Kunle Adelabu
The Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Barr.) Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, has asked Mrs Adebisi Fanuga to stop parading herself as the Iyalode of Igbogbo Kingdom following her failure to discharge the responsibilities attached to the traditional position.
Oba Kasali issued the warning when chieftains and members of the Rademo Royal Family appeared before the Adeboruwa – in – Council on Tuesday, February 9, 2021.
High Chief Rasaki Adebanjo, the Aro of Ijede, Alhaja Keshimawo (Iya Tope) and Mr Adegbenro Fanuga and others represented the Rademo Royal family at the meeting at the Adeboruwa palace.
The removal of Mrs Fanuga as the Iyalode (head of women in Igbogbo), according to the Adeboruwa palace, was due to her inability to attend palace meetings for about 13 years after she was installed by the former Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Oba Johnson Fatola.
Oba Kasali, while ruling on the matter after hearing submissions from members of the Adeboruwa – in – Council and representatives of the Rademo family who produced Mrs Fanuga for the position, directed that she should stop parading herself as the Iyalode of Igbogbo.
“Henceforth, the title of Iyalode must not be ascribed to her again from today”, Oba Kasali ruled.
“She must submit everything in her possession regarding the title of Iyalode”, the royal father added.
Mrs Fanuga, who reportedly had absconded from the palace since the reign of the former monarch, has also not deemed it fit to attend palace since Oba Kasali was enthroned over five years ago.
She was also alleged to had failed in partaking in the burial arrangements of the former monarch (Oba Fatola) and coronation of Oba Kasali whom, according to report, she has not paid homage to since his installation as the new Adeboruwa.
The former Iyalode was said to have performed necessary activities regarding the Iyalode Chieftaincy in the Adeboruwa palace during the reign of Oba Fatola but failed to conclude her traditional rites at the Osugbo, the highest traditional institution where she’s also expected to take a seat.
Speaking on behalf of the Adeboruwa, High Chief Tajudeen Duduyemi Onasanya, the Odofin of Igbogbo, said that the palace had severally engaged members of the Rademo Royal family that produced Mrs Fanuga on her failure to complete her traditional rites but all to no avail.
While thanking the family for honouring their invitation, he added that they were invited to the palace for questioning on the candidate they presented as the Iyalode of Igbogbo.
“For 13 years, the Iyalode title has been in limbo. Although, she was only given ‘Shaki’ (an insignia that parades her as a palace chief) but she did not complete the traditional rites as she did not visit Osugbo to perform necessary rites.
“Even the ‘Shaki’ that she was given at the palace conferred on her certain responsibilities which she has not been performing”, Odofin added.
The Otunba of Igbogbo, Chief Ayobami Lanre Obayomi, also said that the lack of performance by the former Iyalode is not solely her fault as other qualified women that considered should also be blamed for not accepting the title.
Other Chiefs also corroborated the statements of the Odofin and Otunba in their respective reactions to the issue.
Meanwhile, the representatives of the Rademo family that spoke during the meeting said that they have little to say about the Iyalode’s alleged failure to function as Iyalode.
Alhaja Kashimawo, however, added that all her efforts to ensure that the former Iyalode complete her final traditional rites by collecting the list of items to be supplied for the rites (Ikaro) from the chiefs for her did not yield any positive result.
Attempts to reach Mrs Fanuga for her own side of the story proved abortive as at the time of filing this report.
