The Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland, His Imperial Majesty Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, Ajimoko III
Re: Forthcoming National Election of the National Council of Egbe Omo Obokun of Ijesaland, USA & Canada**
Your Gracious Imperial Majesty Owa Ajimoko III,
We, your devoted children under the National Council of Egbe Omo Obokun Ijesaland, write in response to your letter regarding our Council’s affairs, which included your directive for its dissolution.
Before proceeding, we wish to convey our deepest appreciation for your fatherly guidance and unwavering commitment to resolving the discord among the mainstream and the breakaway group of our National Council. Kabiyesi, the Ijesa people, both at home and abroad, are immensely grateful to God for granting us a monarch of your exceptional wisdom. We hold you in the highest regard, our Baba.
This correspondence serves as our respectful reply to your directive, intended also to share the outcomes of our meeting and the resolutions achieved during the emergency assembly of Chapter Presidents, five of the eight former Chairpersons of the National Council, delegate members, and other key stakeholders, as per your directive.
Baba, we will refrain from delving into the intricate details of the situation, acknowledging that you may have encountered a plethora of misinformation and misleading narratives.
We recognize your commendable efforts to mediate this crisis, commencing with your visit to Maryland in June, during which you established a committee of seven members tasked with identifying a lasting resolution and providing recommendations for your consideration. Your acceptance of their suggestions culminated in a Royal directive for a general election to appoint the Executive members of the National Council.
While this directive deviated from our initial vision and contradicted the rotational system outlined in our Constitution—which has seen three consecutive chairpersons from Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, and California—we ultimately accepted it out of respect for your authority. It was also gratifying that the breakaway factions also consented, and for the first time in nearly four years of turmoil, we felt a renewed sense of hope that peace and unity were within reach.
The election of new officers was scheduled for October 5th, with two candidates from the mainstream —Prince Samuel Babalola and Engineer Ayo Odeyemi from the breakaway group—nominating themselves for the role of National Chairman. Their campaigns have been engaging, featuring jingles, posters, and direct outreach, and we eagerly await the election.
However, we were informed on September 29th of a petition submitted to Your Majesty by Apostle Adejuyigbe, a member of the committee you established from Philadelphia, alleging irregularities in the scheduled election. This led to your decision to modify the election with compromise and issue a royal decree instructing that Engineer Ayo Odeyemi and Mrs. Famojuro stepped down from contesting the Chairmanship Vice Chairmanship position, respectively. You graciously promised to reward them in December during the lwude Ijesa as compensation for their resignation. Your royal pronouncement further designated Prince Samuel Babalola from Chicago as National Chairman and Apostle John Adejuyigbe from Philadelphia as Vice Chairman, a decision accepted by all parties involved. As your loyal subjects, we had no choice but to respect your royal decree.
It was, therefore, shocking to learn the following day that Apostle John Adejuyigbe, who had previously accepted his new assigned role in your presence, expressed his unwillingness to assume the position, claiming he could not be compelled against his will by any Oba. It is both perplexing and unprecedented that a subject would publicly disregard the royal decree of his paramount ruler and royal father. We view such behavior as a grave affront to the esteemed throne of Owa Obokun Adimula.
Kabiyesi Alayeluwa, while we were taken aback by Apostle Adejuyigbe’s refusal, your letter suspending the National Council for three years was an unexpected and distressing blow. We had hoped our previous acquiescence to your directives, despite their unfavorable nature to us in the mainstream, would foster peace and unity within the Council. As a result, we feel disempowered, frustrated, and unjustly treated.
While Your Imperial Majesty may have reached a conclusion on this matter, we feel compelled to remind His Majesty that the primary purpose of the National Council of Egbe Omo Obokun Ijesaland North America is to foster unity among Ijesas in North America, ensuring their welfare and facilitating contributions to the development of Ijesaland when possible. The Council’s foremost responsibility lies with its members in North America, with assistance to the homeland being secondary.
