…says Osogbo will never claim what does not belong to them
The people of Osogbo, the Osun State capital, have denied the allegations of expansionist tendencies levelled against their royal father, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, by his fellow monarch, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Olabomi.
Oba Olabomi had accused the Ataoja of wanting to appropriate areas that does not belong to Osogbo land, warning that the plot would come with dire consequences and could spark communal clash.
Reacting, the people of of Osogbo in a release issued through Osogbo Action Council (OAC) and signed by its Chairman and Asiwaju of Chief Ajadi Badmus, insisted that Osogbo and its people have always been pursuing peace and good neighborliness.
“We are a people noted for peace and are very accommodating to others. This is a fact that has always been endearing and attracting many people of different ethnic groups to our town which is ever welcoming and cosmopolitan in disposition”, the OAC added. Osogbo has never gone to war with any of our neighbours. And neither shall we do that.
On the Ipole-Omu and other areas highlighted by the Aragbiji, the OAC maintained that the people of Osogbo are not known to be greedy and would never claim what does not belong to them.
The OAC equally insisted that their monarch as the custodian of their culture and history and the face of the town would never go out of his way to make wild claims.
“Our royal father, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Larooye II, is number one representative of Osogbo sons and daughters, home and abroad, and has continued to pursue love, peace and unity of all”.
Meanwhile, the OAC is appealing to the people of the two towns (Iragbiji and Osogbo) to be calm as avenues were being explored to settle the issues. This is because we are one family, brothers and sisters and we must not allow mundane things to set us apart.
The statement calls on the people of the two towns to rest assured that “we shall continue to pursue the path of peace and love which will be beneficial to us all admonishing that crisis does no good to anyone or a people.
