The National Executive Council of Omo Ibile Igbomina has urged members to remain calm following the elevation of the Mogaji of Ganmo to a third-class chief in Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State. The announcement came less than two days after the socio-cultural group issued a press statement calling on the state government to recognise Oba Abdulyekeen Oluwakayode Kolawole as the Oluganna of Ganmo and present him with a staff of office. The group expressed disappointment over the timing and nature of the Mogaji's elevation, calling it inconsistent with the rule of law and existing legal processes.
Sir Bisi Fakayode, National President of Omo Ibile Igbomina, said the matter is being monitored closely and addressed through appropriate channels. The group had convened an emergency meeting the previous Tuesday to demand the implementation of a Supreme Court judgment concerning the Oluganna stool. According to the statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, the organisation remains optimistic that the Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq-led administration will act accordingly on the Oluganna's recognition.
Sir Bisi Fakayode's call for calm after the sudden elevation of the Mogaji of Ganmo rings hollow when set against the state government's apparent disregard for a Supreme Court judgment. The timing—less than 48 hours after Omo Ibile Igbomina's formal appeal—suggests not administrative oversight but deliberate political signalling. Elevating a rival chief while ignoring a court ruling on the same stool undermines the legitimacy of traditional institutions and exposes the vulnerability of judicial outcomes to executive whim.
This is not merely a chieftaincy dispute but a reflection of how power is negotiated between cultural authorities and political officeholders in Kwara. The state government's decision to elevate the Mogaji, instead of recognising the court-affirmed Oluganna, suggests a preference for pliable traditional figures over those whose legitimacy stems from judicial validation. Omo Ibile Igbomina's reliance on appeals and statements reveals the shrinking influence of socio-cultural groups when faced with state power.
Ordinary Igbomina people, especially those in Ganmo, now face divided loyalties and potential instability in their traditional leadership. This undermines community cohesion and sets a precedent where court rulings can be bypassed through administrative appointments. For rural communities, where traditional rulers play key roles in conflict resolution and local governance, such actions erode trust in both the judiciary and governance systems.
This fits a broader pattern across Nigeria where state governments manipulate chieftaincy institutions to consolidate political control, often at the expense of legal and cultural integrity.
