Breaking: Why Osun Defender’s Former CEO Was Sacked

Contrary to the impression given by Mr Ayo Moshood (Samson) Akinola, the erstwhile Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Osun Defender, that he resigned his appointment in December last year, he was actually summarily dismissed by the management of the company.

Akinola was sacked after an emergency meeting of the Board of Directors of the company. 

We found it curious when a statement issued by Osun Defender announced that he was ‘separated from the company by mutual consent’ and decided to investigate. 

‘Separation’ is a diplomatic language used when an employer wants to terminate an appointment but wants to give the employee a soft-landing.  

Investigation revealed that Akinola was relieved of his appointment after he was found guilty of disloyalty to the company and economic sabotage, emanating from conflict of interest. 

Information at our disposal has it that Akinola, who owned a magazine, was allegedly disparaging Osun Defender to secure adverts for his own magazine during the first anniversary of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola while still the CEO of Osun Defender. 

At different occasions, the-then CEO of Osun Defender, has been allegedly caught soliciting for adverts and confusing advertisers that his magazine was an affiliate of the newspaper.

The report revealed that Akinola allegedly through this means cornered adverts meant for Osun Defender to his own magazine. He would tell clients that a newspaper has one day shelf life after which it gets discarded, but his magazine will still be exchanging hands for months, if not years.

“There is a mystery surrounding the man’s identity and the way he operates. He was a saboteur using the resources he had access to in Osun Defender to fund his own magazine and when this scam was discovered, the organisation decided to relieve him of his position”, said a source that had worked at Osun Defender in the past and claims to know him inside out. 

Further investigations revealed that Akinola who claims to be a Muslim may not be a Muslim after all. He is actually a Christian or at best not really attached to any religion, but assumes the one that serves his interest.

For instance, Akinola had claimed to be an Assistant Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God by the name ‘Samson’ Akinola to Senator Opeyemi Bamidele when he took a consultancy job with him. 

He made the same claim of being an Assistant Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God when he was consulting for Chief Ifeanyi Uba, a Nigerian businessman, who gave him the Lexus car he is using now.

Investigation further revealed that when Akinola came to Osun from Lagos, he introduced himself as ‘Moshood’ to the then governor, Rauf Aregbesola and people close to him and who helped him to get the job at Osun Defender.

One of his childhood friendwho prayed not to be named described Akinola as an ‘advanced con artist who can sell sea water in Badagry’, saying ‘he is never who he claims to be’.

More revelations are to tumble out on his state of origin. Though Akinola claims to be an indigene of Ikire, whereas those who know him said he is from Okitipupa in Ondo State.

“Ask him where his family house is in Ikire or who are his relations there and he will change the subject”, said the friend. “This is because he wasn’t born there, he didn’t grow up there and knew nobody there. It is just a smart way of creating a false sense of belonging in Osun”, he intoned further.

There are also doubts on his claim of attending the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. During the crisis that engulfed Osun Defender last year, when one of his antagonists challenged him to show them his certificate and name his course mates at the university, he ran away.

Part 1 ends.

Watch out for part 2.