The Asiwaju of Orile Imo in Obafemi/Owode Local Government area of Ogun State, High Chief Olalekan Olakunle, on Tuesday described as illegal and invalid his purported indefinite suspension by the Orile Imo Traditional Council under the leadership of Oba Oluwambe Sogaolu.
Chief Olakunle warned that the Olu of Orile Imo, Oba Sogaolu, is only creating fertile ground for the seed of disaffection and avoidable crisis in the community with his high-handedness and abuse of office, urging for the quick intervention of Ogun Governor Dapo Abiodun to nip the crisis in the bud.
The community leader made this call on Tuesday during a press briefing held at his office in Orile Imo.
A letter dated August 12, 2025 and signed by Chief Isiaq Adesanya, the Balogun of Orile Imo, on behalf of Orile Imo Traditional Council, had announced the suspension of Chief Olakunle
The letter partly reads “That Chief Olakunle Olalekan is hereby suspended indefinitely as Asiwaju of Orile Imo Land with effect from Tuesday, 12th August, 2025, due to gross misconduct and non-compliance and recognition of the Orile Imo Land constituted authority, the actions which is unbecoming of a chief in our land.
“During the suspension period, Chief Olakunle Olalekan is strictly prohibited from representing or parading himself as Asiwaju of Orile Imo or taking actions that may be perceived as acting in that capacity.”
Olakunle has, however, denied any wrongdoing, alleging that the move of the monarch was nothing but an overreach and a power that the royal father could not even exercise according to the chiefs’ law of Ogun State.
He said, “I want to appeal to the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who is a man of the people, to intervene to prevent the looming crisis in Orile Imo and caution Oba Reuben Sogaolu to stay off from the suspension of my chieftaincy title as the Asiwaju of Orile Imo to avoid crisis in the community.
“We know that the Governor is a Prince; he knows the rules and regulations of tradition and customs. We don’t want a crisis in Orile Imo; it is unjust for the monarch to just wake up one day and decide to suspend someone of his chieftaincy title.
“I remain Asiwaju of Orile Imo. I have been installed as Asiwaju of Orile Imo since 2018, during the reign of late Oba Olatunji Olubiyi (Soloko1). Even in the chieftaincy law of Ogun State 2001, Coronet Obas have no power to install or strip anyone of their chieftaincy title.
“I therefore urged Oba Sogaolu to equip himself with more knowledge by ensuring that he promotes unity in the town, facilitates development instead of threatening his subjects with their chieftaincy title”.
Reacting on behalf of the traditional ruler, Chief Isiaq Adesanya, the Balogun of Orile Imo, said that the indefinite suspension slammed on Chief Olakunle was in order, and it was a unanimous decision taken during the meeting of the Traditional Council of Orile Imo.
Adesanya explained that “Chief Olakunle was suspended as the Asiwaju of Orile Imo because he has refused to have anything doing with our new traditional ruler, Oba Sogaolu, since his installation about a year ago.
“He has refused to be part of our traditional chiefs’ meetings. We have written to him several times, but nothing from him, and if he is not ready to sit with our king, how can he now be going about parading himself as the Asiwaju of Orile Imo? Government in the palace is continuous.
“If he was installed by the former traditional ruler, he could as well be removed by his successor, that is Oba Sogaolu. There is no crisis anywhere and we have done nothing wrong”.
