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With Giltz and Glamour, Oba Mosobalaje takes reins as 16th Olupo Of Oluponna

By Rotimi Agboluaje, Ibadan
04 December 2022   |   3:33 am
Dateline: Saturday, November 19, 2022. It was glitz, glamour and panache in Oluponna, as Osun State Government presented Staff of Office to the 16th Olupo of Oluponna, Ayedire Council of Osun State.

• Adegboro Ilori (left) representing the Osun State Governor at the presentation of Staff of Office and coronation ceremony of Oba Abdul-Rafiu Oyekanmi Mosobalaje

Dateline: Saturday, November 19, 2022. It was glitz, glamour and panache in Oluponna, as Osun State Government presented Staff of Office to the 16th Olupo of Oluponna, Ayedire Council of Osun State.

The staff presentation, no doubt, was one of the last functions performed by the former governor of the state, Alhaji Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola, who left office on November 27, 2022.
 
The kingmakers of the town, following the demise of the immediate past Olupo, Oba Emmanuel Onaolapo Oyebamiji, Fadare II, who passed on Monday, January 3, 2022 at age 72, selected Oba Abdul-Rafiu Oyekanmi Mosobalaje, the Bamigboye II, Ilufemiloye, Ariwajoye I, the new Olupo.

The coronation ceremony held at D.C Primary School, Oluponna in Osun State. Speaking at the ceremony, the governor, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Local Government and Chieftaincy, Adegboro Ilori, admonished royal fathers in the state to be neutral and objective in discharge of their duties.
 
According to him, royal fathers have immense role to play in the development and stability of their people as well as development of their respective areas, hence, the need for them to be objective in the discharge of their duties as royal fathers.
 
He described the new monarch as one who deserves the office, adding that the development will further promote peace, social and grassroots development in Oluponna Land.
 
While charging the people to cooperate with the new king in the task of moving the land to greater height, he urged the king, “to work together for the transformation and growth of the area. I want to assure you that the selection of the new king is an Act of God, therefore, I pray that God Almighty will bless him with wisdom and strength to move Oluponna and the people to greater height.”

Among prominent Nigerians who graced the installation of the international nurse-turned-monarch were, Oluwo of Iwo land, Dr. Abdul-Rosheed Adewale Akanbi; a  legal luminary and son of the town, Bola Abimbola Ige and founder of El-Mavericky Centre for Educational Research and Development, Osogbo, Nafiu Sulaiman, and others.
 
Speaking, the Oluwo of Iwo land admonished those, who jostled for the office to cooperate with the new monarch, adding that his emergence as the new Olupo of Oluponna land was an act of God and the wish of the good people of the land.

“I know many of you who are wise will cooperate with the new king for the progress of the land,” the monarch said.
 
Also, Ige described the development as a new dawn in the area, just as he expressed confidence in the choice of the Olupo. Abimbola said, “we have respect for him having ascended the throne of his fore-fathers and we believe that he will take the land to greater height.

“We want to urge him to use his wealth of experience and administrative acumen such that they reflect positively in the lives of the youths and students generally. As I speak to you here, this same coronation is being done in Chicago, Canada and other parts of the United State of America,” he said.
 
On his part, Sulaiman described the new king as someone who will help consolidate the development of Oluponna just as he expressed optimism that Oba Mosobalaje will take the land to Eldorado.
 
In his acceptance speech, Oba Mosobalaje thanked the governor and the Oluwo of Iwo for their support and their contributions to the success of the occasion.

Oba Mosobalaje said, “I am deeply honoured and grateful to have been chosen and eventually appointed as the 16th Olupo of Oluponna Land, the second beaded crown king of the land. The Almighty God has spoken through the respected kingmakers of Oluponna by unanimously electng me as the seventeenth Olupo of Oluponna land without taking any kobo from me.
 
“I thank the Governor for graciously preparing and guiding the coronation and presentation of the Staff of office to me today. I greatly look forward to support you and work with you as you wisely steer the state towards a successful tenure. I shall do my best as Olupo of Oluponna land to bring development to the people,” he said.
 
There are two ruling houses in Oluponna in accordance with the declaration made pursuant to Section 2 of the Chief Laws Caps 25 of the Customary Law regulating the Oluponna Chieftaincy namely: Momiloye/Ayelabowo and Aregbesola, and with the death of Oba Oyebamiji, who came from Aregbesola House, it is the turn of Momiloye/Ayelabowo to produced the new Olupo. Hence, the emergence of Oba Mosobalaje.
 
The new monarch was born in 1960 to the family of Yekini Akanji Mosobalaje and Aweni Mosobalaje of Bamigboye ruling house of Ayelabowo dynasty. He was qualified as a nurse at the Obafemi Awolowo University School of Nursing, Ile-Ife.

His primary education started in Oluponna and moved on to Ibadan and Ile-Ife where he had his secondary education. After his nursing qualification, he worked in Ibadan and Ibarapa area. He later established his own private hospital. He moved to London in 1996. His Royal Majesty then attended South Bank University where he was qualified to practice as a nurse in the United Kingdom and rose to the level of Senior Nurse Manager.

He further attended the City University for a programme in Nursing Administration, Management and Training. He also later proceeded for special training in Complex and Critical care as an intensive care nurse. H

He is founder/ director of his Nursing Agency called Mosoby UK Limited. He is also a Co-Director in another agency that was established by a group of investors called Healthcare Professionals Recruitment Services , London.

He was the general secretary of Oluponna Development Association, ODA, UK Branch until his appointment as the 16th Olupo of Oluponna land, on August 30, 2022 by 13 kingmakers of the town in a keenly contested position.

He is financially supporting Oluponna Home and Diaspora Forum’s Economic Empowerment Initiative and an active member of G-30 Club.  He is a peace-loving man who engages in an open-door policy for the advancement of humanity and the community specifically.

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