The Obele Royal Family of Ikolaje, Idiroko, Ogun State, has accused the Odunfa ruling house of attempting to hijack the succession process after their reign ended in 2024, insisting that tradition and law entitle them to produce the next Oniko
Obele Royal Family Insists It’s Their Turn to Produce Next Oniko of Ikolaje Idiroko Amid Succession Dispute
A fierce royal battle is brewing in Ikolaje, Idiroko, an ancient town in Ogun State’s Ipokia Local Government, as the Obele Royal Family accuses the Odunfa ruling house of attempting to hijack the succession process for the Oniko throne. The family also alleges bias by Ipokia Local Government Chairman, Hon. Johnson Avoseh Akohome, in the succession dispute.
According to the Ikolaje Chieftaincy Declaration of 1956, the stool rotates among four ruling houses—Igboku, Odunfa, Obele, and Kupolu—in strict order. With the reign of Oba John Olakunle Ojo of the Odunfa family ending in May 2025, the Obele family insists it is now their rightful turn to produce the next monarch.
But the Odunfa family is allegedly pushing to impose Sunday Adekanmbi Olayode as the new Oniko, a move the Obele family describes as illegal and a violation of tradition. “No ruling house is allowed to produce a monarch in succession. The Odunfa family knows this, yet they are trying to rewrite history,” said Adeotan Shadrack, Secretary of the Obele Royal Family.
Shadrack explained that Oba Ojo, who reigned from 1979 to 2025, ascended the throne as a descendant of the Odunfa ruling house, “The Odunfa family never contested his legitimacy then. To now claim he was from Igboku is a slap on the law, on the royal institution, and on the government of Ogun State,” Shadrack stressed.
He further alleged that the Odunfa family has already begun traditional rites to install Olayode, despite the matter being before the courts. “This attempt to impose an illegal monarch does not align with the law of the land or the spirit of equity and justice,” Shadrack said, alleging that “the kingmakers have shown bias in the ongoing dispute.”
However, tensions have risen as members of the Odunfa family are allegedly maneuvering to retain influence over the succession, despite their turn having passed. The Obele family claims government officials responsible for chieftaincy matters have ignored their protests and continued with a process that sidelines them.
Letters of complaint have been sent to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Ipokia Local Government Chairman, and even the Ogun State House of Assembly, but the family says their concerns have been disregarded.
Shadrack also accused the Odunfa family of enjoying the backing of Ipokia Local Government Chairman, Hon. Johnson Avoseh Akohome. “We have written several letters to the council, but they ignored us while holding meetings with our opponents. This is unfair not just to the Obele family, but to the people of Ikolaje,” he alleged.
Efforts to get the chairman’s response proved abortive, as calls and messages put forward to him were not answered.
In a petition obtained by newsheadline247, the Obele family points to historical precedent, noting that they have previously occupied the throne, including the reign of Oba Akanni Atewogboye as the sixth Oniko.
They argue that the declaration, made under the Western Region Appointment and Recognition of Chiefs Law of 1954, clearly entitles them to nominate and present a candidate at this stage in the rotation.
“We are a civil family. We will not take the law into our hands. We trust the courts to deliver justice,” Shadrack said, vowing that the Obele family will use all legal means to resist what they describe as an attempt to impose an “illegal monarch” on Ikolaje.
The petition further alleges bias among the kingmakers and accuses officials of withholding access to certified copies of the chieftaincy declaration. The Obele family insists that any attempt to install a candidate from outside their lineage would be illegal and a violation of tradition. They vow to prove in court that the throne belongs to them by right of rotation, citing past successions and official documents to back their claim.
This unfolding dispute underscores the enduring importance of traditional institutions in Ogun State and the delicate balance of law, custom, and politics that governs succession in ancient towns like Ikolaje, Idiroko. Read More
