Akeju Olukosi Royal family in Oriade Local Council Development Area of Lagos State has petitioned the State government and the council chairman over an alleged attempt by one of the royal families to usurp the throne of Onilashe of Ilashe town against the agreed succession plan.
The family said following the Ilashe Chieftaincy declaration dated March 22, 1997, the ruling houses in Ilashe came together and mutually agreed among themselves to rotate the Onilashe royal stool.
According to the family, the order of rotation as agreed stated that Ekinu royal family is to ascend the throne first; the Akeju Olukosi Royal family is to follow, while the Orofin royal family is to come in that order of successive rotation of the stool
In line with the said declaration, Chief Fatal Akinwunmi from the Ekinu royal family emerged as the Onilashe of Ilashe town in 1997. He reigned from 1997 to 2022. Expectedly and in line with the declaration, the Akeju Olukosi family comes in line in the succession arrangement.
However, Kazeem Akinwunmi through his maternal lineage, the Orofin Ruling house, which came third in order of succession, is alleged to have supplanted the Akeju Olukosi ruling house.
In the petition by A.R. Fatoki & Associates, their lawyer, the Akeju Olukosi family, alleged that Kazeem Akinwunmi, a son to the immediate Onilashe, whose mother is from Orofin Ruling House is parading himself as the next Onilashe of Ilashe town through a concocted declaration.
This concocted declaration, they claimed has now made one other person, Akeem Abisogun from Orofin Ruling Family also declare himself as the next Onilashe.
The petition reads: “The ruling houses had met and came up with a memorandum among themselves, agreeing to the order of succession to the throne. When the Onilashe of Ilashe joined his ancestors, the lineage of the Akeju Olukosi was supposed to be the next to the throne but the Orofin royal family are claiming that they are entitled to the throne of Onilashe of Ilashe. The third lineage, which is the Orofin royal family, wants to go against the succession plan to ascend the throne. The agreement is well documented.”
“We call on your Excellency to immediately nip in the bud this brewing catastrophe that is rearing its ugly head by disregarding any such nomination, which is unlawful and unknown to the Ilashe community. Again, we wish to reiterate that nomination that is not from the Akeju Olukosi ruling house should be disregarded and rejected by your Excellency.”
The Guardian learnt that the Akeju Olukosi Royal family is currently consulting its members to pick and or produce a credible and worthy member of theirs, as the Onilashe elect for the royal stool that is now vacant.
Reacting to the matter, Kazeem Akinwunmi, said: “I don’t have anything to say to that. Why should I react? The Ilashe issue is in Ilashe, and whosoever that wants to say anything should come down to Ilashe. Whatever they feel are their grievances they should come down to Ilashe.”
