THE BATTLE FOR IRULAND THRONE & CROWN GETS MESSY AND DIRTY AS ACCUSATIONS AND COUNTER ACCUSATIONS FLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE

CSP (Prince) Hakeem Ajasa

Aremo Segun Oniru

What should normally be quite straightforward in all ramifications, is instead getting more and more, complicated and intriguing day by day. With the sides involved doing their best to outwit each other, as they battle each other to a stand still, though in a more clandestine manner. It seems like supporters on both sides of the divide, are not willing to concede a yard or even as little as a foot to each other. So they seem not to mind using divide and rule tactics, guerrilla tactics and are even willing to engage or employ subterfuge and misdirection to gain advantage over one another, just in this battle to be the preferred one to wear the crown and to sit on or inherit the royal stool of their forebears.

For those who might just be wondering what we are on about, it's none other than the battle for the Oniru crown and royal stool. We hear reliably that the overwhelming pressure on those who are perceived to have the influence to sway things one way or the other, has been unprecedented!

Before we go further, let's quickly dispel the unfounded rumor that the Oniru designate has already been picked. That assertion is very far from the truth. Until the Government of the day as led by his excellency, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu, has made a pronouncement in the affirmative as concerning their choice, all that is flying around now are just figments of the imagination of those peddling such.

What has actually happened from the feelers we have gotten is that, some sections of the extended families were said to have come out to announce their support for one or the other of those vying for the crown in the person of Prince (CSP) Hakeem Ajasa, who is from the Abisogun ruling house.  So what has happened there is that he would representing the whole Abisogun royal family as their preferred choice.

According to a communique that was signed, released and published in 'The Nation Newspaper' of Saturday, December 7, 2019 on page 11 to be more precise, after a meeting of some sections of the ruling families, the said release acclaimed that they were members of the ruling house and that they had come together to support only the candidature of Prince Ajasa. See the content of their published release below, which we have reproduced verbatim.

PUBLIC NOTICE
ON BEHALF OF THE ABISOGUN RULING HOUSE OF THE ONIRU ROYAL FAMILY.

1) The General Public is hereby informed that the Abisogun Ruling House on the 5th if December, 2019 at Block 203, Amuwo Odofin Low Cost Housing Estate, Mile 2, Lagos, conducted an Election for the purpose of Electing a candidate from the Abisogun Ruling House to fill the vacant stool of Oba Oniru of Iruland.

2) Each of the four branches that make up the Abisogun Ruling House namely; Omowunmi, Omishade, Oresanya and Ewumi branches of the Abisogun Ruling House presented a candidate at the Election while the candidate for Oresanya branch voluntarily withdrew his candidature on the day of the Election.

3) The result of the aforesaid Election held to present a candidate from the Abisogun Ruling House is as follows;

NAME OF CANDIDATE

Chief Matthew Adekunle Akinwunmi (Omowunmi branch) Vote Scored 1

Barr. Teslim O. Giwa (Omishade branch) Vote Scored 1

Mr Hakeem Oriyomi Ajasa (Ewumi branch) Vote Scored 9

Chief Tajudeen Kushanu (Oresanya branch) Vote Scored Withdrew.

4) That in view of the Result of the Election, Mr Hakeem Oriyomi Ajasa of the Ewumi branch of the Abisogun Ruling House emerged as the candidate to be presented by the Abisogun Ruling House to fill the vacant stool of Oba Oniru of Iruland.

Dated the 6th day of December, 2019

14 (fourteen) people namely Abiodun Ajasa-Ewumi, Kabiru Oseni-Ewumi, Chief Solomon Isa-Ewumi, C Kashimawo Bello-Omishade, Hammed Oseni-Ewumi, Oniru Jide-Oresanya, Giwa Nurudeen-Omishade, Salau Saliu-Ewumi, Chief Tajudeen Kushanu-Omowumi, Chief Saliu Abisogun-Omowunmi, Adebiyi Muideen Abisogun-Omowunmi, Chief Wasiu Oginbambi-Omowunmi, Chief Biliaminu Abisogun-Omowunmi & one other person, now wrote their names and appended their signatures to the published document as witnesses to the meeting.

