The paramount ruler and Alake of Egbaland, Adedotun Gbadebo, on Wednesday narrated how former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel, plotted to dethrone him and how the plan failed.
The monarch made the disclosure at a press conference ahead of his 10th coronation anniversary at his palace in Abeokuta.
He said his “sin” against the former governor was bringing to Mr. Daniel’s attention, the poor condition of roads in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Mr. Gbadebo said he was saved by an Abeokuta court judgement which prevented the governor from dethroning traditional rulers.
He said while the plan to dethrone him was ongoing, Duro Onabule, a former Chief Press Secretary to the former military ruler, Ibrahim Babangida, published a two-part article where the court judgment was quoted verbatim in the newspaper.
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The monarch denied criticizing the Daniel administration as claimed by the then government, saying he merely called the attention of the government to the deplorable condition of roads in Egbaland at that time.
He explained that the governor’s Chief of Staff, Abayomi Majekodunmi, was a witness at the occasion where he (Alake) appealed to the administration to fix the potholes in the state but was misconstrued when the newspapers reported it the following day.
The monarch said in response to his observation about the deplorable roads, the governor at the time sent a text message to one of his aides, directing that he (Gbadebo) had become one of the critics of the government and must be dealt with.
“As pressmen, you have somebody you called double chief, he is a foremost journalist in this country, he was Press Secretary to Babangida, he wrote a two-part article on that question you’re asking me now. There is a law court which said no governor has the power to dethrone any Oba, go and check what he wrote,” the paramount ruler said.
“The pronouncement came from Abeokuta here; the government didn’t appeal that judgment and so it remains. That was what he was telling the government that you haven’t gotten that power. Try it and you will fail and the shame will be too much for you. He quoted that judgment verbatim and the right of Oba and government didn’t appeal it,” he recalled.
I didn’t criticize the government. At that place, the Chief of Staff was there and I told him ‘Tell your Oga, remind him to do this road and this road, would you call that criticism?” the monarch asked.
“But in the text, the governor sent, he said ‘Alake has joined the group of people criticizing us, we must face fire with fire’. But I don’t like fire and I don’t work with fire either. So, I didn’t criticize the government, I only commented on bad roads and I didn’t say they have been spending money on something else instead of fixing the road, I didn’t say they must do the road all over, I only asked them to fix potholes.”
Speaking further, the traditional ruler said he was fulfilled with the infrastructural projects currently being executed by the present administration. He said he would continue to ask for more from the government.
Culled from Premium Times.
