Following allegations of misuse of office, conversion of family land to personal property, and misconduct levelled against one of the traditional chiefs in Ijesaland, High Chief Adebola Orolugbagbe, as Odole of Ilesa, has been stripped of his title by the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup.

Oba Haastrup, who has been waging war against corrupt practices within the traditional institution in his domain, did not waste time replacing Orolugbagbe.

The dismissed Orolugbagbe would be the second traditional chief in Ijesaland to have their title stripped by the monarch over alleged criminal activities.

Recall that the former Oba Odo of Ilesa, Busuyi Gbadamosi, who was found guilty of stealing two electricity transformers in Ilesa, was suspended by the monarch and later removed as the Oba Odo.

Kinsmen and women of Orolugbagbe, consisting of all the branches of the Odole Owa Family of Ijesha Land, including Arobiomo, Ogboro, and Nikunogbon, had approached a fact-finding panel set up by the paramount ruler and levelled some allegations against Orolugbagbe, including misuse of office and conversion of the family land to his (Orolugbagbe’s) private property.

After the panel had probed the allegations, Orolugbagbe’s family, in a letter dated October 21, 2025, and sighted by The Guardian, disowned the ex-chief and demanded that he be stripped of his chieftaincy title.

The letter, addressed to the chairman and panel of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland Committee on Fact-finding, Peace and Land Disputes, Boundaries and Chieftaincy Matters in Ilesa, through the family’s lawyer, Adedokun Adedore, read: “Based on the instructions of the seven-man panel set up by His Imperial Majesty, Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup (the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesha), on the 21st day of October 2025, on the matter premised on all the allegations against RHC Adebola Orolugbagbe and followed by the consent of all the branches of the Odole Owa Family of Ijesha Land, including Arobiomo, Ogboro, and Nikunogbon, as regards the current Odole Owa of Ijesha Land and the locking up of the Odole Owa Chieftaincy House, which had been sought and obtained, we hereby declare that the entire family of Odole Owa of Ijesha Land no longer recognises the current Odole Owa of Ijesha Land, Chief Adebola Orolugbagbe, as the Odole Owa known to the family.

“Both the panel and the entire family hereby seek to inform all members of the public, as well as all law enforcement agencies and parastatals in Osun State, of this fact.”

To this end, Oba Haastrup replaced Orolugbagbe with a new Odole of Ilesa, High Chief Makanjuola Afolabi.

Haastrup also installed two other chiefs, including the Risikin of Isinkin, Chief Oyedele Oyewumi, and the Bolorunduro of Bolorunduro Ilesa, Chief Olabode.

At the installation, the Owa Obokun reaffirmed his resolute dedication to revitalising the Ijesa traditional and socio-cultural sector to promote fairness, equity, and dignity.

The Owa Ajimoko III reaffirmed his commitment while charging the three newly installed chiefs in Ilesa shortly after their installation at Aralu Okemese.

The paramount ruler, who emphasised that he did not receive any payment from the three appointees and the one before them (High Chief Oba Odo) prior to their appointment and would not request any compensation thereafter, cautioned them against oppressing the people in their quarters, grabbing land, and other reprehensible acts.

Owa Haastrup stressed that any of his chiefs found engaging in criminal activities would be relieved of their position, provided strong evidence is presented against them.

The Owa Obokun insisted that he inherited an unregulated system and, as a former administrator, would strive to standardise the system for socio-economic growth.