The ancient town of Iresaadu, near Ogbomoso in Oyo State, has firmly rejected a planned town hall meeting announced by Oba Ghandi Olaoye, the Soun of Ogbomoso, declaring it as an overreach of traditional boundaries.
In a strongly worded statement issued by Prince Adeyanju Adebayo on behalf of the community, the people expressed outrage over the Soun’s move to hold the meeting at Iresaadu High School on Thursday, July 3, without prior consultation with the community’s elders or its monarch.
“We only learned about the meeting through a flyer circulated on WhatsApp,” the statement read. “There was no formal notice, no letter, and no engagement with our traditional council.”
The community described the plan as disrespectful, embarrassing, and alien to their traditions, especially considering Iresaadu’s status as an independent beaded crown kingdom that dates back to the 9th century.
The statement highlighted key distinctions:
Iresaadu is not within the Soun’s domain.
Both towns are located in different LGAs, state constituencies, federal constituencies, and senatorial districts.
Soun rules over Ogbomoso North, while Iresaadu is the headquarters of Surulere Local Government Area.
“Oba Ghandi Olaoye has no jurisdiction in our land,” the statement emphasized. “We respectfully ask that he cancels the meeting and restricts his developmental agenda to Ogbomoso North.”
The Iresaadu community also called on the Oyo State Government and House of Assembly to reconsider the label “Ogbomoso Zone,” which they say falsely implies control over all five local governments in the region. They suggested renaming the zone to “Oba Zone” or “Oke-Oba”, referencing the river that connects the towns in the area.
“To preserve peace, protect identity, and respect tradition, the zone’s name must reflect the collective—not just one town,” they added.
The statement concluded with an appeal for mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, expressing hope that Oba Olaoye, being a former pastor, would choose peace over controversy.
#IresaaduSpeaks #OyoTradition #OgbomosoNews
