ALLEGED CRIMINAL DEFAMATION:SEN KOLA BALOGUN WANTS OLUBADAN CHILDREN PROSECUTED
There appears to no end in sight as crisis rocking the family of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen Lekan Balogun CFR, Alli Okunmade II, has taken a turn for the worse as his younger brother, Senator Kola Balogun has called for the prosecution of two children of the traditional ruler for alleged criminal defamation of character.
The former federal lawmaker who represented Oyo South Senatorial District in the ninth Senate made the allegation in a petition to the Oyo State Commissioner of Police.
The petition, dated 5 October, 2023 and titled “Petition of Cyberstalking and Criminal Defamation Against Femi Balogun and Yinka Balogun”, was written by counsel to Senator Balogun, Lateef Raheem Esq.
The first son of the Olubadan, Aremo Femi Balogun, had, in a letter made public earlier in the week, requested that all funds and assets belonging to the Olubadan, allegedly under the care of Senator Balogun, be produced within seven days.
The letter, dated 29 September, 2023, was addressed to the former lawmaker, while Sectional Heads of the Alliwo Family, the state Commissioner of Police, and the Ag. Commander, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan Zonal Command, were also copied.
Reacting, the Olubadan had threatened to disown any of his children and wives found promoting such allegations against his younger brother, Senator Balogun.
Oba Balogun, in a statement which he personally signed and dated 2 October, 2023, specifically mentioned the three children to include Aremo Femi Balogun and Princesses Yinka and Bukola Balogun.
The Ibadan paramount ruler described the allegations against Senator Balogun as unfounded and criminal character assassination.
However, one of the children, Yinka Balogun, as reported by some online media, insisted that the former lawmaker is sitting on their father’s property and monies.
Breaking his silence on the allegations, Senator Balogun stated in the petition to the Commissioner of Police that he was never in charge of the property and funds of the Olubadan.
Rather, he claimed that he has been running errands for the traditional ruler and also using his own personal funds for his wellbeing.
He said he was paying back the Olubadan for his past good deeds to him, having taken good care of his (Senator Balogun) childhood, just like their biological father would have done.
Senator Balogun’s solicitors wrote in the petition to the state Commissioner of Police thus:
“We are solicitors to Senator Kola Balogun who is hereinafter referred to as our client and on his behalf and instruction we write this letter to you.
“It is our client instructions that, on the 29th September, 2023, he checked Alliwo Family whatsapp group and he discovered a letter signed by Femi Balogun (a member of the family) posted on the whatsapp group.
“The letter is grossly offensive, obscene, of menacing character and it was complete criminal defamation of our client’s character.
“He posted the letter on his facebook page (Femi Aremo Balogun). Yinka Balogun on her own published the same defamatory message.
“We would address the issues raised in that letter and the publication in seriatim as supplied by our client.
“In the first instance, our client is not in charge of management of any property of His Imperial Majesty Olubadan of Ibadanland.
“The sitting monarch, being our client’s brother, rather sends our client on errands and our client personally uses his own funds for the wellbeing of the Olubadan.
“Since His Imperial Majesty took care of him during our client childhood like a father, our client felt, having done all these, His Imperial Majesty deserves pay back, hence our client takes good care of him, using his personal funds and not that of Olubadan.
“On the first issue raised in the letter pertaining to His Imperial Majesty Olubadan of Ibadan, landed property at Abuja, what happened was that Kabiesi personally negotiated for the sale of that property wherein he agreed with the buyer to sell it for N100,000,000.00 million.
“The buyer only paid N30,000,000.00 million out of the agreed sum. The buyer later did a whole lot of fraudulent and shoddy things on the property without paying the balance.
“[This] made His Imperial Majesty to institute suit against the buyer. The counsel handling the matter is Waheed Gbadamosi Esq (an Abuja-based lawyer).
“His Imperial Majesty won the suit in court but the buyer appealed. Since the matter is still in court, our client would not want to comment much on it.
“But certainly our client benefited nothing from the property which is still lis pendens (still in court). Kabiesi is still hale and hearty. He can confirm all the issues relating to the property in Abuja.
“Our client has nothing to do with the property, rather than funding the litigation on behalf of Kabiesi to protect the property of Kabiesi. What crime has our client committed by helping his older brother in securing his property? Certainly none!”
On the allegation that he sat on the funds for the installation of baales and mogajis, Senator Balogun stated that it was a heinous allegation without any basis.
“It is surprising Femi would level such an heinous crime against our client without basis.
“Kabiesi appointed somebody to manage the funds on behalf of the beneficiaries, namely His Imperial Majesty, Aliiwo Family sectional heads, Olubadan-in-Council.
