Alhaji (Chief) Lamidi T.A. Ololade Okekegan Adefisoye, has urged Alhaji Olajide Abideen Abimbola (a.k.a Eji Ogbe) to come and prosecute the case he instituted over the Alakufo stool, instead of planning to use illegal means to silence him (Adefisoye).
Alhaji Abideen Olajide, a chieftain of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Oyo State had instituted a case before an Oyo State High Court, challenging the appointment of Chief Lamidi Adefisoye as the Alaku – designate by Governor Seyi Makinde of the State.
Joined in the matter still pending before Oyo State High Court 6 sitting in Ibadan are Governor Makinde, the Oyo State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Oyo State’s Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chairman of Ido Local Government Area, Oyo State Commissioner of Police, and Chief Lamidi Taoreed Ayankojo Adefisoye.
In his statement of claim, the Oyo NURTW chieftain averred that he is the person who has been duly appointed by the Olubadan of Ibadanland as Alakufo of Akufo in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State, after he had been presented by his ruling house to the kingmakers of Akufo.
But in his defense, Alhaji Adefisoye maintained that he is the person appointed by the State Government as the Alakufo-designate through a letter from the state’s Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matter dated 20th of October, 2023.
Chief Adefisoye said contrary to the claim of Alhaji Abideen, Olubadan cannot install a Part 2 Chief, according to the Chieftaincy Law of Oyo State.
Explaining how he emerged as the Alakufo-designate, Chief Adefisoye said “through the office of Mogaji Adegbola Nurudeen Adefisoye, the entire family on behalf of Akufo wrote a letter requesting for approval for the selection of new Alakufo to fill the vacant stool, with which was granted.
“The selection was done according to the stated guidelines of the Oyo State Chieftaincy Law for the Part 2 Chiefs. Present at the event were government representatives, Akufo indigenes and all ruling houses, including the claimant’s family. The selection was free and fair and dully appointed by the entire villagers.
“I was appointed as the new Alakufo of Akufo on 20th Oct 2023 through a letter from the State Government. The olubadan-in-Council was notified”.
Chief Adefisoye wondered why Alhaji Abideen could not patiently wait for the outcome of the case he instituted, and now attempting to attack him (Adefisoye) with thugs.
His words: “On March 18, 2025, the court was supposed to resume hearing in the case, but due to another activity of the Oyo State judiciary the court could not sit. My people who were in court premises told me that some suspected thugs came searching for me, saying where is that person calling himself another Alakufo?
“These fierce looking thugs believed to be working for Alhaji Abideen did not know that I was not in court. Before that day, there had been traces of some people monitoring my movements. I am therefore using this medium to cry out to all Nigerians and concerned authorities to save my soul”.
