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Prince
Adepoju Adesina - the deposed Deji of Akure
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•Family condemns chiefs
High chiefs and prominent
indigenes of Akure in Ondo State yesterday said the deposed Deji of Akure,
Adepoju Adesina, haboured criminals during his reign. The deposed Deji was
condemned for visiting the town five years after he was removed. Adesina entered Akure on November 10
and appeared in court to challenge his removal.
After
the court sitting, he danced round the town holding a horse tail, with his
supporters hailing him as “his majesty”.
But
the indigenes said his action nearly unsettled the town’s peace and portrayed
the state capital as a town with two kings.
They
vowed that Adesina would never rule the town.
The Nation report continues:
The
indigenes spoke at a briefing in Akure, which was attended by the second-in-
command to the Deji, High Chief James Olusoga; Odopetu of Akure, High Chief M.A
Falade and the Asamo, Rotimi Olusanya.
Others
include Asiwaju of Akure, Olu Agbi; Dr. Olaoye Adegoke; Dr. Dare Bada; Prince
Ademola Adegoroye; High Chief Ejemiki and Olu Omotayo.
Agbi,
who spoke on behalf of his people, warned Adesina to conduct himself properly,
if he had to continue to prosecute his case coming up on December 8.
He
called on Governor Olusegun Mimiko and the Inspector General of Police (IGP),
Solomon Arase, to prevail on the deposed Deji to conduct himself properly
throughout his stay in the town.
The
Asiwaju praised the government for deposing Adesina, adding that besides
“assaulting” his wife, which led to his removal, he was involved in some crimes
that embarrassed Akure.
He
said: “Adesina got involved in some shady deals. The Deji’s palace, which
hitherto was the bastion of Akure culture and tradition, became a hangout for
young men of shady characters.
“Pickpockets,
who ordinarily roam around in the old garage, found accommodation within the
confines of the palace. Of course, this was a sacrilege and our people became
unhappy.
“The
deposed Deji introduced the notorious omo-onile system in Akure by empowering a
group of brigands to go round the town daily, looking for signs of fresh
developments.
“Once
they discovered that someone was either on the verge of starting a building or
was constructing, the palace boys would request the payment of outrageous money
to be paid by the developer.
“Adesina,
on several occasions, got involved in attempts to seize the landed property of
indigenes and non-indigenes. Once you tried to resist, he got his boys to erect
wooden notices on which was insribed “heritage land….this land belongs to the
Deji”.
“There
was a time Adesina and his palace boys mounted a toll gate near FUTA and
passers-by, particularly motorists and drivers, compulsorily paid a toll.
“We
call on Akure chiefs to take action on the sacrilege committed by Adesina when
he performed the traditional “Ina Arapon” to wage war on Akure people.”
The
Adesina family’s spokesman, Prince Dapo Adepoju Adesina, said the people who
gave the briefing were not representing the interest of Akure indigenes.
He
said they were Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, who were aggrieved at
the role the deposed Deji played in the emergence of Governor Olusegun Mimiko
in 2009.
He
denied the allegations against Adesina and challenged them to come up with
evidences on the alleged atrocities.
The
spokesman said they were afraid of the outcome of the court case.
“Adesina
was in the town so that he would appear in a court and he informed the
commissioner of police about his coming as a law abiding citizen.
“He came to his father’s
house before leaving the town the same day. I don’t think anything is bad in
that,” he said.
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