By The family in line to fill the vacant stool of Oniju of Iju-Ogundimu Ilupokiki in accordance with traditional rites, has debunked the claim by one of the ruling houses that all the three ruling families in Iju have agreed to the candidacy of Prince Gbolahan Mattew Ogundimu, who is from the same ruling family of late Oba Elijah Olanire as the next monarch of the town.
This was contained in a statement released by the head of Ilupokiki ruling family, Alhaji Rahmon Adesoji Asalu and was obtained by newsmen on Thursday, 15th September 2022.
The statement reads in part, “We the family of Ilupokiki and Aganran ruling houses, who in accordance to our tradition is the next in succession to the throne of Oniju of Iju-Ogundimu, have read with utter dismay, the release made by the office of the Chairman of Ifako-Ijaye Local Council Area, misleading the general public that all the three ruling families in Iju have agreed that Prince Gbolahan Mattew Ogundimu, of the late Oba Elijah Ebelamu Olanire family who joined his ancestors in 2018. This statement is not only misleading, but it is also an attempt to subvert the rule of law, by attempting to disregard the Chieftaincy declaration of Iju-Ogundimu as approved by the Lagos state government”.
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Recall that the Local Government Chairman, through his Chief Press Secretary, Lateef Oladimeji Salaam, had on the 16th of August, in a social media release, said that, ‘The major stakeholders including High Chiefs and Kingmakers from all the three royal families who spoke in-turns informed the Executive Chairman that all disputes have been resolved as mutual agreement was reached to present Prince Gbolahan Mathew Ogundimu as the next Oba’, a statement which Ilupokiki family described as ‘deceitful’, ‘fictitious’ and ‘capable of setting family members against one another’.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Asalu told newsmen that all the required documents required to fill the vacant stool of Oniju of Iju-Ogundimu had been submitted to the Lagos state ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs through the Department of Chieftaincy Affairs in Ifako-Ijaye Local Government since the past four years, but as at the time of filing this report, nothing had been heard.
He stated further that there are three (3) recognized ruling houses in Iju and they are; Ogundimu, Ilupokiki and Aganran. And that the late Oba Olanire was from Ogundimu ruling house, while Ilupokiki-Omolomo family had presented Prince Olanrewaju-Sunmonu as its candidate since they received a letter from the council to present a candidate for the vacant throne. While indicting the local government Chairman of Ifako-Ijaye, Prince Usman Akanbi Hamzat as being ‘complicit’
Alhaji Asalu also stated that Prince Gbolahan Mattew Ogundimu has been invited by the Police over a matter bothering on ‘Impersonation’ as he has been going about parading himself as the next Oniju of Iju-Ogundimu but has since refused to honour the invite.
He, however, appealed to Lagos state Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu to as a matter of urgency, wade into the impasse as all efforts by the Ilupokiki and Aganran ruling families to seek audience with the Executive Chairman of the Council on the matter, have all proved abortive.
