The Owo Local Government Council of Obas has condemned the recent verbal attack on the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, by the suspended Chairman of Owo Local Government Area, Mr. Tope Omolayo.
In a statement signed by HRM Oba Engr. Ademola Adebiyi Oyinbade, PhD, the Oloba of Uso and Secretary of the council, the Obas expressed their shock and disgust at the “unpleasant and inappropriate remarks” made by Omolayo, describing it as “sacrilegious” and “loathsome behaviour unbecoming of a Chairman of a Local Government”.
The statement urged Omolayo to tender an unreserved apology to the Olowo and all Obas in the local government area, warning that an attack on the Olowo is an attack on all Obas. The Obas also commended the Olowo for his “mature and silent response” to the attack, describing it as “golden” and a demonstration of his leadership qualities.
The statement further advised political parties and leaders to sponsor “mature, experienced, and disciplined people” to public offices, and warned political office holders to be respectful to traditional rulers, who are the custodians of traditional values and ethos.
The Obas have vowed not to tolerate any repeat of such “recklessness” from any quarter, and have called on citizens of Owo Kingdom to remain calm and peaceful in the face of the development.
READ FULL STATEMENT
13th November, 2025
His Excellency,
Hon. (Dr) Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa,
The Executive Governor of Ondo State,
Governor’s Office,
Akure, Ondo State.
Your Excellency,
OWO LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL OF OBAS CONDEMNS THE SACRILEGIOUS ATTACK ON OLOWO OF OWO, HIM, OBA AJIBADE GBADEGESIN OGUNOYE III
I write on behalf of Owo Local Government Council of Obas on the above subject matter.
We have been following the public reactions to the viral audio message of the suspended Chairman of Owo Local Government Area, Mr. Tope Omolayo, in which he said a lot of unpleasant and inappropriate remarks about His Imperial Majesty, Oba (Dr) Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, our revered Olowo of Owo and Chairman of both Owo Local Government Area and Ondo State Councils of Obas.
We have maintained a studied silence on the issue of the voice message because of our position as Traditional Rulers, who must not hastily respond to issues as sensitive as that but defend our traditional cultural institutions in order to promote peace and tranquillity. Also, not to be accused of getting involved or taking sides in the political happenings in Owo Local Government Area, and more importantly to give Mr. Tope Omolayo the benefit of showing genuine remorse and mobilising Owo religious, community and political elders and leaders to join him to tender an unreserved, heartfelt apology to His Imperial Majesty and all the Obas in the Local Government Area for his disgusting and loathsome behaviour unbecoming of a Chairman of a Local Government.
Unfortunately, we have not seen him taking practical steps towards apologising to Kabiyesi Olowo and the Obas in the Local Government Area, because an attack on Kabiyesi Olowo is an attack on all the Obas. His press conference in Akure cannot suffice for a sincere apology to Kabiyesi Olowo, other Obas and the people of Owo considering his blasphemous conduct.
Consequently, we hereby state that we collectively denounce and reject the unfortunate voice message made by Mr. Tope Omolayo and take it as the outburst of an uncouth person who is not worthy of a public office, not even the least office.
For the avoidance of doubt, we the Obas in Owo Local Government Area are resolutely behind Kabiyesi Olowo in this period of unreasonable and childish attack on His Imperial Majesty’s esteemed personality. This is one too many!
We advise political parties and their leaders to always ensure that mature, experienced and disciplined people are sponsored to public offices in order to forestall and prevent this kind of public embarrassment.
We therefore use this medium to strongly warn political leaders and office holders to be circumspect in their conduct, particularly with Traditional Rulers who deserve optimal respect and honour at all times, being the custodians of traditional values and ethos. We should not be subjected to an object of ridicule in public by untrained political officers henceforth. We are not going to tolerate a seeming repeat of this sort of recklessness from any quarters — public, private or political office holder — regardless of his or her position.
However, we sincerely commend Kabiyesi’s mature and silent response to Mr. Tope Omolayo’s repulsive behaviour. His Imperial Majesty’s silence is indeed golden and shows his leadership qualities to have exercised great restraint in the face of such an unwarranted provocation.
We are pleading with the responsible and disciplined citizens of Owo Kingdom, both home and abroad, to please remain calm and peaceful in the face of this ugly development.
God bless Owo Kingdom.
God bless Ondo State.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Signed:
HRM Oba Engr. Ademola Adebiyi Oyinbade, PhD
The Oloba of Uso
Secretary, Owo Local Govt. Council of Obas
Cc:
- His Excellency Dr Olayide Owolabi Adelami, mni
Deputy Governor of Ondo State - Hon. Amidu Takuro
Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Akure - The Speaker
Ondo State House of Assembly, Akure - The Chairman
All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo State Chapter - The Chairman
All Progressives Congress (APC), Owo Local Government Area - The Leader
Owo Local Government Legislative Council,
Owo Local Government Secretariat
