The Ibirogba Family of Ara, Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, has defended the installation of the new Aare Ago, Chief Babatunde Ibirogba, as lawful and historical, as the title is exclusive to the family.
The family described as malicious, vexatious and unwarranted distortion of history by some publications about the history of the Aare Ago of Ara chieftaincy title.
The family, through their representative, Kayode Ibirogba (MWO, retrd) in a statement said the publications and their pushers erred in law, equity, morality and natural justice by publishing outright falsehood against our family concerning the Aare Ago chieftaincy title of Ara, Egbedore Local Government of Osun State.
“We would have expected the principle of fair hearing to be the cornerstone of any media outfit, but they are a thousand miles away from this,” he said.
“With an odious prompting from a factional segment of our extended family, the media houses went to the press with mendacious publications about our noble family without confirming the correct situation from Ibirogbas – the bona fide custodians/ beneficiaries of the Aare Ago chieftaincy title,” he further said.
“For the purpose of setting the records straight, the family historically explained, Aare Ago Chieftaincy title belongs solely to Ibirogbas,” he added.
He says the following are the historical facts regarding the title: the progenitor of Aare Ago Compound in Ara was the late chief Idowu, who had six children in this order: Yelola (the only female who was the first child); followed by Ibirogba, Adegoke, Olakunbi, Oladapo and Ogunlabi in order of ages.
He noted that chief Idowu, their great grandfather, was, originally installed as Chief Otun of Ara, saying upon his demise, the chieftaincy title of Otun was given to the present day Otun Family on the account of the youthful ages of Chief Idowu’s children, who were not mature enough to be installed as the Otun.
“However, Chief Ibirogba Idowu, the eldest son of got married to Princess Aina, who appealed to the then royal father, the late Oba Oni Asaolu, to compensate her husband for losing the Otun chieftaincy title to the present Otun Family.
“Immediately after the death of Chief Idowu, some of the children had ventured into Ifa divination practice, prominent among them were Ibirogba and Oladapo. Oladapo (the grandfather to the Fanirans) was installed as Oluawo of Ara, making the family to be called Oluawo House.
It was during this period that Princess Aina, Chief Ibirogba’s wife, secured from the king then, the Alara of Ara, the Aare Ago chieftaincy title, he said.
“Ibirogba was then installed as the First Aare Ago of Ara. After his death, his first child, Chief Samson Ajeigbe Popoola Ibirogba, took over as the next Aare Ago of Ara. Meanwhile, Oladapo (grandfather to the Fanirans) equally died as Oluawo of Ara.”
The Ibirogba family said during an interview with the last Aare Ago, Chief Ajeigbe Ibirogba, on 29, August, 2004, where his siblings’ families were represented except the Fanirans, he narrated the genesis of the title, among other issues, unequivocally stating that the Aare Ago of Ara chieftaincy title is the exclusive right of Ibirogbas, the family representative said.
He state that during the meeting, Pa Adogoke Ajayi, Pa Ipasa, Alhaji Daunsi and others were at the said interview with the late Aare Ago, adding that nobody refuted the history of the title as was narrated then.
The Ibirogba family, therefore, described it as unwarranted falsehood perpetrated by some campaigners that the late Aare Ago of Ara, Chief Samson Ajeigbe Ibirogba, was removed from office until his death in 2009, saying nothing could be farther from the truth as Aare Ago and other three High Chiefs only had disagreements with then Oba, which was thereafter amicably resolved before their deaths.
It should be noted that a deposed chief must be replaced immediately in accordance with tradition, the family explained, saying, “nothing of such happened in the case of our father.”
Another falsehood being published is that the chieftaincy title was meant to be rotational, the family added, saying, “This is a blatant lie that should be disregarded.
According to them, the Aare Ago title was pleaded for by Ibirogba’s wife (Princess Aina) from Oba Oni Asaolu (then Alara of Ara) to be bestowed on her husband. “The connotation underlying this position, therefore, is that if Ibirogba had had two wives, the children of the second wife are not even entitled to become Aare Ago, aside Princess Aina’s children and their lineage, let alone the children of Ibirogba’s siblings.”
The above historical facts support the Ibirogbas as the sole beneficiaries of the title, but Otun Chieftaincy was the one jointly owned by all Idowu’s children – Ibirogba, Adegoke, Olakunbi, Oladapo and Ogunlabi, the family explained.
“Even, the abandoned Oluawo Chieftaincy was equally meant for Oladapo (the Fanirans) alone. They stopped on account of total conversion to Christianity. And Oluawo title was taken from them to another family like former Otun too.
The family concluded that “Without mincing words, it is worth mentioning that the process leading to the emergence and eventual installation of our son, Hon.
Babatunde Ibirogba, as the substantive Aare Ago of Ara was diligently magnanimous enough to allow the other extended family members have a say on who emerged in order to allow them have some sense of belonging, hence our holding an all-inclusive meeting on May 5, 2020, where the candidature of Hon. Babatunde Ibirogba was validly upheld by the majority against Femi Faniran, who desperately showed interest.
Finally, the Ibirogbas said the Alara of Ara, Oba (Dr) Olubayo Adesola Windapo Abidogun I, observed due diligence, historical precedence and tradition in installing Hon. Babatunde Ibirogba as the current Aare Ago of Ara to the joy of all Ara indigenes.
