Goriola Hassan
Residents of Imobi in Ijebu East local government have said that the popular theatre practitioner, Goriola Hassan is a bonafide indigene and is therefore qualified to aspire to become the traditional ruler of the town.
The residents made this clarification while speaking over the petition said to have been written by a group called Sons and Daughters of Imobi to the Ogun State House of Assembly saying that Goriola Hassan is allegedly from Isiwo and is therefore not qualified to aspire to become a traditional ruler of the town.
Speaking with our Correspondent over this allegation, Chief Idowu Banjo who claimed to be the Vice Chairman of Uba community, Imobi said that there could be nothing farther from the truth and claims of the group.
Chief Idowu Banjo said that the father of the thespian was actually from, Uba, one of the 32 communities making up Imobi only that he had left the village with his children to Isiwo, the hometown of his mother at a very tender age.
The community leader said that Goriola's father, a very popular and wealthy Goldsmith was quite used to Isiwo during his life time but the truth is that that was his maternal hometown while Uba, one of the communities in Imobi is his father's home town and that Oseiku, the great grandfather of Goriola Hassan was among early founders of Uba community.
Idowu said that " we were quite happy when Goriola Hassan came and said he was interested in becoming the traditional ruler of the town because for a very long time, we have had no one.
"After our investigation, we found out that his father was indeed from Uba. He later met with the Baales and even renovated one abandoned government building for them to be having their meeting.
"Suddenly, a group called 'Sons and Daughters of Imobi emerged and said that he is from Isiwo Ijebu and all of that, they petitioned the Ogun State House of Assembly and here we are to lend our voice to the matter. The truth is that he is from Imobi and he is entitled to every right just like any of us"
Other residents who also confirmed that Goriola is from Imobi and is therefore qualified to be traditional ruler of the town are Chief Durojaiye Adesanya, Chief Omotayo Bello as well as Alhaji Fatai Oresanya.
Speaking however with our Correspondent, Prince Sylvester Olalekan Bakare, an executive member of Imobi Descendants Union said that the union petitioned the state assembly to stop Goriola Hassan from parading himself as the Olu of Imobi because such office never existed and moreover he was never at any time made the traditional ruler of the town.
Sylvester said that while it may be difficult to say that he is not from Imobi because generally, people from Odosanyin and Isiwo Ijebu are related to people from Imobi but the sons and daughters of Imobi are querying while someone who had never been known with the town for about 53 years will appear from the blue last year August and impose himself as the traditional ruler of the town.
He explained that "the sons and daughters of the town said that they don't want him because he had never followed the laid down procedure. As we speak the office of Olu of Imobi or Olu of Uba doesn't exist, how come he goes about parading himself as Olu of Imobi? Who made him one? What we have in these communities are Baale. He has only come to cause disaffection and crisis in our peaceful domain. The town has rejected him and so, he should leave us alone".
Mr Olusegun Alexander Odubote also corroborated the stance of the petitioner saying that the thespian's conduct has just convinced everyone that he was only bent on becoming the traditional ruler of the town at the expense of peace and tranquility the town is presently enjoying.
Meanwhile, the House of Assembly on Tuesday asked Mr. Goriola Hassan to appear before it on September 2 by 11 am over his purported claim to Obaship stool at Imobi
The House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs led by Hon. Bolanle Ajayi, issued the summon during the second sitting on the petition against Hassan over this obaship tussle.
The Committee Chairman was said to have also threatened to issue warrant of arrest against the thespian if he failed to show up during the next meeting fixed for September 2.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, at the meeting also said that he had told Goriola who approached him last week on the matter that he should honour the invitation of the Committee as the Assembly was empowered to investigate his purported claim to Imobi Obaship stool
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