Sons of Iresa-Adu town in Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State have raised the alarm over alleged intimidation and threats to their lives by a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) councillor, Mr. Adeniran Nelson, following an interview posted on social media under the auspices of Iresa TV.
The interview, which featured the Mogaji of the Emiolu Ruling House, Pa Julius Olanipekun, addressed the ongoing chieftaincy dispute over the Aresa-Adu of Iresa-Adu throne.
In a petition addressed to the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Oluseyi Makinde, the local police area command, Mr. Adeleke Adepoju Adelekan, Mr. Mayowa Abiodun, and Mr. Afolabi Oluranti explained that Iresa TV’s mission is to promote the town’s cultural heritage. They argued that the interview was conducted within their rights under Nigeria’s Freedom of Information and Freedom of Expression laws.
The interview, released in May 2025, featured Pa Olanipekun voicing concerns over internal sabotage within the Emiolu family.
Notably, he named “Lasun Olaleye” as one of the alleged saboteurs—a name closely linked to the Oyo State Commissioner of Agriculture, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who also hails from the Emiolu family and is reportedly a contender for the disputed throne since 2019.
Following the interview, Iresa TV management and staff claim they have faced both social media and physical threats from supporters of the Commissioner. The Commissioner has so far been unreachable for comments. However, online evidence points to multiple instances of verbal aggression directed at the platform by his supporters.
According to the Mogaji, the Emiolu family is currently embroiled in a court battle against Prince Adeyeye Oyerinde, who claims to be the rightful Aresa-Adu of Iresa-Adu. Pa Olanipekun accused certain family members of disrupting the case’s final hearing on April 30, 2025, by introducing a new lawyer and filing new motions, resulting in further delays.
A court document circulating online, dated April 2025, lists claimants including Lafenwa Popoola, Timothy Tuwagun, Kola Oladipo, and Oladele Olaleye. It alleges they were unaware of the ongoing case that began in August 2024. Another elder, Prince Tunwagun, identified Oladele Olaleye as a brother to Commissioner Olaleye and suggested the Commissioner’s involvement in the legal manoeuvres aimed at stalling the case.
“It’s been almost seven years without a king. The family is fed up, the kingmakers are fed up, and Iresa-Adu town is fed up. That’s why our Mogaji has been forced to speak publicly,” Tunwagun said.
Sources revealed that Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, while serving as Oyo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs from 2022 to 2023, failed to resolve the Aresa-Adu dispute.
Prince Oladipupo stated, “Lasun was the Commissioner and couldn’t solve this. The recent actions of his brother and others reinforce long-held suspicions about his role.”
The family’s legal representative, former Oyo State Attorney General, Chief Michael Lana, continues to represent the Emiolu family in the case at the Ibadan High Court. Prince Oladipupo highlighted that the family lost a related case, HOI/4/2019, in March 2023, coinciding with Governor Makinde’s re-election.
The interview has ignited strong reactions, particularly due to Pa Olanipekun’s mention of “Lasun Olaleye,” prompting Commissioner Olaleye’s supporters to mount online defenses and issue threats. The Iresa-Adu Ward Councillor, Nelson Adeniran, is now under police investigation for allegedly threatening the lives of Iresa TV staff and residents in an apparent bid to protect Commissioner Olaleye.
Police are reportedly investigating further threats connected to this dispute as tensions continue to rise in Iresa-Adu.
