Osun monarch, family clash over chieftaincy

A chieftaincy dispute has engulfed Ileogbo, Aiyedire Local Government Area of Osun State, following a protest by members of the Oladunwo family against the installation of a new Odofin of the town by the Olu of Ileogbo, Oba Abeeb Agbaje.

gathered that the crisis followed the monarch’s decision to confer the Odofin chieftaincy title, which had been traditionally held by the Oladunwo Compound, on Faleye Omoniyi from the Olujogun family.

The move has sparked outrage among members of the Oladunwo family, who accused the monarch of violating Ileogbo’s traditional order.

The Odofin title, one of the community’s gazetted kingmaker positions, became vacant following the death of Chief Amos Alabi of the Oladunwo Compound.

It is gathered that after Omoniyi’s installation on October 13, 2025, aggrieved indigenes from the Oladunwo family stormed the streets in protest the next day, demanding the reversal of the monarch’s action.

Their spokesperson, Alhaji Bashir Opayele, condemned the development, describing it as a deliberate attempt to erase the town’s history and undermine their hereditary rights.

“The Odofin title belongs solely to the Oladunwo Compound, and we will explore all lawful means to reclaim our right,” Opayele said in a telephone interview

In continuation of their protest, the family, through their lawyer, Nureni Ayoola, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the monarch to reverse the decision or face legal action.

In a letter dated October 16, 2025, Ayoola maintained that the Odofin title was the exclusive hereditary preserve of the Oladunwo family.

“It is our hope that you will toe the path of honour befitting your position by reversing your decision of October 13, 2025, and restore the Odofin title to the Oladunwo Compound, which holds the exclusive right to it,” the letter partly read.

However, Oba Agbaje dismissed the claim, insisting that there was no record proving the title belonged exclusively to the Oladunwo family.

the monarch said the palace retained the authority to appoint any qualified candidate to traditional positions.

“Both Oladunwo and Olujogun Compounds have rights to the Odofin title. It is not exclusive to Oladunwo as they are claiming. They are only crying foul after losing to a stronger candidate.

“There is no declaration on the title, and it is the monarch’s prerogative to install whoever he deems fit. I encourage the Oladunwo people to go to court. I will abide by the court’s ruling,” he said.

culled from punch