By Our Correspondent
A group - Ogun West Advocates (OWA) - has lambast Baales in Yewaland for endorsing Lagos West Senator, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, known as Yayi, to contest for the Ogun West Senatorial seat in next year's election.
Our correspondent reports that Adeola had last week announced the switching of his political base from Lagos, where he had served in legislative houses for about 20 years, to Ogun State.
The Lagos West Senator said he would be contesting for Ogun West Senatorial seat in 2023.
His Media Aide, Kayode Odunaro said Senator Adeola had relocated his All Progressives Congress (APC) membership and INEC registration to Ogun State, as part of moves to contest the Ogun West Senate.
Our correspondent reports that the Lagos Senator's inroad to Ogun politics has been generating hues and cries as many have called his indigeneship to question.
Last week, Yewa Baales, numbering 300 reportedly endorsed Adeola's move to contest of the Senate in Ogun West, thereby fueling the crisis among stakeholders in the area.
The Baales (traditional community leaders) from the five Local Government Areas of Ogun West Senatorial District, reportedly endorsed Governor Dapo Abiodun's re - election bid, while calling on Adeola to contest in order to represent Ogun West in 2023.
They made the position via a communiqué signed by five representatives of from each of the LGA of Yewa South, Yewa North, Imeko Afon, Ado Odo Ota and Ipokia.
In a swift reaction, the Ogun West Advocates in a statement signed by Olu Adeyemi, the General Secretary, described the endorsement as a "show of shame", saying the traditional chiefs' position does not represent the view of a true Yewa/Awori son or daughter.
The statement reads
"Our attention has been drawn to a show of shame which some village heads, known as Baales, engaged themselves in under the guise of endorsing a ‘smuggled’ politician as the next senator of Ogun West.
"While we may not want to drag issues with the Baales, the majority of whom are on N5,000 monthly salary, we as bona fide indigenes of Ogun West wish to state unequivocally that these chiefs are on their own as whatever they said or did at the Frontier Hotel, Ilaro over the weekend does not represent the view of a true Yewa/Awori son or daughter.
"Though we have information that the majority of the Baales were at the event to receive their own share of the N5 million made available to them to procure the acclaimed endorsement, we also want to disabuse the public of their negative views about Ogun West and to correct the notion that Yewa/Awori people are buyable or gullible.
"We are aware that two Obas from Yewa North Local Government were the brains behind pushing these village heads into this display of acts that are unbecoming of their positions.
"Isn't it unspeakable, ignominious, embarrassing and unwittty that our so-called leaders in Yewa do not see anyone deserving to be senator of Ogun West other than Sen. Olamilekan Adeola, who has, since 19 years ago, been a House of Assembly member, a House of Representatives member and a Senator representing Lagos?
"Instead of this unknown Lagos Senator, why not support some of the home-based industrious sons or daughters of Ogun West? We have a number of them with tested integrity.
"It is very unfortunate that some Yewa leaders, who should be seen as protecting the region from being invaded by the rapacious expansionists from Lagos have turned into moneygrubbers and insatiable political merchants. They are all on the social media defending a man who they know has no single root in Ogun West. This calls for sober reflections.
"To those comparing the Adeola to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, please note that there has never been any controversy about Osinbajo’s Ikenne indigeneship, unlike the Lagos Senator, who is yet to convince us of his origin. Moreover, Osinbajo has never held any elected position in Ogun. So, stop the comparison!
"We want to reiterate that the good people of Ogun West do not want Adeola to be their Senator; they have never endorsed him to be their senator and they will never do. As a people known for good character and integrity, we will never sell our birth right to any money bag politician, no matter how much is involved.
"At this point, it is very expedient to call to order our traditional rulers – Obas and Baales as well as the elders. Please stop embarrassing Ogun West!"
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