Six traditional heads from Odigbo local government area of Ondo State have accused the paramount ruler of Araromi Obu Kingdom, Oba Aderemi Adelola of fraud, abuse of office and diversion of their monthly stipends.
The traditional heads in a petition signed by their counsel, Tunde Ajayi, accused Oba Adelola of diverting the monthly salaries of dead chiefs into his pocket without notifying the state government about their demise.
The six traditional heads, who represent various districts in the kingdom, include, the Oloja of Koseru, Ibrahim Akintunde, Oloja of Imorun, Charles Bashorun, Oloja of Kajola, Oloja Akinbolusere, Oloja Adebamidele, Oloja Ipaye, Oloja of Ayetoro, Oloja Onokun and Oloja of Ago Alaye, Adenikinju Robinson.
They said Oba Adelola had been depriving them of their financial benefits as provided by the constitution.
They, however, demanded for the immediate refund of the unpaid salaries to each of the beneficiaries, calling on the state government to stop the monarch from meddling with their statutory entitlements.
But Oba Adelola described the allegation as blatant lies and ridiculous, said two of the traditional heads had been suspended over their fraudulent acts within their domain.
He confirmed receiving salaries on their behalf but said he usually called them immediately the salary was ready and said “two of the Oloja have been suspended because of their fraudulent acts.”
He said “their salaries are paid by me because I installed them in their different domains. I am only having their December salaries with me and I have called them to come and collect it tomorrow.
“All these allegations are not only false but full of misinformation. I have informed the caretaker chairman in the local government who said he was never informed about the allegation.”
But the six lesser chiefs in their 11 Paragraph-Petition titled: “A case of fraud, criminal conversion and abuse of office by Oba Aderemi Adelola” maintained that Oba Adelola has been depriving them of their benefits for some number of years.
They said “the Oloja of Kajola who is now dead was never paid his salary in his life time, saying “till date, the Ajobu still collects his salary from the Odigbo local government without remittance to his family neither was same returned to the Treasury of the Odigbo local government.”
The traditional heads attributed the development to the fact that only Oba Adelola has the right to collect money from the local government but said the monarch has been using the opportunity to fraudulently convert the money into his personal pocket.
They, therefore, called on the state government to stop the payment of their salaries through the Ajobu of Araromi Obu “for gross breach of trust and abuse of office” because of their past sad experience.
Comments