Head of Funsengbuwa Ruling House, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun, has denied rumours of his son, Ladi, planning to occupy the throne of Awujale of Ijebuland.
The Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, had warned kingmakers at the 2019 Ojude-Oba Festival not to allow moneybags politicise the process of selecting his successor.
According to a report by The Nation, Otunba Balogun, who is also the Olori Omoba of Ijebuland, said his son was too busy worrying about his role as Group Chief Executive Officer of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) to care about who becomes the next Awujale.
Balogun described the rumours as the work of mischief-makers whom he said were enemies of Awujale.
He was quoted saying: “It is callous, inhuman and ungodly to wish your fellow human dead as being demonstrated by those behind the mischief.
“We all know that Awujale Oba Adetona and I are friends, both of us are still alive. If Awujale could make a pronouncement, does that mean that they should drag my name to sell their stories?
“I happen to be the Olori Omoba, and providence has placed me in a situation in which everybody will expect me to be close to the Awujale and be supportive of whatever he is doing by way of our culture and tradition.
“Secondly, people know me as a very senior member of royalty in Ijebuland, apart from being the Olori Omoba, I am the Olori Ebi of one of the largest ruling houses in Ijebuland.”