The publication was now counter signed by the Oloris (heads) of the 4 branches, Chief Abdul Wasiu Ogunbambi Abisogun for Omowunmi branch, Mr. Kashimawo C. Bello for Omishade branch, Chief Tajudeen Kushanu for Oresanya branch and Chief Salawu Isa for the Ewumi branch and then further signed by the overall Head of the Abisogun Ruling House by name Chief Biliaminu Sanni Abisogun.

But in a very swift manner an immediate response allegedly came from the other side too in the battle to try to debunk and dispute what the other side had claimed had happened. In fact, they went further to also claim that their opponent, Prince Hakeem Ajasa might have employed coercion to get his desire done. Hear them-

FAKE NEWS BY A SECTION OF THE ABISOGUN RULING HOUSE

The public and all interested parties are put on notice of the kangaroo selection of a person unknown to the entire Oniru family to rule over their land and fill the currently vacant Oniru Chieftaincy stool.

Whist news on the social media report that one Akeem Ajasa was selected by his ruling house as a candidate for the vacant stool, nothing can be further from the truth as the statutory, customary due process and formality were not followed in this kangaroo selection of this individual, working desperately with others, towards achieving their own selfish interest and putting the whole family (a family of honour) into disrepute.

Being a policeman, we have information from reliable sources that Akeem Ajasa had harassed, intimidated and threatened other members of his ruling house. We also have information that under the table exchange of funds have taken place and the result of all these illegalities is the kangaroo selection.

It does not accord with reasoning that only 6 to 8 men of an entire ruling house will make a decision that will affect the whole of the Oniru Royal Family and select a candidate for the vacant stool.

Owing to the above, other cheated members of the Abisogun Ruling House have decided to do the needful to preserve the good name of Oniru Royal Family by distancing themselves from this propaganda and public show of disgrace by an individual (working together with his cronies) unknown to the Family.

From time immemorial, no member of any royal family can impose himself on the community. The Oniru family which has been in existence for over 500 years, has lived together in peace and harmony. It is therefore quite unfortunate that one unknown individual using his public influence and position as a police officer, to harass and intimidate the other members of the Family, has now disunited the Family, all in the bid to become the next Oba. This completely goes against the customary heritage and values of the Oniru Family. The uncustomary selection of this individual has disrupted the unity that the past Obas of Iruland worked tirelessly in achieving.

Akeem Ajasa (working in connivance with the Olori-Ebi of the Abisogun Ruling House, his supporters and cronies) is hereby advised against parading himself as the selected candidate for the vacant stool. Moreso, if Akeem AJasa has indeed been selected as a candidate for the vacant stool, he ought to have resigned his position as a police officer and properly put himself forward.

In any event, it is very evident to all that there are enough check points and security measures in Iruland and in the unlikely event that the community requires additional policemen, they shall contact the Commissioner of Police in Lagos directly.

CHEATED MEMBERS OF ABISOGUN RULING HOUSE.

With the above statement it became obvious that the battle line had been drawn and that both camps had gone fully into full opposing camps ready for battle of any kind not willing to accept each others position. While Prince  Hakeem Ajasa of the Abisogun Ruling House in the company of a mammoth crowd had a sort of power rally declaring their intention and preference. Subsequently, Aremo Segun Oniru in the company of his younger brother Prince Tijani Oniru was declared by Saliu Okanlawon Abisogun, who claims to be a member of the Abisogun Ruling House and some others, as their own legitimate heir to the throne and the Oniru of Iruland elect.

So because of all the shenanigans going on, there is plenty of confusion and misinformation going about now. But we can reassure all that, it is only when the Lagos State Government has declared who is the actual king (Oba), then before anyone can lay claim to the stool or crown.

