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By Chinenye Anuforo
Residents of Iresa-Adu in Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State have installed a traditional ruler in one of the town’s key communities following what they described as nearly eight years of unresolved appeals to Governor Seyi Makinde over the vacant Aresa-Adu stool.
The ancient town, which hosts the Surulere LGA secretariat, had repeatedly sought government approval for the installation of the Oba Aresa of Iresa-Adu, regarded locally as a first-class monarch and paramount ruler over several border communities. Community leaders said the delay had heightened security concerns, land disputes and tensions linked to boundary issues with neighbouring settlements in Osun and Kwara states.
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According to residents, successive letters, delegations by kingmakers and royal families, media appeals, and visits by elders of the ruling house to the Oyo State Secretariat in Ibadan had not yielded a definitive government decision on the matter. They added that assurances allegedly given during previous engagements had yet to translate into formal approval.
Citing rising insecurity and protracted territorial disputes, the community recently installed Oba Adeleke Isaiah Olayiwola Oninuola I as the Aregba of Iregba, a prominent town within Iresa-Adu territory. Community representatives described the move as a local effort to stabilise affected areas and safeguard lives and property pending broader resolution of the paramount stool.
An elder, Prince Olaleye, said the decision followed years of frustration over unresolved appeals. He noted that insecurity, land encroachment and communal tensions had worsened in the absence of a recognised paramount ruler. Another resident, who requested anonymity, expressed hope that a future administration might address the Aresa-Adu matter but warned that continued delay could deepen existing challenges.
Community members also referenced past government interventions in other traditional institutions across the state, arguing that similar attention had not been extended to Iresa-Adu despite the earlier vacancy of its paramount stool. They further linked recent security incidents reported in the area to the absence of a coordinating traditional authority.
As of press time, there was no official response from the Oyo State Government regarding the community’s action or the status of the Aresa-Adu chieftaincy process.
