Traditional Ruler of In Ogun Reveals How he turned down assassinated his opponents to the throne

Oba Sikiru Ajibowu Adeilo Adeyiga, the Agbelesebiogun III

The Onirolu of Irolu-Remo, the agrarian community in Ikenne Local government Area of Ogun State, Oba Sikiru Ajibowu Adeilo Adeyiga, the Agbelesebiogun III, who was 76 years this year has revealed how he turned down advice to eliminate his co-contestants of the throne to pave way for his emergence as the Oba of the town 22 years ago.

Oba Adeyiga who ascended the throne in 1992 after the demise of Oba Williams Ogunlesi who joined his ancestors in December 1989, said he was indeed advised by a prominent personality in the state then, to assassinate his opponents as the only option for him to get to the throne.

Oba Adeyiga, who spoke while fielding questions from reporters shortly before the launch of his autobiography “My journey through life,” explained that it had been prophesied since 1959 that he was going to become a king, but the journey to the throne was however turbulent.

Unanimous endorsement

Born on October 1, 1938 in Irolu into the family of Alhaji Ismaila Adeyiga and Alhaja Nimota Oladunni Adeyiga of blessed memory, the young Adeyiga said he spent 10 years (1946-1955) at the primary school in Irolu due to his playful attitude.

Narrating his ordeal before he eventually became the 14th Onirolu of Irolu-Remo, Oba Adeyiga said after he was nominated by his family and unanimously endorsed by seven king makers, one of his co-contestants, Adetoye Odujeko dragged him to court where he claimed that he was not a member of the ruling family asked to nominate a candidate for the vacant throne.

“I was advised to assassinate my opponents, as the only way for me to get to the throne, because there was a petition against my emergence. I turned down the advice, but, today all of them are dead. I swear I did not kill anybody, they died naturally.”

According to him,the court case started in 1991. Both Mr. Adetoye Odujeko and Mr. Abel Awolowo, my immediate opponents lost their individual cases.

“It was now time to start preparing for the installation ceremony. The state government presented me with a letter of appointment on Sunday, September 6,1992. The staff of office was collected and brought to me at my installation as the 14th Onirolu of Irolu-Remo. As I came out of one the traditional rite ceremonies, I was served with another court injunction that I should stop parading myself as the new Onirolu of Irolu. This made me unhappy.

“After hearing all the arguments in the suit, the judge dismissed all relieves sort for at the lower court. After that, he brought three people to join, maximizing his chances that all will not die at the same time.

“He instituted the second case in the appeal court, but as God would have it, the three substitutes died naturally before the conclusion of the case. About a week after that judgement was secured in April 1992, the sole plaintiff died naturally,” said he. Oba Adeyiga, also revealed how he kept his parents in suspense and worry-sick for two weeks hiding in the forest following frustration over his failure of Standard six examinations.

The monarch said that for the two agonizing weeks, his parents were searching for him. He said that his father in particular, began to consult one native doctor (Babalawo) after another to find out if he was still alive and well or dead.

The 283-page book forwarded by the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Adeniyi Sonariwo and launched by Sir Kensington Adebutu, tells the story of Oba Adeyiga, as one who rose from grass to grace.

According to him, when the plan to leave the village for Enugu to learn tailoring trade under his uncle was rebuffed by his parents, he ran away from home and headed to his father’s farm where he hid in the “bush” for two weeks.

He said: “ I was angry and frustrated after failing my standard six examinations in 1955. I told myself I was not going back to school. I wanted to join my uncle in Enugu where I will learn tailoring but my parents refused.

“I eventually fled home and went to my father’s farm and hid in the bush all alone. I was not bothered by any danger and occasionally I sneaked into the village to buy food. My father began to visit native doctors to find out if I was alive or dead.

“And each time he consulted them, he was told I was alive and would return home soon. While in the bush and from tree top, I would observe my father feed his chickens in the farm with corn, guiding myself carefully so that I was not spotted.

“Once he leaves the farm for the day, I will climb down, enter the farm hut and cook coco-yam for food. After spending two weeks in the farm, I decided to return home. And my parents who had been warned by the native doctors not beat me when I returned, received me warmly and with help of one Baba Ijesa, I returned to school and completed my primary education.”

 Vanguard