Perhaps spurred by the mindset of Ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Balogun of the Owu Kingdom, his associate Baloguns in the other 2 sections of the kingdom, Apomu and Erunmu, have responded with similar gestures, in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic!
On Friday, 27th March, 2020, Balogun Obasanjo had donated his 32-room (all ensuite) mansion in the elite Presidential Hilltop neighbourhood of Abeokuta to the Ogun State government for use as an isolation center for Covid-19 patients. (See : https://wp.me/pyGtk-m0)
Recently, over the Easter period, grandiose interventions were reported from Apomu and Ẹrúnmu where emergency relief materials were distributed by the headship of the 2 communities.
In Erunmu, the sectional head of traditional administration and Balogun Erunmu Owu, who is a retired Major General of the Nigerian Army, Chief Ekundayo Opaleye was seen distributing relief materials to residents on the streets of the community. He was reported to have acquired the relief items from his personal resources, as a gesture to encourage his people over the hardship of the current coronavirus lockdown in the state. He was seen being assisted by Hon. Johnson Olu Fatoki, the Otun Balogun of Erunmu.
At Apomu, a similar independent gesture took place spearheaded by the community’s favorite choice for the vacant stool of Balogun, Adeniyi Oyebade, ìncidentally also a Major General recently retired from the Nigerian Army after having commanded a string of high profile formations during his illustrious carrier.
The Apomu Owu General favoured as next Balogun Apomu.
He reportedly procured a huge amount of relief materials for the community to see them through the hardships of the Covid-19 lockdown, in an apparent justification of the confidence the community bestows on him.
The Alapomu of Apomu Owu, Oba Olamilekan Olasode Olaonipekun was readily available to coordinate the distribution, and also to instigate other capable Apomu indigenes to follow suit with similar gestures and become their ‘brother’s keepers’ during these trying times.
A few of such stalwarts have already expressed their intention to follow in the footsteps of the retired General.
It is noteworthy that Chief Obasanjo himself was also a General and Commander in Chief prior to his retirement from the army, after which he headed the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for a second time as a civilian president.
The Owus apparently have a propensity for engaging modern day Generals to head the war cadres (Baloguns) of their traditional institution!
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