Chairman of the Oshodi Tapa Chieftaincy family in Lagos State, Chief Moroof-Deen Babatunde, today, said the family has not endorsed anyone as the traditional ruler of Oshodi.
There were speculations that the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in Lagos State, Mr Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly called MC Oluomo, was to be installed as the Oba of Oshodi.
Addressing journalists on the family’s position, Chief Babatunde said: “The record we are trying to put straight is that this family house: Oshodi Tapa chieftaincy family , is the absolute owner and controller of Oshodi town in Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area
“We have not endorsed anybody to be Oba. We have not even called for candidature as I speak. We therefore, take report of Musiliu Akinsanya alias MC Oluomo’s moves to be Oba of Oshodi as a rumor because he is not a member of the Oshopdi Tappa chieftaincy family and has no right to the stool of Oshodi town.
“We have already instituted a case in the court, we have made an advertorial that has been published and we have also written to the government”.
He stated that the territory in question included expanse of land stretching from Matori, Mafoluku,OgunOloko stream canal, Sogunle, Alasia border by the Railway line otherwise known as Onigbogbo, warning that any claim to any part of the land by any individual , group of association , outside the Oshodi Tapa family was null and void .
He traced ownership of the area to a judgment delivered by a High Court Judge on April 19,1960, and was also affirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on March 5,1963 , as well as the Supreme Court after another challenge on it , on July 14,200.
Aside from the suspected move by Oluomo to be installed as the Oba of Oshodi, he disclosed that “there is an outstanding issue which is the upgrading of the baleship to Oba in Oshodi. We went to the tribunal but we have not seen its report. Unfortunately, another segment of people I don’t know, got the report and went and asked the government to come and install somebody in Oshodi”
He clarified that “several centuries ago, our ancestor, Chief Tapa Oshodi was given this land in recognition of his military prowess and assistance to the Onigbesa of Igbesaland during the era of the Slave Trade. The land gift was a gesture of appreciation by the Onigbesa, who was the original owner of this area from time immemorial and it has been in our possession since, not as customary tenants but as absolute owners. The Onigbesa gifted us the land without conditions.
“From the late 1950s, there had been several attempts by rancorous elements claiming to be related to Onigbesa, to violate this agreement. But such attempts to subvert our inheritance had failed”
He further stated that the Oshodi Tapa family had not taken any steps to install anybody as traditional ruler of the area because of an existing case, part of which he attributed to silence on the part of the government.
Chief Babatunde said, “Government is a part of the case. Let the government say something. If they want to come to court, let them come and talk, if they want to go to the press, let them say something”.
When contacted to know if MC Oluomo had interest in the oshodi obaship stool and to ascertain if he was a member of the Oshodi Tapa family, his Personal Assistant, Jimoh Buhari, replied, “Number one, he (Oluomo) has not come out publicly to declare his intention for the Oshodi Obaship stool. Perhaps the rumor broke out when he tried to make consultations.
“Secondly, it is normal to have a divided view among families if anyone signifies interest in ascending a stool. Someof the family embraced him while others didn’t. It is normal.” (Vanguard)
