Onibeju Stool: Why SanwoOlu must intervene – Stakeholder

The Oniwonlu Royal family of Ibeju Agbe, Ibeju lekki, Lagos State, has  urged the state government to come to their aid in a bid to install rightful person to the vacant stool of Onibeju.

The family spoke person, who is also the head of Alaagba in Ibeju Agbe, Chief Sikiru Adediran said, “the people of Ibeju want the bonafide son of Ibeju to occupy the throne of Onibeju Kingdom if the due process inherited from our forefathers is to be respected,” adding that not a mere stranger whose identification to the Oniwonlu’s family could not be traced.

Adediran, who is also a member of Onibeju selection committee went down the memory lane that only three families are rightful occupiers of Onibeju stool, the family are: Abejoye, Aladeseso and Oniwonlu.

He said that the former kings: Oba Rafiu Oluwasegun  and Oba Musa Agbabiiaka were from Abejoye and Aladeseso respectively, its only Oniwonlu family that has not produced Onibeju, reason while next Onibeju was shifted to Oniwonlu family.

According to him, “when the selection to pick the candidate for next Onibeju begins, the Oniwonlu family called all her children who believed that they are capable and qualified to occupy the Onibeju stool to come out and pick the form of interest, we have about nineteen candidates shown interest,”

explaining further, Adediran said “the family had meeting at the home of Chief Michael Adeyinka Oniwonlu who was the former head of Oniwonlu family three times at his Epe home before the meeting was later moved to Iga Ibeju, in Ibeju Agbe

“All the nineteen candidates were taken to ‘Oju Ishin’ shrine and they were told to make an oath that none of them would go to court or harass other candidates with police and they all did.

“We have pictorial and video evidence of the oath. We also consulted Ifa to know the best candidates according to the rite, out of the nineteen candidates only three emerged as the candidates with plenty fortunes that would be the best for our kingdom.”

In his narration, Adediran stressed that the three candidates whose according to Ifa revelation are: Idris Ajumobi Oniwonlu, Adewale Abdulwasiu Oniwonlu and Ademuyiwa Akande Oniwonlu.

Adediran said on 12th of November, 2020 the local government ordered them to submit the name of the next Onibeju to the council for proper assessment, “but we got an information that the head of kingmakers, Chief Moshood Adewale Aro is planning to instal another person who is not from our family against the wishes of our family and the people of Ibeju kingdom.

“To prove this much, there was a meeting held at Ibeju Lekki Local Government Council on Thursday, 14/01/2012, where they endorsed Waliu Rasaq Olasunkanmi against all odds as choice without  considering the consequence of imposing unqualified candidate on us.

“We have alerted the Governor, Commissioner on chieftaincy matter, Attorney General, Chieftaincy office through a letter, as regard the plot.

“Even if we are to follow due process and procedure laid down by our forefathers, out of the three qualified candidates, it is only Ajumobi quarter from Oniwonlu family has never occupied the throne of Onibeju, a right thinking sons and daughters of Ibeju Kingdom can attest to the fact that the next family to produce the King is from Oniwonlu and among the three sons that are jostling for the throne within Oniwonlu kingdom only Ajumobi qualified and the candidate for AjumobI is Idris Ajumobi other two contestants had ruled Ibeju kingdom in the past while Waliu is far from being identified to the throne,” he laments.

Adediran however implored His Excellence, Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu and other concerned authorities to scrutinize the matter in order to safe ever peaceful community like Ibeju from impostors and he also urged State Government to conduct proper investigation to know who qualify to ascend the throne of Onibeju.

“Help us warn Chief Moshood  Adewale Aro and his cohort not to create chaos and disorderliness in our community. We are peaceful people and law abiding citizens in Ibeju Agbe,” Adediran noted