Selection of Ogun State Governorship aspirant ahead of 2027 poll divides Ogun West Traditional Council

The traditional rulers in Ogun West Senatorial District are now at logger head over who becomes adopted aspirant to contest for the governorship race of Ogun State in 2027 next political dispensation from the zone.

Penpushing reports that the signal to the rift between the traditional council was contained in a statement issued by one of the prominent monarchs from the zone, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, Eselu of Iselu Kingdom

The Eselu in open letter where he dissociated himself from the controversial move by some of his colleagues, specifically accused Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle of causing bad blood among aspirants

Penpushing further reports that the aggrieved traditional ruler declared that himself and some monarchs are not in tune with the actions of Olu Ilaro, who is trying to impose one of the governorship aspirants(Olamilekan Solomon) at the detriment of others.

The monarch cited an example alleging that Olu of Ilaro embarked on a political meeting with some selected royal fathers in the zone to Ijebu and Remo Traditional Councils to discuss support for one of the governorship aspirants at expense of others who are also eminently qualified

‘On behalf of many Obas in Ogun West, I, Oba (Dr.) Akintunde Akinyemi, JP, FCIMN, The Eselu of Iselu Kingdom, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, write to publicly dissociate ourselves from the visit of Olu-Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewa Land, Alayeluwa, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle and a few Ogun West Obas to a Strategic Meeting with Obas in Ijebu and Remo Traditional Councils on Tuesday, 17th March, 2026’, he wrote

‘It is surprising to note on social media that Alayeluwa, Oba Olugbenle led a few Ogun West Obas to Ijebu and Remo Traditional Councils for a strategic meeting that was unknown to majority of us, i.e Ogun West Obas’, Akinyemi added.

‘The purported strategic meeting was never discussed at the Yewa Traditional Council, so such a meeting is rejected by some of us (Senior Obas and other colleagues) who are in the majority in Yewa Traditional Council. Therefore, such a visit should not be taken seriously by critical stakeholders in Ogun West and the State in general’.

‘On behalf of many of our colleagues, I want to appreciate The Akarigbo of Remo Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi (Torungbuwa II), The Elepe of Epe in Remo Land, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adewale Osiberu (Iruganyin Ekun II) and other revered monarchs in Remo Land AND The Regent of Ijebu Kingdom’,

‘Olori’ogun (Dr.) Sonny Folorunsho Kuku (The Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland), The Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo, His Royal Majesty, Oba Lawrence Jaiyeoba Adebajo (Ojuromi VI), The Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye, Oba Abdul-Razaq Adesina Adenugba (Okokodanomeji II) and other revered Ijebu Obas for their usual support for Ogun West’.

‘We sincerely apologize on behalf of our leader and a few colleagues for visiting you all to discuss politics instead of paying a condolence visit over the death of the longest reigning monarch, Oba Sikiru Adetona’,

‘The Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebu Kingdom of blessed memory. We want to assure you all that we will definitely come to commiserate with you in a no distant time and later pay a visit to discuss the anticipated political collaboration between Ogun West and other Divisions of our dear State as we all prepare for the 2027 elections’.

‘It is undoubtedly true that Ogun West has been agitating to produce the next Governor of Ogun State, but the approach being adopted by Oba Olugbenle and a few Ogun West Obas is completely wrong and unacceptable’.

‘To all of us who were not consulted before embarking on the self-serving journey, it is not ripe for any of such issues. If our leader, Oba Olugbenle had consulted us, we would have advised that going for such a strategic meeting at this moment would look like putting the cart before the horse’.

‘We would have insisted that a condolence visit should be paid first to Ijebu Traditional Council in order to commiserate with them on the demise of His Royal Majesty, Alayeluwa Oba Kayode Adetona, The Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebu Kingdom of blessed memory’.

‘How on earth would any small group of Ogun West Obas pay such an unpopular visit and attribute it to the entire Ogun West Obas. In fact, the purported visit was wicked and self-serving.

‘The Olu-Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewa Land, Oba Olugbenle, including a few Obas who went along with him needs to realize that promoting our own Aremo Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) is not a bad step, but it would have been better to take steps to unify all the contestants and imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship in them’.

‘Majority of us in Yewa Traditional Council believe it is an unwise decision, at this moment, to start promoting one aspirant among many sons and daughters of Ogun West who are interested in vying for the position of Ogun State Governor. If this small group of Yewa Obas does not desist from this shenanigan, it may cause a division among the contestants from Ogun West and lead us to an unfavorable end’.

‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR who is the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Governor Dapo Abiodun who is the State Leader of the party and other leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State have not named their flagbearer in Ogun State, so supporting one candidate over others at this moment is not ideal’.

