Alleged Fraud On Mushin Ojuwoye Stool, Families Cry To Sanwo-Olu To Intervene

Three families in Mushin Ojuwoye in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, has cried unto the Lagos State Government to avert what could lead to a communal crisis in Mushin if urgent action is not taken by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The families of Ajose, Osu Olowu and Asesewon have raised alarm over what two other families; Odu-Abore and Ayinla Aileru illegally did to declare themselves as the sole claimants to obaship stool in Mushin Ojuwoye.

Ajose, Osu Olowu and Asesewon’s families alleged that both Odu-Abore and Aileru’s families obtained fraudulently a declaration and omitted the three other families from Mushin Ojuwoye Obaship Stool.

The declaration, according to the families, was made as far back as 1975 with the help of the Olu of Mushin.

“We the descendants of Ajose, Osu-Olowu and Asesewon of Mushin Oluwoye in strong terms condemned the declaration issued on Olu of Mushin Chieftaincy.

“Our grouse at the moment is hinged on the fact that both Aileru and Odu-ABore families fraudulently obtained a declaration in 1975 which the present Oba Fatai Aileru appended his signature to, denying our families the right to ascend to the throne or participate in the community administration.

“The Odu-Abore and Aileru families began to engage in harassing, intimidating, illegally arresting and threat to our lives for expressing the injustice meted to us with impunity,” said Alhaji Fatai Faola Idowu, the spokesman for the families of Ajose, Osu Olowu and Asesewon during a press briefing held at Right House on Adeniji Jones Avenue in Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday.

Alhaji Idowu said that the three families, being law-abiding citizens of Lagos State, decided to take the injustice to the public domain and called on Governor Sanwo-Olu to use his good office as the custodian of law in the state to do the needful by looking into the declaration fraudulently obtained in 1975 which excluded our families from the Obaship stool and community administration for justice, equity and fairness to prevail in Mushin Ojuwoye ruling houses.”

Responding to a question about why did the families waited too long for them to fight for their rights since 1975, Alhaji Idowu said that none of the families knew that a fraud had been perpetrated on the throne until recently they approached the Lagos State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs where it was discovered that there had been an existing declaration that it was only Aileru and Ado-Abore families that were entitled to the throne.

“We were shocked because there was no place our fathers sat with them to make such a decision. We discovered that the declaration was obtained by fraudulent means with the aid of the present Olu of Mushin,” he said.

The aggrieved families were joined at the press briefing by a Lagos-based human rights activist, Comrade Olusegun Adeeko, who is the President of Know Your Right For Justice who told journalists that what the two families, Aileru and Odu-Abore did in 1975 was criminal by fraudulently obtaining a declaration to perpetuate themselves as the sole ruling houses in Mushin Ojuwoye.

According to him, the 1975 declaration, a copy of which was given to the pressmen at the briefing, was not being fair to other families because none was carried along.

“This is unfair and cannot stand. We had a judgement in 2018 which restrained the Olu of Mushin from collecting rents and leasing from tenants either for himself or his agents. 

“The court also ruled that Oba AIleru should form a committee of every member of the ruling houses, while he should also render accounts of his stewardship since he assumed the throne. But all this he failed to do. We were forced to approach the court again. The case is still in Lagos court now.

“The two families, Aileru and Odu-Abore have been using all power they can muscle to suppress us and intimidate, using connections to obstruct the course of justice. We are only fighting for our rights and that of our children.

“But in this present case, we won’t give up until the needful is done. We are fighting for the future generation so that everybody will feel that sense of belonging,” Alhaji Idowun concluded.

Mr. Mukaila Ajose stood in for Ajose family at the press briefing, while Mr. Idowu Fatai and Mr. Najeem Asesewon stood in for Osu Olowu and Asesewon families respectively