By Adeyinka Adeniran
The selection of the next Obalufon of Sepeteri, Saki East local government area, has been fraught with allegations of fraud and impersonation.
This is as the head of the Omiwole family, Adesola ruling house, Prince Mojeed Omiwole called on Governor Seyi Makinde to use his good office to investigate the purported election and ensure a transparent selection of the new Obalufon.
He described the recent viral video circulating on social media, where one Prince Abdulfatai Oyediran was said to have been elected as the new Obalufon of Sepeteri as a joke.
He said the purported election took place on Tuesday 18th March, 2025, within the Saki-East Local Government Secretariat, which was coordinated by one of the council member of staff.
He added that, there are five contestants from Adesola ruling house in Sepeteri who are aspiring for the vacant royal stool of the ancient town, namely Prince Omiwole Oyeleke Moruff, Prince Afolabi Oyetunde Abel, Prince Omiwole Sola Najeem, Prince Olakunle Olawoyin Olaleye and Prince Abdulfatai Oyebanji Oyediran.
Speaking on behalf of Omiwole family, Prince Mojeed, declared the election as a sham, contending that the process of the supposed election was marred with fraud and impersonation, where none of the contestants to the vacant stool were informed either verbally or in writing of the so called election that produced Prince Oyediran.
Mojeed stated that from the facts available to them, officials from Oyo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Abese of Sepeteri, Chief Rasheed Olagbenro, who was among the confirmed Warrant chiefs were prevented from participating in the said election.
He added that, another person, Baale Iyakun, Chief Mudashiru Oyekan, impersonating Abese, and another stranger, Ojedapo Adegbaye from Saki, who has since confessed his wrongful involvement in the charade, were imported to Sepeteri by a contestant to the royal stool, who was later declared as the winner of the election that was never held.
He said, “None of the other four contestants, apart from Abdulfatai Oyediran was intimated of the fraudulent election, and you can imagine that Abese of Sepeteri was impersonated by Baale Iyaakun of Sepeteri and strangely, another person who is never known in Sepeteri, was also imported from Saki to act as one of the Warrant Chiefs by Pince Abdulfatai Oyediran, who has since confessed of his wrong involvement in the election.” Omiwole stated
The spokesperson of Omiwole family, narrating his ordeal with newsmen, appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to disregard the purported election.
He said he was speaking on behalf of Omiwole of the Adesola ruling family whose turn it is, to produce the next paramount ruler of Sepeteri, advising the governor to ensure a transparent election is conducted to determine the new Obalufon, who is acceptable to all the indigenes of the ancient town.
Prince Mojeed added that they trusted Governor Makinde would ensure proper things are done in the selection of Obalufon of Sepeteri, as according to him, the governor has always demonstrated this in the emergence of monarchs in other kingdoms in the state, including the most recent, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade; Okere of Saki, Oba Khalid Olabisi; Onigboho of Igboho, Oba Joel Olalere, Aseyin of Iseyin, among others.
He enjoined Governor Makinde to set machinery in motion to investigate the supposed election of the new Obalufon of Sepeteri that purportedly held last month, so that the emergence of the new monarch will bring about peace and tranquility after about ten years that the stool had been vacant.