So until then, the Oniru stool is still vacant. 

IT'S BATTLE ROYALE GALORE FOR THE ROYAL STOOL OF THE ONIRU OF IRULAND LAGOS. AS IT'S A STRAIGHT BATTLE BETWEEN THE AMIABLE AREMO SEGUN ABIODUN & THE RESOURCEFUL PRINCE HAKEEM AJASA.THE PREFERRED CHOICE IS TO BE ANNOUNCED LATEST IN DECEMBER

Aremo Olusegun Abiodun 

CSP 'Prince' Hakeem Ajasa

The countdown has quietly begun, as Lagos is waiting eagerly and others are watching with bated breath to see who would emerge as the next king, his royal majesty, the Oniru of Iruland in Lagos. And the big question that is being asked rather quietly is, would it be the amiable, very well connected & very liquid, Aremo Segun Abiodun, who many refers to as Aremo Segun Oniru, who is the eldest son (hence why the tag Aremo) of the immediate past late king, Oba Idowu Abiodun Oniru and he is also the grandson of the father of the one that just recently passed on, in the person of Oba Yesufu.

Aremo/Prince Segun Abiodun is more synonymous with the Oniru tag, as that has been added to their name and accepted by all too over the years now.

Or would it be the highly resourceful, super highly connected also, in fact the well supported and rather more quiet Prince Hakeem Ajasa? Who is a top Police officer and said to be a gentleman to the core???

The Oniru name and title from the little research we have carried out actually belongs to the 3 ruling houses that can aspire to the throne of their forebears. They are the Akiogun house, the Ogunyemi house and the Abisogun house or line.

Just so you all would understand why this stool is very very  important. Iruland where whoever emerges as the Oniru would reign over, used to cover a vast mass of prime land that included Victoria Island and environs. In fact according to history, Iruland was said to have even included parts of CMS in Marina too and other parts that the Government of the day then bought and paid the Oniru chieftaincy family then a sizable £400,000 (£250,000 first & later £150,000) many years back as compensation, for acquiring their lands. So the Onirus have always been major landowners on the island.

All of these exciting large land mass, that is now valued at several, tens of billions of Naira included the 'Bar Beach', where the 'Eko Atlantic City' now sits. It also included the part that was the then slum called 'Maroko', which later became 'Victoria Island extension', which only became that after the forceful eviction then in 1988 of over 300,000 people by the regime of then 'acsion Governor' Colonel Raji Alagbe Rasaki, who acted with such power then, as the no nonsense military Governor of Lagos from 1988 till 1991.

It was 1st tagged VI extension before the former slum later transformed dramatically to become what has now become the 'Oniru Estate of the rich', after it was named after the chieftaincy family. It is even in this estate, that the Palace of Oniru was relocated to after it was moved from in front of the Bar Beach on Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Their domain didn't just end there though, as their vast control still went as far as Lekki towards where the Elegushi palace presently is in fact now.

So the chieftaincy family which began as far back as 1589 but which later became a royal family from 1994 after their status was elevated, used to sit atop a virtual goldmine of landmass. But that's not all there's it to it.

Whoever becomes the Oniru of Iruland is also said to be the very head of the Idejo, that's like being the Olori ebi, head of the royal family. The idejo are the highly ranked in fact highest ranked, highly influential white cap chiefs of Lagos. Idejo for those who don't know, comprises the highest ruling clan that determines what obtains as per the royal stools in Lagos.

'Ejo' or better still Mejo, in Yoruba language actually refers to 8. These 8 began with the 8 brothers of a father, who were the founders of Eko. According to legend or better put history, they were said to have actually come from the Oyo Empire. But before they came, as was required of them they had done some divination to chart their course appropriately, so as to know where their destiny would lead them, their ultimate destination. That is talking about where they would finally settle down to as their home.

Far more juicier details below. Click on read more