appointed as the Onido in 1997 after he and three other contestants were screened by the Olubadan-In-Council, the Olubadan of Ibadanland being the consenting authority.
Oba Benjamin Orobiyi was deposed in August 2011 by the administration of the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi who, in his stead, installed Oba Tajudeen Akinola as the Onido.
The same administration, however, also deposed Oba Akinola in 2016, replacing him with Oba Gbolagade Muritala Gbolagade.
In a twist of fate, Oba Babalola was eventually placed on suspension on 1 February this year by Governor Makinde for his alleged involvement in illegal mining.
As investigation is still ongoing on the allegation of illegal mining against the suspended Oba Babalola, the deposed Oba Benjamin Orobiyi urged the governor to look into the matter and restore him back as the rightful occupant of the Onido Stool.
He said that, with the suspension of Oba Babalola, the time is ripe for the governor to right the wrong done his community by reinstating him as the lawful and bonafide Onido of Ido.
To back his claim to the throne, he said was appointed the Onido on 15 December, 1997 after the Olubadan-In-Council had screened him and three other contestants from October 1996 to December 1997.
The deposed Onido said the administration of the late former Governor Ajimobi served him a Letter of Deposition on 11 August, 2011 for undisclosed reason.
The deposed Oba Benjamin Orobiyi said he did not commit any offence that warranted his deposition by the late former Governor Ajimobi in 2011.
He further said the late former Governor Ajimobi did not investigate the allegation that he was wearing beaded crown, adding that he wrote a letter of apology to the then Olubadan of Ibadanland for his perceived offence.
He also disclosed that he wrote a letter to Governor Makinde to further plead his cause, adding that he has been invited for a meeting over the matter.
The deposed Onido added that the two persons who occupied the throne after him, Tajudeen Akinola and Muritala Babalola, were not qualified to be the Onido.
He described the duo as intruders who were not qualified because he (the incumbent) is still alive, adding that the Ido Chieftaincy Declaration was not followed in appointing them as the Onido.
Oba Benjamin Orobiyi further said both Tajudeen Akinola and Muritala Babalola have no control over the people of Ido and that their selection was against the custom of Idoland.
“In the light of these, I am using this medium to plead with all the authorities concern to restore normalcy back to Ido chieftaincy matter as it was in 2011 before the intruders came to hijack the stool.
“The family of Orobiyi is appealing to our governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, who has the fear of God, in whom we saw transparency and good governance.
“Our governor should kindly, with mercy, look into this case and restore back the God-appointed Oba of Ido, Benjamin Ademola Isola Orobiyi (II) who is always loyal to good governance.
“The request for my reinstatement as the Onido of Ido is in tune with the popular wish and desire of the people of Ido because they were the ones who put me there in the first place.
“The governor should look into the file on Ido to establish the truth about the matter. I urge you to look into this and if you find anything to the contrary, you can ignore our appeal,” he said.
The deposed Oba Benjamin Orobiyi gave the assurance that normalcy will return to Ido and ensure adequate safety if lives and property, if he is reinstated back to the throne of Onido.
