Anxiety in Ondo community over death of monarch, succession process

THERE is a growing anxiety in the Emure-Ile community in Owo local government area over the recent demise of the traditional ruler, Simon Adedunbaje Adeyefa II as it was gathered that the process of selecting a successor is generating competition between the ruling families.

Investigation shows that the history of the monarchy dates back to 1231 when Elemure Ajalorun reigned from 1231 to 1255. However, it was gathered that a particular family had been holding on to the kingship since 1951 which resulted in some form of violence in the year 2000 resulting in deaths, even though the selection process is not confirmed to be rotational.

A member from the community familiar with the happening in the area told Vanguard on condition of anonymity in Benin City that what is happening today was as a result of an innocent decision by one Ademuwagun, son to Elemure Oloore who reigned from 1880 to 1906 who was called to be king in 1951 but in his magnanimity, was said to have ceded it to his younger brother identified as Elemure Ogundimibola and that since then, the kingship has remained in that lineage instead of going back to the Ademuwagun lineage and others.

According to him, “Elemure Oloore who reigned in 1880 and he had two sons; the eldest name was Ademuwagun. In 1951, Ademuwagun was called to be the king, he was a rich man, he had many wives and many children it is on record that he had sixteen children, and he was already advanced in age according to the story, he now said they should give the title to his younger brother who was not as rich as he was, he didn’t see it as any big deal then, his younger brother’s name was Ogundimibola. So in 1951, his younger brother who is also a descendant of Elemure Oloore now became the king.

“After the demise of Ogundimibola I, his immediate son took over as king that was in 1990 he became Adeyefa Ogundimibola II, when he died again, his direct son Adedubaje Adeyefa I, again took over, that was in the year 2000 and he is the one that just died in March 2025

“A selection is supposed to be made and we expect that now, it should go to the other lineages but there are indications that the immediate son again wants to take over from his father and they now want to make it a hereditary to the Ogundimibola.”

He called on the Ondo state government to intervene as he also alleged that the process was being circumvented as the approval letter has been kept in the local government council and the reagent that was supposed to have been appointed to reign for at least three months during which a new Elemure would be selected has not been done and that there are plans to select a new king directly using political influence

Also speaking, an elder in the community told us on phone that “The whole community is disagreeing with this plan to remain in the same lineage, we want the Ondo state government to note that this will cause problems if it is allowed. There are different ruling houses and only one has been taking it for over 70 years.”