The leadership and membership of the Yoruba Community and Descendants Union of Liberia have passed a vote of no confidence in its King, Bola Ogunkoya, for several allegations the organization has levied against him.
“We members of Yoruba Community and Descendants Union of Liberia organization, that comprises of Yoruba citizens residing in Liberia, deem it necessary to bring to notice of the general public what has been happening in the union, that calls for urgent action and attention,” the letter addressed to King Ogunkoya said. “We express our shock, displeasure and condemnation of the unacceptable act of gross misconduct, immoral act on female members of the union, forgery and financial misappropriation exhibited by Bola Ogunkoya, the head of Yoruba Kingdom in Liberia.”
According to the Nigerian Union, there had been continued calls by the past and present executives of the Yoruba Community and Descendants Union of Liberia and the kingdom on Ogunkoya, in black and white, to discuss the ugly behavior, which had proved abortive due to his refusal to acknowledge the communication that summons him to a meeting to discuss the issue and find a lasting solution to the problem.
“When the PRO and other people that [were] sent to him with the letter saw him, he refused to hold the documents and later directed them to his house,” the organization’s President, Matthew Makinde, said. “The people agreed and carried the letter to his house the following day, but to their surprise Ogunkoya refused to appear to the people who carried the letter.”
The letter presented to King Ogunkoya accuses him of the following actions, which the leadership and membership of Yoruba Community and Descendants Union see as misrepresentation: the alleged spiritual attack he inflicted on some members of the community, which still left some on the sick bed; immoral acts and sexual harassment perpetrated against the female members of the organization; no accountability since he assumed office and started celebrating Oodua Day in Liberia; gross misconduct; forging the letterhead and logo of the Yoruba Community and using the same forged documents to write a fake letter of recognition to Nigeria community and the Nigeria Embassy in Liberia.
The group said his actions were done without the consent of the executive and members of the union.
Further, he is accused of opening an illegal bank account in the name of Yoruba Community at the Access Bank, Sinkor branch, imposing himself on the Yoruba people in Liberia when he installed himself as king but not observing the normal traditional procedure according to Yoruba culture and tradition; instead, pronouncing himself King of the Yoruba people in Liberia.
They also accused him of divide and rule, which has been causing big confusion among Yoruba citizens residing in Liberia. They alleged that he habitually instigates non-members of the union and mobilizes them at the union’s general meeting anytime members of the union want to decide the fate of the kingship in the union’s constitution, with confusion always erupting and the meeting ending in confrontation.
He is accused of several other constitutional violations, which continue to jeopardize the progress of Yoruba Community, among others.
“Ladies and gentlemen, based on all these constitutional violations and gross misconduct Bola Ogunkoya has perpetrated on members and the organization as an entity since he assumed office as head (Oba) of Yoruba Kingdom in Liberia, which has contributed greatly to the backward trend of the Yoruba people and the union in Liberia, we hereby pass a vote of no confidence in him as Oba Yoruba in Liberia, and hereby further declare that the position of Oba Yoruba, the traditional head of Yoruba Kingdom in Liberia, vacant,” the group said.
The President, Makinde, said that the Oba Yoruba of Liberia allegedly used chants and caused members to be involved in accidents, in addition to allegedly raping young girls, having affairs with other people’s wives, among others.
In acceptance of the letter, the Oba of Liberia, Ogunkoya, said that the information is a conspiracy without justification and intended to tarnish his reputation.
“You know you have a grand conspiracy of complete falsehood, information that cannot be substantiated, justified and proved,” the King said. “l have decided to hold the letter because l do not want to be seen like someone who is not cooperative. Traditionally, l am not supposed to receive communication from anybody, it should be my PA.
“Have they investigated me and found out any fault to justify what they have said of me?” he asked.