The Aranyin of Iranyin in Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State, His Royal Highness, Oba Lasisi Olagbemileke Oladimeji, has appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently intervene in the prolonged vacancy of the Aresa-Adu stool of Iresa-Adu, which has remained unoccupied for nearly eight years.
Oba Oladimeji, who ascended the throne in 2023, made the appeal in a statement while expressing concern over the continued leadership vacuum in the ancient town.
He noted that Iresa-Adu, a border community in Surulere LGA, shares boundaries with neighbouring settlements, including Ifon in Osun State, and has experienced recurring boundary disputes over the years.
The monarch, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in the Ogbomoso zone prior to his ascension, described the Aresa-Adu stool as historically significant, stressing that the absence of a substantive monarch has continued to generate administrative and traditional challenges within the domain.
He commended Governor Makinde for what he described as proactive efforts in resolving chieftaincy disputes across Oyo State, particularly in Ibadan, Oyo, and other towns, urging him to extend similar intervention to Iresa-Adu.
“Governor Makinde has proven to be a governor who listens to the people. He has resolved more chieftaincy matters than any sitting governor in Oyo State. That is why we are appealing to him to help us resolve that of Aresa-Adu too,” the monarch said.
Oba Oladimeji further disclosed that his appeal is also rooted in personal and ancestral ties, revealing that he belongs to the Aresa chieftaincy family.
“Besides being an Oba on Iresa land, I am personally a member of the Aresa chieftaincy family. So, resolving the Aresa-Adu throne is personal to me. You cannot tell the Aranyin history without telling the history of Aresa,” he stated.
The traditional ruler warned that several towns and villages under the Aresa-Adu domain currently have vacant Baale and Oba positions, a situation he said could heighten insecurity and land encroachment across border communities.
According to him, the installation of a paramount Aresa-Adu monarch would help coordinate traditional authority, strengthen local security architecture, and address territorial disputes affecting communities such as Iranyin and adjoining settlements.
He referenced recent security concerns in the axis, including the arrest of suspected cattle rustlers in Iresa-Adu by the Oyo State Police Command in January 2026, as justification for urgent traditional leadership intervention.
Oba Oladimeji also recalled raising the issue directly with the governor during his visit to Surulere LGA in January 2026 at the palace of the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, where discussions around security and traditional leadership formed part of deliberations.
The monarch noted that the governor’s visit to the Ogbomoso zone at the time was partly to show solidarity with communities affected by bandit attacks, including forest guard casualties in nearby areas.
While acknowledging the governor’s efforts in filling several vacant traditional stools across the state, Oba Oladimeji urged that the Aresa-Adu throne should not be left unresolved.
“We have many towns under Aresa-Adu with crowned Obas and Baales that have existed for centuries. Myself, I am the 21st Aranyin of Iranyin. But how can I be proud when the main monarch of our land is not enthroned?” he queried.
He concluded with prayers for the state government, expressing confidence that Governor Makinde would act decisively to resolve the crisis and restore full traditional leadership to Iresa-Adu and its adjoining communities.
