Makinde suspends Oyo monarch

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has approved the suspension of the traditional ruler of Ido town in Ido Local Government Area of the state, Oba Gbolagade Babalola (Gbadewolu I) as the Onido of Ido.

The suspension was announced on Friday, in a letter dated February 2, 2024 and signed by the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Olusegun Olayiwola.

Olayiwola disclosed that Makinde approved the suspension on February 1, 2024.

However, the reasons and the duration of the suspension were not stated.

According to the statement, the monarch was directed to hand over all government property in his possession to the chairman of the local government.

The statement read, “I wish to inform you that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State of Nigeria, in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by Sub-section 1&2 of Section 26 of the Chiefs Law, Cap. 28 Vol I, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000 and by virtue of all other enabling powers in that regard, has approved your suspension as the Onido of Ido in the area of authority of Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.”

In 2018, Babalola engaged in a dispute with deposed Baale Tajudeen Agura, who asserted his legitimacy as the Onido of Ido due to his Agura lineage.

In response, Babalola noted that his great-grandfather’s appointment of the first Agura as Baale of Ido was based on their longstanding friendship.