Awujale Throne: Family Protests Exclusion from Royal Lineage
The Adeyemi ruling house of the Anikilaya dynasty has expressed discontent over their exclusion from the Anikilaya ruling house, one of the dynasties responsible for producing candidates for the throne of Awujale of Ijebuland, located in the Ijebu Ode region of Ogun State.
It should be noted that the Anikilaya ruling house was responsible for the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who recently passed away.
In a statement released to the press on Sunday, signed by Adedeji Ademola Adeyemi, the family asserted that a faction within the Anikilaya ruling house has purposefully altered historical records to erase the Adeyemi name from the family lineage.
Adeyemi elucidated that Adeyemi Anikilaya was the eldest crown prince of the late Oba Anikilaya Saagun, with Ogbagba and Ademolu as his younger siblings.
He stated, “Prince Ademola Aiyegbajeje Adeyemi was chosen for the Awujale throne following the passing of Oba Daniel Adesanya, Gbelegbuwa II, in 1959, yet he declined the position.
“His immediate brother, Prince Mubashiru Adedipupo Adeyemi, father of the late Oba SK Adetona, vied for the position and advocated for his son, Sikiru Kayode Adetona of the Adeyemi Anikilaya family, who was endorsed by the kingmakers and ascended as Awujale in 1960.”
The Adeyemi ruling house refuted claims by certain family members who refused to acknowledge the Adeyemis as the eldest lineage and erroneously attributed leadership to the second-born, while incorporating two individuals not belonging to the family into the royal lineage.
He clarified, “To set the record straight, the Adeyemi ruling house disavows the inclusion of Mabadeje, Adekoya Ofirigidi, and Adeire Adeewu, alleged children of the late Oba Anikilaya Saagun Figbajoye, who reigned in 1821 and were unknown to us.
“The Adeyemi ruling house reaffirms their status as descendants of Adeyemi Anikilaya, the eldest son of the late Oba Anikilaya Saagun Figbajoye, Awujale of Ijebu Ode until 1821.
The family, therefore, urges the public to disregard the statements of certain misguided family members disseminated in the media, which are deemed irrelevant and riddled with inaccuracies.
