Adeyemi Family Protests After Being Excluded From Race To Awujale Throne

The Adeyemi family is protesting their exclusion from the Anikilaya ruling house, one of the families entitled to present candidates for the Awujale throne of Ijebuland in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

The Anikilaya ruling house produced the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who died last month.

In a statement released on Sunday and signed by Adedeji Ademola Adeyemi, the Adeyemi family accused some members of the Anikilaya ruling house of altering historical records by deliberately removing their name from the family lineage.

According to Adeyemi, their ancestor, Adeyemi Anikilaya, was the first son of Oba Anikilaya Saagun, while Ogbagba and Ademolu were his younger brothers.

He explained that after the death of Oba Daniel Adesanya, Gbelegbuwa II, in 1959, Prince Ademola Aiyegbajeje Adeyemi was initially chosen for the Awujale throne but declined.

“Prince Ademola Aiyegbajeje Adeyemi was chosen for the Awujale stool after the death of Oba Daniel Adesanya (Gbelegbuwa II) in 1959, but he turned down the offer,” he said.

“His younger brother, Prince Mubashiru Adedipupo Adeyemi, who was the father of the late Oba SK Adetona, put forward his son, Sikiru Kayode Adetona from the Adeyemi Anikilaya family. He was accepted by the kingmakers and became Awujale in 1960.”

The Adeyemi family rejected claims by certain relatives who refused to acknowledge them as descendants of the eldest son and instead handed family headship to the second-born while adding two others they described as outsiders to the royal lineage.

He said, “To be clear, the Adeyemi ruling house rejects the inclusion of Mabadeje, Adekoya Ofirigidi, and Adeire Adeewu, who are said to be children of the late Oba Anikilaya Saagun Figbajoye, who ruled in 1821, but are not known to us.

“We, the Adeyemi ruling house, confirm that we are descendants of Adeyemi Anikilaya, the eldest son of the late Oba Anikilaya Saagun Figbajoye, who was Awujale of Ijebu Ode until 1821.”

The Adeyemi family urged the public to disregard recent claims circulated in the media by some family members, describing them as misleading, false, and of no importance.

KanyiDaily recalls that President Bola Tinubu and his wife, Remi traveled to Ogun State to honour the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, after he passed away.