- Leadership Vacuum in Idogun: Stakeholders Call for Regent Appointment
Community leaders and stakeholders in the governing affairs of Idogun land in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State have appealed to the state government to allow the appointment of a regent to occupy the vacuum in the obaship, owing to the outrage that led to the ban of the king from entering the community for months.
Their appeal was contained in a five-page letter of appeal addressed to the governor through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Detailing the atrocities allegedly committed by Oba Ekundayo Bakare in the letter, which led to his rejection by the majority of the indigenes of Idogun land, the community leaders expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of a traditional leader since October 2025, when the monarch was ordered by the court to stay away from the community, and has since been staying in Akure.
Pending the determination of the case by the administrative panel of enquiry set up by the state government, the community leaders pleaded with the government to also allow quarter heads to administer their respective domains, in addition to the appointment of an Etioloja (Regent).
According to the letter, “It is now over six months that Idogun has been without a sitting Oba, except for the one who parades himself as the Onidogun of Idogun, cruising about in a government vehicle and boasting that he will soon occupy his throne either by hook or by crook.
“We cannot continue to have a leadership vacuum. It is against our culture and tradition. We cannot continue to be silent about this development.”
They urged Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to compel the panel of inquiry to hasten its report and make appropriate recommendations.
The letter said, “The silence of government in this regard is worrisome. We want to state here, without equivocation, that government should consider the interest of the generality of the Idogun community as against the interest of an individual who has become a persona non grata in the entire community.
“Idogun is a peaceful and law-abiding community, but government should prevent a situation where Oba Moses Olorunnibe Bakare pushes this peaceful community into a theatre of violence.
“We have tolerated Oba Moses for more than 19 years. He is no longer wanted in the community. Enough is enough.
“There are records of first-class Obas/Emirs/Sultans in this country whose misdemeanours were not up to half of what the Onidogun did and were subsequently banished from their respective domains, and heaven did not fall.
“We believe that the goal of every government is peace, progress, and prosperity. The absence of Oba Moses Bakare since October 6, 2025, has brought peace and tranquillity to the community.
“We want to appeal to our peace-loving governor, through the Honourable Commissioner, to ensure that the current peace being enjoyed in the Idogun community is not jeopardised.”
It could be recalled that the community, through Barrister Segun Ogodo, had submitted 49 memoranda to the panel in 2025 detailing all the alleged atrocities by the monarch.
The panel, upon receipt of the memoranda, visited the community in January 2026 for fact-finding and conducted a public hearing where evidence was tendered and admitted.
Some allegations against the monarch include the unilateral establishment of a vigilante group called Palace Boys, used mainly to harass and intimidate his perceived enemies.
He was further alleged to have illegally seized people’s goats and rams for weekly rituals unknown to Idogun tradition, without payment or compensation to the owners.
Also alleged are the use of palace boys to carry out the illegal shaving of innocent people’s hair for ritual purposes, illicit transactions, and the collection of money from Indian hemp planters and couriers, among others.
