A human rights activist, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, has dragged an Osun State monarch, the Alawo of Awo, Oba Musa Olatunbosun Adebayo, Akinsilo II, before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the allegation of financial misappropriation of the ancient town collective funds, describing Oba Adebayo as fantastically corrupt and lack financial decorum as paramount ruler of the ancient town.

The rights activist also urged the anti-graft agency to investigate the way and manner, the monarch has managed their funds, about N722 million since 37 years of Oba Adebayo as traditional ruler of the town, alleging that “the monarch had mortgaged the future of the town through his criminal mismanagement of the funds accrued to the ancient town from different sources in the last 37 years which hindered their progress and development.”

Comrade Sulaiman, who is a Prince from Abioye ruling house of the town, disclosed this in a petition dated Thursday 22nd of December, 2016 with the title: “The Petition against Oba Musa Olatunbosun Adebayo, the Alawo of Alawo in Egbedore Local Government area of Osun State over Fraudulent Mismanagement of Community funds to the tune of N722 Million between 1979 and 2016”, which was forwarded to the EFCC offices in the land and made the copy available to newsmen at the weekend. He called for credible and thorough investigation of the monarch who is the Vice-Chairman of Osun State Traditional Council of Obas.

The petition, which was sent to the EFCC’s Headquarters, Annex and Zonal offices in Abuja, Lagos and Ibadan respectively, urged the anti-graft Commission to also extend their investigation to the Oba Adebayo’s son, Mr. Wasiu Adebayo, the Onigbanla of Gbanla Village, Awo, Mr. Usman Lamidi Folahanmi , and the Baba Kekere of Awoland, Mr. Lateef. It added that similar letter has been forwarded to the Police authority in the country over the plan of the monarch to sell the land of their family illegally and threat to the lives of the members of Abioye family, which Police has commenced the investigation into the matter.

According to the petition, “It is on this principled revolutionary note of performance as an authentic citizen by birth according to section 25 of the amended 1999 Constitution of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria, that I am compelled not to only fight against fraud and corruption outside my town, but to energetically declare an internal/external battle against any kind of fraud and mismanagement of public funds and financial crime from becoming a cankerworm eating deep into fabrics and nerves of, even our own great town (Awo).

“Having deeply ruminated and extensively utilized all the Awo Town’s internal mechanisms for probity and disciplinary measure. We expect Oba Adebayo Akinsilo II as Vice-Chairman of Osun State Council of Obas, to uphold due diligence of constitutionalism, code of ethics, chieftaincy act, probity and accountability with transparency which the royal throne stands for. But regrettably what Oba Musa Adebayo and his Chiefs have so far achieved since 1979 till date, is deliberate subversion of Law, Chieftaincy Act, Freedom of Information Act, and Constitutional provisions on the issue of finances and accountability.”

Sulaiman, who doubles as Executive chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), urged the anti-graft agency to probe the account of the town to the tune of N722 million in the last 37 years as being requested, stressing that the 37 years of the

present Alawo of Awo in Egbedore Local Government area of Osun State on the throne, have constituted a sharp inimical to the success, progress and development of the ancient town as Oba Adebayo could not lay claim to any development facilitated by his 37 years tenure of office.

“Upon selling our lands in various places of the town and funds being realised through the Awo-day celebration in the past, Oba Adebayo Akinsilo failed to account for any funds but has continued selling our lands without thinking of future development.

Finally, it is my strong belief that since our respected immediate past Alawo of Awo, the Late Oba Tijani Adediji who subjected his tenure on the throne to transparency, accountability and probity, despite the fact that the Country was not in Era of Computer literacy, were witnessing

tremendous development,” he submitted.

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