By Ola Ajayi

IBADAN – APPREHENSION has engulfed Ago Oja community in the old Oyo province after the Baale installed by the former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Alhaji Ganiyu Busari, purportedly removed from office by Governor Abiola Ajimobi, weekend, rejected his deposition and described the governor’s action as usurpation of the function of the judiciary.

Though the state government said it had acted on two separate court orders that nullified the installation of the chief, Busari claimed he was not aware of any court order and also denied receipt of any letter terminating his rulership as Oloja of Ago Oja.

Speaking through his counsel, Biodun Abdul-Raheem, the chief said: “As of 12.00pm today (yesterday) being 6th of May, 2012, no letter bearing the description of the one referred to has been served on our client or in any way brought to his attention.”

But Vanguard gathered that the letter of deposition was signed by the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Peter Odetomi.

Ajimobi, through the commissioner said that Alhaji Busari must comply with an extant judgment restraining him from parading himself as a traditional ruler and vacate the official residence of Ashipa Oyo.

The directive was contained in a letter marked CB141\38\7T1\131, dated May 4, 2012 and directed to the Chairman, Atiba Local Government for immediate action.

According to the letter “the state government hereby directs that Alhaji Ganiyu Ajiboye Busari should cease from parading himself as Baale/Alago of Ajo-Oja at least pending the determination of his appeal and should vacate the palace meant for Ashipa.”

Justice Olu Akinola (rtd) had on July 31, 2007 ordered that the title of Ago Oja never existed in history, and so Chief Busari should stop parading himself as such.

But while the appeal by Baale is still pending, and another Judge, Akinteye on May 7, 2008 in the suit marked HOY/31/2007 granting an “interlocutory injunction restraining both parties from setting any machinery in motion for the selection, nomination, appointment, recognition or for any person to hold himself out as a candidate or holder of Ashipa of Oyo chieftaincy title, pending the final determination of this case.”

The installation of the Baale in the domain of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi had generated ripples between the monarch and the former governor.

It was believed then that Otunba Alao-Akala created the title to reduce the influence of the Alaafin of Oyo in his domain.

Dissatisfied with his installation as Oloja of Ago Oja, Oba Adeyemi challenged the action of the ex-governor in the State High Court and the ruler was ordered by Justices O.A. Akinola and J. A Fabiyi in their rulings marked HOG/14/2006 and CA/1/M267/07 to vacate the seat as they said “the creation, appointment and installation of Baale Ago Oja were illegal, unconstitutional null and void.”

However, Otunba Alao-Akala, probably due to political differences between him and the monarch, refused to obey the court rulings until he vacated the government house.

Oba Adeyemi then filed another suit that the court should commit the then out-going Governor, Alao-Akala and his then Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ladi Abdusalam and Alago Oja to prison custody for allegedly refusing to obey the two separate court orders.

In a suit no. HOY462006, Justice Olu S. Akinola, had ruled that the title of Baale Ago-Oja does not exist in Atiba Local Government and ordered that Ganiyu Ajiboye Busari should stop parading himself as such.