The lingering face-off between Oba Gbolahan Timson and Igunnuko Shrine executives got to the height last February, following the sudden disruption of preparations of the Oro Festival by the Bariga OPC when they allegedly stormed the Igunnuko Shrine, carting away items like schnapps, kolanuts and other consumables, on the alleged order of Oba Timson, whom they insist is a self-made king.
Trouble, according to the Secretary of the legendary Igunnuko Shrine, Chief Muniru Bashorun started when Timson’s pal and expelled executive of the Igunnuko Shrine, Prince Kamoru Obanisola allegedly misappropriated conclave’s assets and funds, valued at over N4million and also carted away sizeable cow beef meant to take care of guests and members expected to grace the Oro Festival which unfortunately did not hold.
He was said to have further incurred the wrath of fellow executives and spiritual leader of the Igunnuko shrine when he allegedly sold without authority some goats and slaughtered some rams too, without the knowledge of the head of the conclave.
As if these wrongdoings were not enough, Obanisola was reported to have collected later on, unapproved and unaccounted sum of N10,000 being amount realized from the sales of clothes used for the state inauguration.
He was said to have allegedly topped this with other traditional offences which further angered the Igunnuko spiritual leader and his executives.
The conclave’s scribe, Chief Bashorun who addressed news hounds recently on the genesis of the rift between them and Chief Timson, maintained that his unilateral decision to ignore all their serious allegations against his pal, Obanisola, instructing them to re-instate him at all cost, despite his offences are unwarranted.
“We are surprised and disappointed that Timson ignored all our allegations against his friend, only to instruct us that he should be re-instated immediately. It is an insult of the highest order. Imagine this! How can this happen after our efforts to constitute a respected committee and all that meant to investigate him?”, he wondered, while Chief Lasisi Osho (Ndamaaji of Igbogunnu, Bariga), Chief Oluwasina Aminu (Etiko Igbogunnu, Bariga) and other executives who were listening to his speech at the conference nodded with approval.
Chief Bashorun said that Timson whom he claimed has no staff of office “has no legal locus standi to ask us to re-instate his friend. If this would be done, the investigation committee we set up, must be allowed to do their job without any hindrance. If anybody is to ask us to do such, he should be the Baale of Bariga who has our respect as the Oba of Bariga”.
The faction of the OPC that carried out Obanisola’s expulsion could not be established. While some said it was Otunba Ganiyu Adams’ men, others said it was Fasheun’s members.
Meanwhile, reacting to these disturbing allegations, the expelled Igbogunnu head, Prince Kamoru Obanisola gave his side of the story, tendering copies to back up his claims.
Hear him, “Their claims are so spurious. They don’t even know the history of Igunnuko. What happened to me was simply bad belle gang up. How can the Igunnuko deity wake up one morning and walked down to where I lodged to announce that I am no longer the head of Igunnuko?”, he queried.
The apparently angry Obanisola confessed that the real source of these troubles was economic than any other reason, frowning at the disregard of the order of the Jagunmolu of Bariga, Oba Gbolahan Timson who ordered that the Oro Festival should not hold in the face of infighting between the Igunnuko executives and Prince Obanisola who was believed to have been expelled unjustifiably.
-Akin Sokoya
