The leadership crisis in Apomu-Owu Community in Abeokuta and districts which has been separating them from the sustainable good governance in Owu Kingdom under the Olowu of Owu, Oba Saka Adelola Matemilola, was brought to an end at weekend.
At a mediation meeting under the auspices of Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, Towulade Akinale, who also doubles as Lisa Apomu-Owu, Abeokuta in Akinale on Friday March 1, 2024, Apomu-Owu indigenes from the various townships of Apomu and Gudugba, both situated in Ewekoro Local Government, Saje Town in Abeokuta South local government and Apomu central town at Agura Road Abeokuta North Local Government, assembled to reconcile their differences.
Oluwo Apomu-Owu, Chief Emmanuel Babajide Ogunseye, who is the declarative traditional head of Apomu-Owu community in Abeokuta and Oba Olasode Olanikan, crowned by Olowu Kangunere as a monarch for Apomu Town in Ewekoro Local Government on May 17, 2019 had for sometime been in contemporary rivalry over the leadership of Apomu-Owu community in Abeokuta, both selectively interpreting their understanding of the history of Apomu-Owu vis-a-vis their status and governance of the community in Abeokuta.
Addressing the chiefs at the Akinale meeting, Oba Ogunleye reiterated that Apomu-Owu is a component of the entire Owu Kingdom in Abeokuta as they formed the remnants of the war-beaten bands from Orile Owu in Osun State who traversed Abeokuta mid eighteenth century.
Their counterpart in such journey, Oba Ogunleye added, are the Owu in Erunmu near Ibadan.
The trio of Owu, Erunmu and Apomu people jointly settled in Abeokuta from where many of them spread into the hinterland to farm and engage in hunting games at the virgin forests now developed to be big villages and towns in the Abeokuta districts.
Both Oluwo Babajide Ogunseye and Oba Olasode attended the Akinale meeting along with representatives from the Apomu communities in the district and Abeokuta.
Oba Ogunleye called the attention of the meeting to a reconciliation intervention on Apomu crisis by Balogun Owu, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2020 where it had been resolved that the the traditional leadership of Apomu community in Abeokuta resides in Oluwo whose central chiefs take precedence over chiefs in the villages and towns in the district.
The mediation outcome directed Saje township in the Abeokuta South Local Government to forward their Baale-elect and potential chiefs to the central management just as the Oluwo in council should prepare a list of Apomu-Owu potential chiefs for discussion at their next meeting.
The meeting was mandated to report this outcome to Olowu of Owu shortly.
Both Oluwo Babajide Ogunseye and Oba Olasode exchanged pleasantries to end their bickering and pledged to work together for the progress of their people.