“It was confirmed at a meeting between Kabiesi and members of the family and the woman was commended on how she discharged her duty. All these are done on the instructions of Kabiesi.
“All that Femi and Yinka are alleging against our client are all tissues of lies,” it was stated in the petition to which was attached a copy of the minutes of the Aliiwo Family commending the woman appointed to manage the fund.
On the issue of First Bank funds, the petition stated: “Our client informed us that the information made available to him by Kabiesi, His Imperial Majesty, is that the bank took care of his flight ticket to the venue of the said event and footed his hotel bills.
“Our client was not involved on how the financing was done on the flight ticket and hotel bills. Our client benefited nothing from it. Even as a sitting senator as at that time, our client has enough to himself.
“Further to the above, when Kabiesi travelled on the invitation of First Bank, our client felt it would be a right time for Kabiesi to carry out medical treatments.
“Our client funded the treatment from his personal purse. This ran into millions of naira. It is surprising that, instead of Femi appreciating him, Femi and Yinka would rather denigrate him and call our client a thief by their different publications.
“But our client has no personal regret taking care of an elder brother who did what a father would do when our client was growing up since their father had passed on.”
The petition also addressed the allegation by Aremo Femi Balogun on the issue of royalty paid by former governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.
“That fund was not given to our client by His Excellency [former Governor Ganduje], neither did His Imperial Majesty keep the money with our client,” it was stated.
Senator Balogun also cleared the air on the controversy raised on the award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) on the Olubadan.
“Femi raised issue of award of CFR given to his Majesty. It was our client who facilitated the award for his Imperial Majesty. Everybody knows it does not attract any financial benefit! it is a national award,” he stated in the petition.
The former lawmaker also debunked the allegation that he converted unto himself the property of the Olubadan in Lagos seized by the EFCC from fraudsters who duped the traditional ruler.
“What happened was that an interim order of forfeiture was granted by the court to the EFCC. There is no permanent forfeiture order granted yet, as the matter is still pending in court.
“How can our client be accused of being in charge of properties that are still with the EFCC? It is a complete mischief by Femi to malign and criminally assassinate our client character.
“Draft recovered about N5,000,000.00 million were given to our client. He promptly handed over same to Kabiesi which are paid into his United Bank for Africa (UBA) account. The records are there.
“The one year anniversary celebration upon which Femi has an axe to grind with our client is, to say the least, surprising.
“Our client garnered his friends to assist in the heavy expenses that the one year anniversary plan entailed.
“Even Kabiesi who was directly concerned was full of appreciation, but Femi’s interest is only to defame our client. And even our client made personal contributions to the fund.
“Our client is surprised that Femi is alleging him of stealing N34,000,000.00 million donated by baales.
“In the first instance, our client did not receive money from any baale. If Femi has evidence, he should bring forth such evidence.
“All these allegations are to tarnish our client image in the eye of rightful thinking persons in the society.
“The committee of the elected baales set up a planning committee to organise a befitting ceremony for the event. The concerned baales raised the funds for the ceremony under the chairmanship of Professor Soji Adejumo and a co-chairman, Oniroko of Iroko who is the chairman of the committee of the elevated baales.
“The elevated baales raised the funds needed for the ceremony by themselves and used the funds for the same purpose. Our client was not even a member of the committee.
“Femi and Yinka further alleged that the Aliwo Family has demanded transparency on this issue from our client. This is an unfortunate lie.
“Our client does not manage the personal affairs of His Imperial Majesty. The only responsibility our client has always discharged on behalf of his Imperial Majesty is using his personal hard-earned money in the endeavours of his Imperial Majesty, which our client does not regret.
“Femi raised the issue of our client’s late elder brother’s property. Our client is one of the administrators appointed to manage the assets of their deceased brother.
[These] he has managed well and the children of the deceased are alive and they have not complain about our client.
“Kabiesi, His Imperial Majesty, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, is still alive, hale and hearty, he does not have anything against our client.
“Find attached a copy of the press release signed by his Imperial Majesty debunking all the allegations of Yinka and Femi against our client.
“But since there is no truth in all these allegations against our client, it is our client’s instructions to plead with you to bring this unwholesome act to your notice.
“And to kindly urge you to use your good offices to investigate the matter and prosecute Femi and Yinka for cyberstalking which is contrary to Section 24 (a), (b) (2) (c) (i) (ii) of the CYBERCRIMES (PROHIBITION, PREVENTION, ETC) ACT, 2015.
“This acts of alleging our client of stealing several sums when there is no truth in them also amounts to criminal defamation of our client by Femi and Yinka Balogun which your office can equally prosecute them for.
“Our client is available for further information as your officers may need to have,” solicitor to Senator Balogun, Lateef Raheem Esq, stated in the petition.
