Selection process for new Olowu hits rock ...Candidate accused of buying his way in

By Our Correspondent

The selection process for a bonafide  son from Otileta royal families to sit on the vacant stool of Owu Kingdom in Egba, Abeokuta, Ogun State may have come to a hitch.

The selection which is being overseen by the kingmakers in the ancient kingdom and these include Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the Ebora of Owu, is presently enmeshed in squabbles and discontent as some Princes and Princesses have  expressed lost of confidence in the process.

Accusing fingers are now being pointed at Prince Adediran, secretary of Otileta family who was a member of Otopo compound in Oke-Eguya, Own, Abeokuta who was accused of deliberately muddling up the process.

According to our correspondent, one Prince Adeyanju Kazeem Bakinson a 40-year- old from Otopo Compound and a 2021 Doctor of Science Degree Holder from Atlantic International University, USA with Registered Town Planner number RTP/2130 had been scored 862 by the kingmakers to emerge 5th position for the Otileta Ruling House.

But youth of the ancient kingdom are now insisting that this candidate should be dropped from the selection process as they claimed that he was smuggled in extraneously by the secretary of  the Otileta family.

The matter came to a head yesterday when a group of young men were seen outside raining curses on the said candidate, Prince Adeyanju Kazeem Olanrewaju Bakinson as they expressly registeredtheir displeasure with him, claiming that he bought his way into Otopo Compound about 4 days to the selection process through the same Secretary of Otileta.

They also accused the secretary of  the Otileta family of collecting substantial amounts from two candidates to smuggled them in to the selection process as members of his own compound in Otopo, which the Secretary’s father Alakoso Adediran is the current Chairman. 

Our Correspondent sited the affidavit sworn to by Prince Bakinson and discovered it was sworn to at the High Court of Lagos State on 4th March, 2022 in preparation for the selection on 10th March of the same month. 

Meanwhile, the compound name was not even spelt correctly on the affidavit but corrected with pen on the copy cited by our correspondent.

 The youth are now claiming that none of Prince Bakinson’s submitted dozier has any link with Otopo Compound and that he did not include his birth certificate, local government of origin certificate except the sworn affidavit which he did 4 days to the selection. 

The youth are also claiming that Prince Bakinson had spent so much money for the purpose of the Kingship which included spending so much for an Owu Oba, who is said to be solidly behind the candidate. 

They maintained that his spending spree included Bakinson's gathering of Owu Baales to a function he organized recently to mark his 40th birthday plus house warming ceremony in Lagos where he lavishly spent so much on the Baales under the Royal influence of an Owu Oba.