The Oshodi-Tapa family of Lagos
Island, Epe and Oshodi has appealed to Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu to
intervene in the issue of claims being made by some individuals to the stool of
Baale of Oshodi.
The family expressed concern that
some impostors were trying to leverage on political affiliations to usurp and
distort the time-honoured tradition.
While making the appeal in a
statement issued by the Olori Ebi Oshodi Tapa Chieftaincy Council, Pa Surakat
Alabi Oshodi, the family noted that members of the Oshodi-Tapa family are the
undisputed owners of Oshodi, and by extension the traditional rulers of the
entire Oshodi community.
The family particularly cited an
alleged campaign by Mr Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo to be installed as Oba
of Oshodi
Akinsanya is the Lagos State
Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
While distancing members of the
family from any campaign to make Akinsanya Oba of Oshodi, the family head
disclosed that all gazetted Bales of Oshodi were from the Oshodi family, adding
that there was only one exception which was eventually nullified by the
judiciary.
According to him: “The only
aberration to this seamless tradition was the purported installation of one
Yisa Oseni Eyifunmi on 29th October, 2006 that was swiftly overturned by the
judiciary. In her ruling of 4th May 2007, Justice M.O Obadina of the Lagos
State High Court correctly ruled that the said Eyifunmi was wrongly installed
as Bale of Oshodi since his nomination did not come from the Oshodi family and
he was not known to the family.
Expressing confidence in Oba
Akiolu’s capacity to intervene in the matter, Pa Oshodi added that members of
the family have been holding consultations on who to choose as the next Bale of
Oshodi, and will subsequently inform the monarch on its choice at the end of
the process.
He further added that members of
the family would also follow seamlessly on the already tradition of succession
to the throne whenever the Bale of Oshodi stool is upgraded to that of Oba
Grade 1 by Lagos State government.
Insisting that Oshodi Town
situated within Oshodi/Isolo Local council area belongs to no one other than
the Oshodi Tapa Family of Lagos Island, Pa Oshodi said: “It is not a
yesterday’s claim but an established historical fact that Oshodi belongs to us,
and this has endured for more than two centuries or over 200 years, and this has also been re-established and
reinforced by the courts.”
He cited a judgment delivered by
a Lagos High Court on April 19th, 1960 which was later affirmed first by the
Supreme Court of Nigeria on March 5th, 1963, and then again by the Supreme
Court on July 14, 2000 to buttress his position. (Saturday Sun: Excludes
headline)
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