By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
Sons and daughters of the ancient Remo town of Isara-Remo in the Remo Local Government Area of Ogun State, have petitioned the state government over what they described as wrongful process in the selection of the traditional ruler of the town, Odemo of Isara-Remo.
The sons and daughters – home and abroad – alleged that the process did not follow the requirements of the Chieftancy Laws of the state.
The petitioners, under the aegis of Concerned Indigenes of Isara-Remo, both home and in diaspora, passionately pleaded with the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to exercise his powers by declaring the process that produced Bashorun Oluwole Ogunbayo as the oba-elect of the town illegal and direct the town’s kingmakers to follow the known due process and traditional methods of selecting a traditional ruler for the town.
In their petition, signed by the Diaspora President and Secretary of the Concerned Indigenes, ‘Wale Odetola and Kola Okusanya respectively which they forwarded to Governor Abiodun, the Isara-Remo Indigenes in Diaspora alleged that the obaship selection process that produced Ogunbayo was fraught with irregularities, includeding intimidation, coercion and impersonation of the town’s Council of Kingmakers among others allegations.
In two separate petitions, dated 11th September, 2025 and copy of which were obtained by newsmen, the Diaspora Isara-Remo Indigenes and the youths of the town appealed to the state governor, who is also a bonafide Remo-Prince, to use his office as the state governor to institute a probe into the alleged cases of bribery involving several millions of Naira, at the expense of due process and age long traditional practices of Ifa divination.
They petitioners also alleged that there was a palpable militarization of Isara-Remo during the obashil selection process and on the 8th of September, 2025.
“As one of the critical stakeholders,deeply invested in the peace, progress and cultural continuity of our homeland, we cannot remain silent while the process is being compromised by intimidation, fraud and disregard for tradition. To disregard the divine Ifa Oracle’s verdict is to undermines the very foundation of the Yoruba kingship tradition”.
Emphasizing that the Odemo stool of Isara-Remo remains a symbol of the unity and covenant between the living sons and daughters of the town, Odetola and Okusanya in the petition emphatically declared that the Diasporal Community would not relent in defending the sanctity of the stool.
In another petition, dated 9th September, 2025 and signed by four other Isara-Remo Indigenes at home: Sola Odunuga; Prince Kayode Shonibare; Mrs. Dupe Adebajo and Mrs. Abiola Onasanya all pleaded with the Ogun State government to ensure stoppage of all the processes being made to install Bashorun Ogunbayo as the next traditional ruler of the town.
Odunuga, Shonibare, Adebajo and Onasanya, who signed the petition forward to Governor Dapo Abiodun under the aegis of Concerned Youths of Isara-Remo, alleged that emergence of Ogunbayo as the oba-elect for the Odemo stool contradicted the Ifa Oracle’s verdict, which had earlier declared Asiwaju Olumuyiwa Sonupe as the rightful candidate for the stool and as such, “should be respected and recognised”.
“We the Concerned Youths of Isara-Remo respectively bring to Your Excellency’s urgent attention, the gross illegality, manipulation and intimidation carried out in the name of selecting a new Odemo of Isara-Remo at Remo North Local Government under the supervision of the Secretary to the Local Government (SLG), Barr. Ashiru on the 8th of September, 2025”.
“Sir, the process has been hijacked in a most unhole and undemocratic manner by Bashorun Peter Okuwole Ogunbayo and Hon. Biyi Adeleye, who resorted to intimidation, impersonation and falsehood in an attempt to force themselves on the community”.
“Sir, history will remember you for standing on the side of truth, justice and tradition. The people of Isara-Remo await your intervention to save our heritage from desecration.”
