AWORI, ALIMOSHO RESIDENTS CONDEMN ENILOLOBO FOR SPONSOR OF SMEAR CAMPAIGNS AGAINST JOKE ORELOPE

-- 'WE DON'T MOCK OUR DEAD ONES', AWORI ELDERS DECLARE AS ASM LEADERS PAY CONDOLENCE VISIT TO JIMOH AJAO FAMILY

Story by Toyo C. Ngem, Barakat Ololade and Omotoyosi Hakeeb

Thousands of Alimosho residents have condemned the leader of a political group, Alhaji Abdullahi Enilolobo, for the sponsor of yet unabated “malicious” publications aimed at setting rifts within the Awori clan in the Local government. Civics Weekly gathered this as the public reactions to a story recently published in an online media, entitled “Orelope Celebrates as Alimosho Mourns the Death of Ajao”.

This also came as the leadership of Asiwaju Solidarity Movement (ASM) paid a condolence visit to the family of the late veteran progressive politician, Hon Jimoh Ajao, who passed away on Saturday October 21, 2023. He had since been buried according to Islamic rite.

In the alleged malicious publication, the story directly accused the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, an Awori Princess, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulere (OFR), of rejoicing at the death of her Awori brother. This apparently sparked the rage of Awori people to condemn it as an attempt to cause disaffections within the tribe and destabilize the Awori unity in Alimosho.

The story reads: "While the entire Alimosho was in a mourning mood, following the announcement of the death of an Awori-born politician, Jimoh Ajao… the members of Asiwaju Solidarity Movement (ASM) under the leadership of another Awori-born politician who calls the earlier(sic) her brother were in celebration mode”.

To strengthen what many responders deem to be the malicious attack on Her Excellency, who is currently the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Substantial Development Goals (SSAP-SDG), the story goes further in trying to justify its “sentimental insinuations”. It reads “Remember that one of the top argument of Hon Adejoke Orelope in the pre-election in 2023 that led to the nomination of her brother, Hon Lukman Orelope(sic) is the need for inclusion of Awori extractions in Alimosho politics. To drive home her point, she move(sic) from place to place calling all Awori born politicians her brother. And prominent among those she shared her sentiment with is(sic) Hon Jimoh Ajao…

“And to deceive the public she showed up today, Monday 23rd October 2023 in the name of condolence visit. Is this the type of leader anyone should have?” the story queried conclusively.

But in a swift reaction, not a few Alimosho residents that include some Awori monarchs and Baales were quick to condemn the embattled Alhaji Enilolobo as the sponsor of a game plan to set enmity among Awori leaders in Alimosho.

In their conclusions, the story, Published online in Themandatetrend, which “was badly punctuated and reek of grammatical blunders with false insinuation” is about the truth that they have seen Joke Orelope as their predicament. “But in reality, they are only facing the backlash of Rauf Aregbesola’s treachery against Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in which Enilolobo and all other leaders of BATCO-Mandate played their roles in Lagos”, an APC stalwart observed.

A media expert who analysed the story content described it as a run of the mill, concocted by “amateur or a quack editor” to pass it more as an editorial note because it has no specific author or writer to whom credit for the story ought to be given. “Besides, it was badly worded”, he said. According to him, the story lacked basic message other than discernible mischief of libellous misrepresentation of innocent woman it intended to convey. It may be recalled that just a while past, the leaders of this Enilolobo group embarked on serial curses, live on viral videos against the Alimosho GAC member for the same reason of being the architect of their current misfortune. An impulsive reaction to it, entitled “In the Season of False Curse” was published in a hard copy edition this magazine.

Reacting to the latest attack, the Awori elders were apt to rise in condemnation of it for what they described as a disingenuous game of politics being played with the death of their brother. They warned that if Enilolobo could not rein in his followers “and evil writers fanning the embers of disunity with acts of irresponsibility like this, it is an indication of his consent to destabilising the Awori community in Alimosho”. Speaking to Civics Weekly, a monarch, who sought anonymity because of the political tone of the issue, said the Awori royal community within and outside Alimosho, were disturbed when they heard of such weighty allegations.

He said: “Honestly we were disturbed! But after we investigated it, we discovered that it was a group of politicians trying to mock the death of our illustrious son, Hon Jimoh Ajao, with a game of politics. And I want to say we condemn that in its entirety. In the same breath, we would like to enjoin whoever is the leader of that group to rein in his follwers.

“Awori people do not make mockery of their dead ones like that. We respect them as much as we honour them while they were alive. For what reason would Joke Orelope want to rejoice over the death of her brother or any other person of Awori stock for that matter? Only those with irrational sense in playing politics would want to craft a fiction like that”.

A chieftain of the ASM also revealed how some politicians have attempted to paint the SDG boss in tribal chauvinistic tag just a while past. He clarified that those using the Awori tribal factor to attack the substantive Alimosho leader were only using her recent resolve to champion the cause of Awori people maliciously against her.

He said: “just before this latest assault, we had a group of politicians who raised petition against Her Excellency that she was giving all the appointments coming to Alimosho only to Awori people. And from the preliminary investigations on the source of the petition, we found it was from those that broke away from the Enilolobo’s group. They are trying to find their feet of leadership ambition on a new platform of political group and they think the only way they can go about it is to challenge her leadership and destabilise her group. We are all waiting to see how far they can go about this.

Meanwhile, the leadership of ASM paid a condolence visit to the family of late Jimoh Ajao this past Tuesday, October 24. Led by its Acting Chairman, Sir Ayo Akinyemi, a former Executive Chairman of Alimosho Local Government (Federal Constituency), the group presented a condolence letter, supposedly from its leader/founder, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (OFR), who is also an Awori Princess from Alimosho Central.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the ASM Secretary General, Chief Akin Idowu Bashiru (aka Akin Bash) said “the late Jimoh Ajao made a great impact in the growth of Igando/Ikotun LCDA and the Alimosho Federal Constituency”. As an event to mark the significance of their visit, a “Special Prayer” was held in the house of the deceased for the departed soul.

Other team members of ASM leaders included Alhaji Fetuga, Apex Leader, Egbe-Idimu LCDA; Chief Bakare, Apex Leaarder, Agbado-Okeodo; Otunba Adebayo Adedayo Salvador (aka Blacknight); Hon Ladi Oluwaloni, Executive Vice Chairman, Ayobo/Ipaja LCDA; Hon Aminat Obe, Executive Vice Chairman, Agbado/Okeodo; Hon Akinpelu Johnson, Vice Chairman, Alimosho LGA.

Others include Alhaji Ayilara; Alhaji Mukaila, APC LGA Chairman, Agbado/Okeodo LCDA; Chief Ikuologun, APC LGA Party Chairman, Igando/Ikotun LCDA; Hon Taiwo Lasisi (aka Apon), ASM LGA Chairman, Egbe-Idimu LCDA; and Hon Alade Adewale, ASM Chairman, Igando/Ikotun.

The Awori elders advised politicians to appreciate when their game of politics is getting to a handshake beyond the elbow.