With utmost respect, those of us in agreement, representing Eight chapters of Egbe Omo Obokun Ijesaland North America, have resolved—without prejudice to your letter—to revert to our original rotational structure and have resolved that Prince Samuel Babalola, the current President of the Chicago Chapter, assumes the role of National Chairman, with other executive offices allocated to chapters that aligned with the mainstream. We also keep the door open for peaceful dialogue with the breakaway chapters, should they wish to rejoin us at any point in time in the future
Your Imperial Majesty, we sincerely desire a peaceful resolution and believe your Majesty will agree that we have made sufficient concessions to welcome our estranged brothers and sisters back into the fold. Unfortunately, they have shown a reluctance to pursue reconciliation.
If the National Council were perceived in alignment with the original vision of its founders and as overseen by past officeholders, the current contentious struggle for the National Chairman position would be unnecessary. The primary function of the National Council is to act as a coordinating body for all chapters in North America. The National Chairman’s role is to facilitate collaboration and does not extend to commanding individual chapters or usurping authority over any chapter president.
The National Council has three key responsibilities: organizing the National Convention every two years, coordinating chapter initiatives to prevent redundancy and overlap, and supporting the establishment of new chapters.
Regrettably, some individuals in the breakaway chapters misinterpret the genuine mission of the National Council, viewing it primarily as a means to elevate their status, particularly in the eyes of those in Nigeria and in ljesaland in particular.
We do not subscribe to that view. To continue fostering the bonds that unite us as Ijesas in the diaspora, we in the mainstream have resolved to uphold the banner of the National Council of Egbe Omo Obokun Ijesaland North America for the benefit of our land and the welfare of our people, particularly in North America. Our registration and operational license are specifically for North America and do not extend to Nigeria.
We reiterate our total loyalty and submission to His Imperial Majesty Owa Clement Adesuyi Haastrup Ajimoko III. May Kabiyesi reign prosperously long over us. Ase Edumare
Kabiyesi o !!
Sincerely,
Signed: 1. Prince Samuel Babalola President, Chicago
2. Pastor Olubunmi Oduntan, President California Chapter
3. Hon. Oladiran Apara, President Baltimore/Washington Chapter .
4. Hon. Olawale Alonge Ajamajebi, President Indianapolis Chapter
5. Hon. Toyin Oyewusi, President, Dallas, Texas Chapter.
6. Hon. Samuel Ola Omotayo, President, Atlanta, Georgia, Chapter
7. Otun Oba Sunday Omoyele, President Michigan Chapter
8. Olori Funmilayo Adedeji , Co-ordinator ,Calgary, Canada Chapter
9. Lady Morenike Owolabi- Florida Delegate
10. Mayegun Olusola Alabi, Former Chairman NCEOOI-NA
11. Prince Ezekiel Lufadeju, Former Chairman NCEOOI-NA
12. Chief Abayomi Komolafe, Former Chairman NCEOOI-NA
13. Arc. Rotimi Fafowora, Former Chairman, NCEOOI-NA
IN ATTENDANCE
14. BOBASEYE AKINYEMI OLUSEGUN FASAKIN FORMER NCEOOI-NA, GENERAL SECRETARY.
CHAPTERS DELEGATES MEMBERS
15. CHICAGO CHAPTER
AYODELE ADENIYI
HON WOLE AWOSEYI
16. ATLANTA CHAPTER
SAMUEL OMOTAYO
FEYI ADEMOLA
ROTIMI OSUNGBOUN
17. DALLAS CHAPTER
HON TOYIN OYEWUSI
Ms BOSEDE
TUNDE ADEDIGBA
18.CALIFORNIA CHAPTER
SUNDAY OLOWOOKERE
DEJI FAGBOLA
19. BALTIMORE CHAPTER OLADIRAN APARA
SANYA OLUTOLA MOHAMMED OLOMOLA
20. INDIANAPOLIS CHAPTER
OLAWALE ALONGE
MRS ABOSEDE AQUAYE BABATUNDE ABE
21. MICHIGAN CHAPTER
BUKOLA DADAFEMI ATOYEBI
22. TORONTO CANADA
ADIGUN
SOLOMON OGUNMOKUN
23.Hon. Jimoh Adebayo.
Former President Egbe Omo Obokun Ijesaland North Baltimore/Washington.
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