•All The Behind The Scene Details
Sagamu town in remoland is currently in a celebration mood. Indigenes of the town are still basking in the euphoria of the recent announcement of their new king. You will recall that the former King, Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo died in July 2016 and his contributions to the development of Ogun State during his 16 year reign as the paramount ruler of Remoland, as well as the Chairman, Ogun State Traditional Council can not be easily forgotten.
Since his passage the stool has been vacant as the search for who wears the crown thickened until few months ago when the new Akarigbo of Remoland emerged. He is Prince Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, an Accountant.
Few weeks after the death of the last Akarigbo, Oba Adeniyi Sonariwo, in July 2016, there were calls for the installation of a new monarch to occupy the vacant stool.
Generally, it was believed that the delay in the installation of an Akarigbo will not only stall meaningful progress for the people but would also diminish the sense of self-worth of the Remo people.
It was gathered that through the years, about 5 ruling houses have rotationally produced occupants of the stool.
The present declarations now lists five , namely Liyangu, Torungbuwa, Anoko, Koyelu and Owarodo in order of succession.
His emergence as expected, had the Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State under whose authority the Akarigbo reigns, to reportedly send a public notice signed by the Head of Local Government Administration, Venerable Willie Ade Olugbebi, on behalf of the executive chairman dated March 17, 2017.
The notice stated in parts, “The public is hereby notified that a vacancy has occurred in Akarigbo of Remo Land Chieftaincy Title. It is the turn of Torungbuwa Akarigbo Ruling House to produce candidate(s) to fill the vacant stool. “The head of Torungbuwa Akarigbo Ruling House is hereby required in line with section 15 and 16 of the Chiefs Law of Ogun State Nigeria, 2006, to convene a meeting of the family within 14 days from the date of this notice .
The candidates nominated will be presented to the king makers by the head of the ruling house through the secretary to the local government, Sagamu Local Government for the election of a suitable candidate as Akarigb-elect of Remoland.”
At the end of the election, Prince Babatunde Ajayi emerged the new Akarigbo with five votes, followed by Professor Babatunde Ogunmola the head of Torungbuwa family with two votes, while 17 nominees had no vote.
The other 17 candidates that vied for the stool are Prof. Adewale Solarin, the President of African Mathematical Union and the immediate past Director-General of National Mathematics Centre (NMC), Abuja and Prof Tunde Ogunsanwo, lecturer at the Ogun State – owned Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago – Iwoye. Adeyinka Adeniyi, Akibu Kazeem, Adedapo Opeaye, Ibukun Alayo, Adebayo Mutiu Bolajoko, Abiodun Ogunbiyi, Nuru Oyekan Tajudeen Saka Princes Ayoola Adetinoye, Adeuja Ashimolowo, Saula Adenowo, Folarin Solarin, Seyi Sotubo, Bolaji Osiderumu and Adeniyi Adesanya
Chief Abdul Wasiu Awofala, Losi moved the motion to forward the name of the elected Akarigbo to the state government and was seconded by Balogun Chief Kolawole Odumuyiwa.
The newly elected Akarigbo ,Prince Babatunde Ajayi is a barrister and a chartered accountant. He is from the Torungbuwa ruling house. He was elected through an open ballot held among the seven kingmakers at the Akarigbo’s palace, Sagamu.
Prince Ajayi polled five votes as against two ballots won by Prof. Babatunde Ogunmola. Nineteen princes were said to have contested for the exalted position. But the remaining 17 nominees had no vote.
The election was supervised by the Secretary to the Sagamu Local Government, Otunba Adewale Fakoya, who read the names of the 19 nominees to the kingmakers, requesting them to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice.
The names of the kingmakers are Chief Rasak Akinyemi Salami (Lisa), Chief Abdul Wasiu Awofala (Losi), Chief Taiwo Sule (Oluwo Odofin), Chief Lamidi Olaitan Adesanya (Apena), Chief Ogunyemi Tijani Adesina (Ogbeni Odi), Chief Kolawole Odumuyiwa (Balogun) and Olotu Omoba Jas Adekunle (Olotu Omoba Akarigbo).
The kingmakers have approved the names of 19 candidates from Torungunwa Ruling House that will produce the next king.
According to feelers from Remo, the two major contenders to the ancient crown are 86 years old Gabriel Ogunmola, a professor Emeritus, and 55 years old Babatunde Ajayi, a chartered accountant and legal practitioner.
Prince Babatunde Ajayi, is the Managing Partner of Babington Ashaye & Co with over 20 years’ experience in Insolvency and Restructuring and has handled not less than 250 Insolvency and Restructuring assignments to date.
He handled the Liquidation of Nigeria Airways Ltd as the Assistant Liquidator and the privatisation of the three Steel Rolling Mills in Nigeria as the liquidator through a guided liquidation option. He was also involved in the privatisation of Skypower Aviation Handling Co Limited (SAHCOL). His Notable clients include the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Bureau of Public Enterprises.
He has a bachelor’s degree in the Social Sciences from the University of Ibadan. He also has a Bachelor’s degree in law (LL.B) and a Master’s degree (LL.M) in law from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He is a Chartered Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN. He is the chairman of ICAN Faculty on Insolvency and Corporate Re-Engineering and the Vice President of Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners of Nigeria, BRIPAN.
He is a distinguished Fellow of INSOL (Insolvency International) and has the honour of being the first qualified Fellow of INSOL International from Africa.
He is a member of the International Insolvency Institute (III), which is an invitation only membership of the most senior, experienced and respected practitioners, academics, judges and financial industry professionals in the world. He is 2 time President of the Collectives CIub, Sagamu, the current Chairman Board of Trustees of Collectives Club, Sagamu. He is also a member of Ikoyi Club and Lagos Tennis Club, as well as a trustee of United African Methodist Church.
Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi is the first born of late Surv. Solomon O. Ajayi, the ‘immediate past Otunba Oloore of the Torunguwa ruling house.
The family tree of Babatunde Ajayi to Oba Torunguwa is depicted here from. Oba Torunguwa to Oluyornade to Awotungase to Adebule to Otuyemi-Otunba Oolore Surv. Solomon Olusola Ajayi and then Babatunde Adewale Ajayi.
–BUNMI MUSTAPHA
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