Adeleke presents staff of office to new Akire of Ikire

By Sunday Oguntuyi, Osogbo

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, at the weekend presented the staff of office to the new Akire of Ikireland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Olanrewaju Tajudeen Akinola, Akintula I, officially confirming him as the traditional ruler of the ancient town.

At the ceremony, a former Deputy Governor of the state, Benedict Alabi, commended Governor Adeleke for sustaining continuity in the chieftaincy succession process for Ikireland. He expressed satisfaction that the current administration upheld and implemented the settlement agreement reached under the administration of former governor, Gboyega Oyetola.

Also speaking at the event, Senator Lere Oyewumi, who hosted the ceremony, praised Adeleke for what he described as the governor’s developmental strides in the town.

He assured the governor that the people of Ikire would not forget the gesture, noting that Adeleke’s intervention had helped sustain peace in the community.

Governor Adeleke explained that the appointment of the new monarch followed the Terms of Settlement reached at the Court of Appeal, Akure, in 2025, which resolved the long-standing dispute over the Akire stool.

According to him, the throne had been embroiled in controversy since 2021, following the Supreme Court judgment of 2014, which ruled that the Lambeloye Ruling House, which produced the late Oba Olatunde Falabi, had no legal right to occupy the stool when the vacancy occurred in 1987.

He said the crisis prompted the previous administration, in collaboration with the five ruling houses in Ikire, to amend the 1958 Akire Chieftaincy Declaration, paving the way for the Aketula Ruling House to produce the next monarch whenever the stool became vacant.

“The aftermath of the crisis made the last administration in Osun State, in collaboration with all the five ruling houses of Ikire, resolve and jointly agree on the amendment of the 1958 Akire Chieftaincy Declaration which paved the way for the Aketula Ruling House to produce the next Akire whenever a vacancy occurs,” the governor said.

“In order to uphold and affirm the efforts of government in resolving the crisis, the Terms of Settlement was affirmed by the Court of Appeal, Akure, in 2025 which clearly stated that Prince Olanrewaju Tajudeen of the Aketula Ruling House shall be installed as the next Akire of Ikire whenever the stool becomes vacant, provided that he is alive.”

Congratulating the new monarch, Adeleke described him as “a son of destiny” and urged him to work for unity, peace and development in Ikireland.

“Kabiyesi, you are a son of destiny. I particularly rejoice with you and felicitate with your fellow royal fathers who are here to celebrate this occasion with you,” he said.

“Now that you are on the throne of your forefathers, the period of administering the community has begun. See yourself as the father of all citizens of Ikire at home and in the diaspora. Do all you can to unite everyone behind you and seek the growth and development of Ikire, Irewole Local Government, Osun State and Nigeria as a whole.”

The governor also called on the monarch to cooperate with his administration in mobilising the people towards contributing to the development of the state.

Adeleke noted that his administration had brought several development projects to Ikire and urged residents of the town to support his government in future elections.

“I am a son of Ikire by adoption. My early days while growing up were spent in this great town. So I enjoin the people of Ikire to vote for my party, the Accord, the first on the ballot, to ensure the continuity of the good governance we are all enjoying,” he said.

In his response, the new Akire expressed appreciation to the governor for his commitment to the peace and development of Ikireland.

Oba Akinola assured the government and the people of the town that he would remain committed to promoting peace, unity and progress in the community and across the state.