A popular monarch in Oyo State, Aresa Adu of Iresa Adu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Abraham Olafimihan Adeyeye Oyerinde, has urged Governor Seyi Makinde to persuade the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs to release his salary and entitlements as a first-class monarch.
The king stated that since his appointment on May 24, 2019, and the issuance of his instruments of office, the Ministry of Local Government has refused to recognise him and pay all of his benefits.
When speaking with newsmen at the NUJ Oyo State Council, Iyaganku Ibadan, Oba Oyerinde who was represented by Mr Stephen Tajudeen Adekunle Raji, Esq wondered why the local government refused to respect the state government which has approved his appointment as the Aresa Adu in Surulere Local Government area of the state.
He said, “It has come to light that a senior government official’s surreptitious roles have unduly interfered with the necessary recognition being accorded the Oba and payment of his entitlements.”
“Initially, it was thought that the crisis brewed because of the transition of government from one party to another, but the governor has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that partisanship doesn’t influence his decisions on matters of public interest.”
“In several letters including the ones dated May 4, 2020 and May 17, 2021, Oba Olafimihan raised serious concerns about the unjust withholding of recognition and payment of his entitlements despite multiple court judgments delivered in his favour.”
“Many of these letters were not allowed to get to the table of the governor and the only one that got his attention was promptly treated with a clear directive that the issue be promptly investigated. This directive has not been carried out till date.”
He also alluded to legal advice by the Commissioner of Justice in the state that the entitlements should be paid but was allegedly ignored.
“The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice has issued three legal advice recommending the immediate payment of the entitlements of the Aresa Adu of Iresaadu and according him recognition as an Oba, yet there has been no compliance from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.”
“The current Aresa Adu of Iresaadu from Osunbiyi ruling house was appointed on May 24,2019 and given instrument of office in obedience to a Court of Appeal judgment in 2015 in Appeal No CA/1/291/2002 after legal advice was issued by the Ministry of Justice to the Ministry of Local Government has since not recognized nor paid the entitlements even after several letters demanding the entitlements”.
“His Excellency, Engr Seyi Makinde has not only made the rule of law and fairness his goal but he also upholds it.
“This was evident when in June 2020, the governor directed an investigation into the allegation of forgery of Ministry of Local Government’s letter head by some Officials of Surulere Local Government dated March 2020 stating that the governor has ordered the stoppage of installation or any form of Chieftaincy ceremony in Iresaadu, at the time when the process had already been concluded in 2019”.