No controversy over selection of Adesegun as our king – Oniru Chiefs 

Christopher Oji

In a press conference held  Thursday at thr Oniru Palace in Victoria Island, Lagos, the family also emphasized that their sole candidate for the throne was  Aremo Adesegun Oniru.

Addressing the community, the Odofin of Iruland, Chief Saliu Abisogun, who spoke for the white caps chiefs and the community , said that  it has become imperative to voice out the position of the upright sons and daughters of Iru land on the succession process to the much respected stool of Oniru of Iru land currently being discussed in the media.

He urged all the sons and daughters of the land to sheathe their sword and support the selection of the Oniru and move the community forward: We are supposed to be eight white caps chiefs sitting here today ,but one of us has joined our ancestors . We are seven here and other family members addressing this conference in the palace which shows that the community is fully in the support of our choice “.

Going down memory lane, he said the stool of Oniru as a First Class monarch came into statutory recognition in 1994 after a history of more than 200 years as a chieftaincy family.

He said: “Thus, the first Oniru of Iru land, our recently translated Oba Abiodun Idowu Oniru, ascended the throne and spent a period of 25 years on the throne. Thus, as at date, there has only been one Oba of Iruland in the history of the Kingdom. Posterity was wonderfully nice to our deceased Oba as His Majesty’s reign brought unprecedented development, government recognition and  presence, coupled with lots of personal prosperity to both indigenes and foreigners in Iruland.

“In addition, our ancient city has witnessed peace and harmony which has made it the envy of it’s neighbors and the darling of investors.

“Now that it is time to nominate a replacement to the vacant stool of lru, it is important to have in mind the need for continued progress and unhindered development in entrusting the leadership of our city to any prince.

“ It is in connection with this that we, the Chiefs and Baales of Iru land have resolved to back the nomination of Aremo Adesegun Oniru as the next Oniru of Iruland. We cannot afford, at this stage of our development, to allow some elements, who have no contribution to the development of Iru land, to take over the leadership of the city and reduce it to the vassal of some foreign interests. We cannot afford the stifling of our development in the hands of individuals who have no knowledge of how we got here.”

On their choice of Aremo, he said it was under him that they recorded tremendous achievements in Iru land under the  deceased monarch, adding that “It was Aremo Adesegun Oniru that assisted in ensuring unprecedented infrastructural development in Iruland.

“He brought the whole family of Oniru together as a united force in the absence of which it would have been near impossible to make the landmark progress we have witnessed in recent times. The Oniru family, within the last 75 years, has transformed our collective existence to the pride of all indigenes. The best favour we can do ourselves is to ensure continuity of this spate of progress and development.

”That the late Oba was the father of Aremo Adesegun Oniru is not a sound argument to prevent the ascension of this noble son of the land. Aremo Oniru can legitimately succeed his father if development of our land is of any meaning to all.

“It is instructive to note that this is not an unusual practice as the neighbouring Kingdom of lkate Land wisely did the same in no far a distance. In addition, the Abisogun Ruling House laying claim currently exclusively occupies the llase royal seat which is equally part of the Oniru Empire.

”The charade that some individuals carried out some few days ago in the name of nomination of Oniru of Iruland of someone who has no connection with our historical progress is nothing but an unnecessary provocation which is better ignored to pave way for our continued peace and harmony.