There appears to have been a breakthrough in the search for the next Oniru of Iruland in Lagos State as the heads of Akiogun Ruling House, community leaders, elders and youths of Iruland have picked a former Commissioner for Waterfront and Infrastructure Development in the state, Prince Aremo Adesegun Abiodun Oniru, as the next Oniru of Iruland.
Heads of Akiogun Ruling House, community leaders (baales) of some settlements in Iruland, including Baale of Ilabare, Chief Ahmed Basorun, Baales of Oko Kuku, Ipewun, Osolu, Alakoto, Mosafejo, Falomo, Abule Ode amongst others unanimously agreed that Prince Adesegun Oniru should be installed as the next Oniru of Iruland.
Others, including women, youths and several residents of the area, who were present at the venue of the declaration lent their voices to the choice of Prince Adesegun Oniru, son of the late Oniru of Iruland, Oba Abiodun Oniru, who died in September, 2019, as the next Oba of Iruland.
This declaration was, however, preceded by a traditional rite, where kolanuts were thrown on the floor as a sign of approval or rejection.
The traditional rite was declared positive in favour of Prince Adesegun Oniru as the kolanuts turned to the positive side, an indication that his tenure as Oba would be peaceful and favourable to the town.
Prince Adesegun Oniru, an engineer and administrator was born on March 11, 1965.
He attended Kafy Cross School, Lagos, St. Berriaden Private School, Ibara, Abeokuta, Hall School, Sussex, England, and Stafford House Tutorial College, England.
Adesegun Oniru also attended Waltham Forest College, U.K in 1989 and University of Westminster, U.K in 1991.
He was the Managing Director of Lagos State Waterfront and Tourism Development Corporation between 2003 and 2005, and Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure to Lagos State Governor in 2005.
He served as the Commissioner for Housing in Lagos State and later Commissioner for Waterfront and Infrastructure Development in the state between 2007 and 2011.
It would be recalled that there had been disagreements amongst the various ruling houses in Iruland shortly after the demise of Oba Abiodun Oniru.
Just last week, a ruling house in the area, Abisogun Family described a report in a section of the media that the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to ex-governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Mr. Hakeem Ajasa, had been picked as the next Oniru of Iruland in Lagos State as fake news.
According to the family, the selection of Ajasa, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) as the next Oniru of Iruland, must have been via a kangaroo election and thus not known to the entire family.
The family said in a public notice titled: “Fake News By A Section of Abisogun Ruling House” that the “public and all interested parties are put on notice of the kangaroo selection of a person unknown to the entire Oniru Family to rule over their land and fill the currently vacant Oniru Chieftaincy stool.”
The family, who described themselves as Cheated Members of Abisogun Ruling House, alleged in the notice that was released to the media on Friday that from time immemorial, no member of any royal family could imposes himself on the community.
