Each Mogaji, Reserves Rights To Endorse Any Preferred Candidate – Mogaji Olasomi Faults Ariori’s Claims
A prominent Ibadan Mogaji and oil and gas marchant, Mogaji Ademola Olasomi Oladosu, has rejected the purported disclaimer issued by Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori distancing Ibadanland’s traditional institutions from the endorsement of Governor Seyi Makinde and the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Bimbo Adekanbi, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Oladosu, in a strongly worded response, described the attempt to present the political position of some traditional titleholders as the collective position of Ibadanland as unacceptable, and should be disregarded in its entirety.
This was as he insisted that no individual Mogaji has the authority to speak politically on behalf of another Mogaji without express consent.
He urged members of the public to disregard any claim suggesting that a single individual or group among the Mogajis could determine the political preferences of all Mogajis in Ibadanland.
His reaction followed a statement attributed to Ariori, President of the Association of Mogajis in Ibadanland, and Mogaji Dr Nurudeen Akinade, Coordinator of the Ibadan Compounds Peace Initiative (ICPI), which dissociated the traditional institutions from a viral video purportedly showing an endorsement of Makinde and Adekanbi ahead of the 2027 elections.
The statement, which claimed that the Olubadan-in-Council, Mogajis, chiefs, Baales, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) and other traditional institutions were not consulted, described the endorsement as an unauthorised political declaration.
But Oladosu faulted the claim, maintaining that the leadership of any association cannot automatically speak for every individual Mogaji, particularly on a matter as personal and fundamental as political choice and preferences.
According to him, traditional titles do not confer ownership of the political conscience of other titleholders.
“No Mogaji has the right to hold any political position on behalf of another Mogaji without his or her consent.
“Nobody has the authority to determine who another person should support politically, and nobody should arrogate such powers to himself or any group.
“The fact that someone occupies a position in an association does not mean that he has the power to dictate the political direction of all Mogajis in Ibadanland.
“Every Mogaji is entitled to his personal political opinion, freedom of conscience, and that right must be respected,” he said.
Oladosu insisted that the purported disclaimer should not be used to create the impression that all Mogajis in Ibadanland had rejected Makinde or Adekanbi, stressing that the political views of individuals must not be confused with the collective position of the traditional institution.
The Mogaji further challenged the basis for the claim that the viral video did not represent the position of Ibadanland, arguing that such a conclusion could only be valid if every individual whose name or identity was connected to the endorsement had been duly consulted.
He said it was misleading to issue a blanket statement on behalf of hundreds of Mogajis while failing to acknowledge that the traditional titleholders might hold different political opinions.
Oladosu warned that attempts to impose political conformity on Ibadan Mogajis could undermine the dignity and independence traditionally associated with the institution.
“Let us be clear: nobody owns the political rights of Ibadan Mogajis. Nobody can sit somewhere and decide that because he is the president of an association, every Mogaji must agree with him politically.
“If some people endorsed Makinde and Adekanbi, they should be allowed to express their position. If others disagree with them, they should also be allowed to state their own views. But nobody should claim the exclusive right to speak for everybody,” he said.
He described the purported disclaimer by Ariori as an attempt to overreach the limits of association leadership, insisting that the traditional institution should not be dragged into partisan political battles.
Oladosu also cautioned political actors and traditional titleholders against using the revered institution of Ibadanland to advance personal political interests.
He said the political choices of Mogajis should be determined by their individual convictions and not by directives from any association leader.
The Mogaji maintained that Ibadanland had a long-standing tradition of accommodating divergent views, adding that such diversity should be preserved rather than suppressed in the build-up to the 2027 elections.
He said any attempt to portray the traditional institution as having adopted any particular political position must be supported by a transparent and duly authorised process, rather than a statement issued by individuals claiming to speak for others.
“Those who issued the statement should tell the public whether they obtained the consent of every Mogaji before claiming to speak for all of them. If they did not, then they should stop presenting their personal or sectional opinion as the position of the entire Ibadanland.
“Political endorsement is not a hereditary title. It is a matter of personal conviction, and every Mogaji has the right to exercise that conviction without intimidation or misrepresentation,” he added.
Oladosu urged all stakeholders in Ibadanland to exercise restraint and avoid statements capable of creating unnecessary division among traditional titleholders.
He said the 2027 elections should not become a platform for undermining the unity and dignity of the Ibadan traditional institution.
He further called on members of the public to disregard the purported claim by Ariori that the viral endorsement was not representative of the political position of Ibadan Mogajis, stressing that no individual had the authority to determine the political preferences of others.
Oladosu reaffirmed his commitment to the independence, dignity and unity of Ibadanland, insisting that the traditional institution must remain a place where diverse political opinions are respected.
He said the Ibadan Mogajis should not be reduced to political pawns in the hands of individuals seeking to impose their personal preferences on others.
He urged all Mogajis to stand firm against any attempt to appropriate their political choices, stressing that the right to support any candidate in the 2027 elections belongs to each individual and cannot be transferred to another person by virtue of a traditional title or association office.