‘It is true that Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) is our beloved son, but we need to be very cautious not to cause any disharmony between him and other contestants like the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, i.e Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Hon. Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, Hon. Abiodun Akinlade, former Ambassador of Nigeria to the United Kingdom, i.e Chief Sharafa Ishola, daughter of former Nigerian President, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, Chief Jelili Amusan, etc’.

‘Stakeholders in Ogun West and the entire State should note, once again, that the visit of the Olu-Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewa Land, Oba Olugbenle and a few Ogun West Obas to Ijebu and Remo Traditional Councils was not tabled for discussion at the Yewa Traditional Council, so everything done before, during and after the purported visit should be taken with a pinch of salt’.

‘Finally, it should be noted that majority of us in the Yewa Traditional Council will not take responsibility for an action taken on our behalf by our leader and a few colleagues whose action is viewed as self-serving and unpopular’, Akinyemi declared

Penpushing also reports that, it would, however, be recalled that the same Eselu sometime n December 2024 ventured into murky water of politics as he endorsed the Governorship aspiration of Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly  called Yayi called ahead of 2027 general elections.

The monarch named a preferred governorship aspirant into the race, while reacting to a publication in a quoted interview by a leader in the Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Iyabo Abisulowo that Adeola is not a bonafide indigene of the zone.

Penpushing reports that the traditional ruler acting contrary to customs of been neutral in politics, in his statement he titled rejoinder declared that whoever is contesting against Adeola in Ogun West ahead of the 2027 governorship race is contending with the electorate; explaining that other senatorial districts are equally welcome to any race with him.

The controversial monarch emphasized that it must be noted that the entire Ogun West are ready to stand with Adeola who he said is their son from the zone contrary to claim in some quarters that he is not a genuine indigene

‘Whoever is contesting against him in Ogun West is contending with the electorate; and other senatorial districts are most welcome to any race with him, but it must be noted that the entire Ogun West are ready to stand with our son, that is, Aremo Olamilekan Adeola (Yaayi) and by the grace of the Almighty God, he will come out victoriously in the 2027 Governorship race.

Penpushing further reports that the royal father in the statement said the issue of indigenship has since be laid to rest, insisting that he (Adeola) is a true son of Ilaro in Yewa South local government area, Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun West at the National Assembly.

‘The narrative that was cooked up in the year 2018 by Chief (Mrs.) Anisulowo had seen been laid to rest and should not be revisited and republished by mischief makers. The issue concerning the origin of Senator Olamilekan Adeola (Yaayi) that was raised in the year 2018 by Chief (Mrs.) Anisulowo was a political statement which contradicts the reality on ground’, Akinyemi wrote

‘Senator Olamilekan Adeola (Yaayi) challenged in a competent court, at that time, the allegation levelled against him as a fake indigene of Ilaro and he was able to defend his identity as a bonafide son of IIaro, so any other wailers might be sued for contempt of court’, the statement added

‘When the wrong narrative was echoed by some politicians in the year 2018, Olu Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewa Land, His Royal Majesty, Alaiyeluwa Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle,  Asade Agunloye IV, informed the general public that Senator Olamilekan Adeola (Yaayi) is a true son of Ilaro in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State’, he stated

‘After the wrong assertion by the politicians was debunked by Olu Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, the issue was put to rest and this was part of the reasons that led to the installation of the Senator as the ‘‘Aremo of Yewaland’’ by the Yewa Traditional Council’

‘Since The Olu Ilaro and Chairman of Ogun State Council of Obas has certified that Aremo Olamilekan ADEOLA (Yaayi) is from Ilaro, no other person or authority in Ilaro should come out and say otherwise because Olu Ilaro is the highest authority in terms of tradition and customs of Ilaro Kingdom’;

‘It is germane to state that the archive of Ilaro and all the families that made up of Ilaro Kingdom are in the Palace of Olu Ilaro, so nobody should claim he or she knows better than the monarch. Traditional rulers know the indigenes of their communities, so politicians should stop taking up our responsibility as royal fathers’, he declared

‘Even before a local government gives an indigene a letter, the Oba of the Community will first give an introduction letter to such an indigene. All the sons and daughters, including other residents of Yewa Land are enjoying the transformation initiatives in Ogun West Senatorial District from our son and Senator, Aremo Olamilekan Adeola (Yaayi); hence the baseless issue of indigeneship is no longer before us and it has been laid to rest forever;

Penpushing reports that Eselu of Eselu kingdom emphasized in the statement that Adeola reserves the right to vote and be voted for in any election in Ogun State, adding that by the grace of God, he will come out victoriously in the 2027 Governorship race.

Meanwhile, the latest detour of Eselu of Iselu kingdom, is yet to be clear as at the time of filing this report, while in same vein, the Olu Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland was yet to response to ‘bombe shell’ letter written by Akinyemi

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