A high-level delegation representing Senator Ayoade Adeseun, popularly known as “Baba Solar,” attended a security meeting in Iresa-Adu town hall on Wednesday, raising expectations among residents that a change in government could resolve the 10-year vacancy on the Aresa-Adu throne.
The meeting, held at the Iresa-Adu town hall in Surulere Local Government Area, was announced on radio and other media platforms, with community stakeholders invited to discuss recent security concerns. Senator Adeseun’s delegation was led by Mr. Isaac Obaremi, General Secretary to the senator.
Residents said the senator’s involvement had renewed hope that their appeals over the vacant stool, which they say have been ignored by the current administration, are now being addressed.
“Look around Iresa-Adu, we voted Governor Makinde overwhelmingly both in 2019 and 2023. The last time the Governor visited Iresa-Adu town was in his 2023 campaign. The only thing this community has requested from Governor Makinde administration is an Oba, we are in the 8th year of his administration and we feel completely ignored,” said Pa Oyedokun, an elder in a nearby village under Iresa-Adu.
A prince from one of the ruling houses at the meeting urged the governor to act. “Governor Makinde should use his executive powers and give us a new king. Oba Jimoh Oloyede from Oshunbiyi Ruling House passed away in 2018 and till now we have no king. They are just playing politics with Aresa-Adu throne. We appeal to the Governor to intervene immediately.”
The security meeting comes amid recent kidnappings in Oriire LGA, also within the Ogbomoso Zone. Participants linked the town’s security concerns to the absence of a traditional ruler and called for urgent intervention.
Senator Adeseun, who recently resigned as the Mayegun of Ogbomoso, maintains a residence in Iresa-Adu that has hosted several high-profile political meetings. His Oyo Central Senatorial District residence is separate from Ogbomoso town, which falls under Oyo North Senatorial District and the Oriire/Ogbomoso North/Ogbomoso South Federal Constituency. Iresa-Adu is located in the Ogooluwa/Surulere Federal Constituency.
Political alignments in the area are shifting ahead of 2027. Former three-term APC federal representative for Ogooluwa-Surulere, Hon. Odebunmi, known as BUVIC, has realigned with Senator Adeseun and emerged in the APC primaries to contest for a fourth term against incumbent Hon. Makanjuola of the APM.
An APM youth member said many youths who worked for the PDP in 2023 to end BUVIC’s 12-year tenure as federal representative have now moved to the APC camp. “For the APM party to retain Ogooluwa-Surulere looks increasingly shaky. Iresa-Adu is the largest town in the Constituency, both the youths and elders feel unheard and ignored by the current administration,” the youth member said.
Senator Adeseun’s office has not issued a public statement beyond the delegation’s attendance at the meeting. The Oyo State Government has not yet responded to the latest calls regarding the Aresa-Adu stool.
