Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has congratulated Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, over the successful resolution of the eight-year deadlock on the Aresa-Adu stool of Iresa-Adu in Surulere Local Government Area of the state.
Obasanjo, in a letter to the governor, weighed in on the injustice suffered by the Emiolu Ruling House of Iresa-Adu, whose turn it was to produce the next Oba Aresa-Adu but had been denied for nearly eight years.
Following the intervention, the Makinde-led administration was said to have taken immediate action after reviewing all judicial processes on the matter.
The selection process, held at the Surulere Local Government secretariat, had an exhaustive list of candidates in attendance, with a large crowd of members of the Emiolu Royal Family and residents of the town present.
Also present was the Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who addressed the gathering.
At the end of the extensive process, Prince Adebayo Kayode, popularly known in the ancient town as ‘Prince Adebayo of Iresa’, emerged as the Oba-Designate of Iresa-Adu.
Days after the selection, the Oba-Designate arrived in Iresa-Adu to a rousing welcome. His entrance, streamed live on Facebook, showed residents rejoicing and singing as he was received at the Taki roundabout in Ogbomoso town before proceeding on a 30-minute drive into Iresa-Adu.
A larger crowd of young and old, men, women and children were waiting in the town, singing praises of Governor Makinde for the successful process after several years of hopelessness.
There was an explosion of jubilation as the Oba-Designate stepped out of his car into his family compound, with the air filled with chants of “adupe lowo Gomina wa o”, meaning “we thank our Governor.”
The Mogaji of Emiolu Ruling House, Pa Prince Fowomola Julius Olanipekun, had in a video in 2024 commended Prince Adebayo Kayode for personally securing a highly placed team of lawyers and funding the court case which eventually gave the Emiolu Ruling House the judicial breakthrough needed after previous years of setbacks.
In a separate letter to Governor Makinde, the Mogaji referenced the efforts of former President Obasanjo on the matter and thanked the governor for his relentless efforts in bringing harmony to Iresa-Adu and Oyo State in general.
