Families seek recognition of Falade, Adetunji ruling houses |

The Falade and Adetunji families of Iroko in Akinyele Local Government Area in Oyo State have filed a suit before an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan seeking formal recognition as ruling houses to the stool of Oniroko of Iroko.

The claimants: Taiwo Popoola, Dr. John Adedokun, and Okunola Falana, instituted the suit on behalf of the two ruling houses against Opeola house.

This was over the recognition of the Opeola family as the only ruling house entitled to the stool of  Oniroko.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the claimants instituted the suit against Saka Fansanya of Opeola ruling house; Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin; Akinyele Local Government Area; and the Governor of Oyo State.

The claimants, through their counsel, Michael Lana, informed the court that a Court of Appeal judgment had recognised the rotation of Oniroko chieftaincy stool among three ruling houses: Opeola, Falade and Adetunji.

Lana informed the court that the immediate past Oniroko of Iroko, Oba Ismail Olasunkanmi, who died on May 30, 2025, was from Opeola ruling house.

He urged the court to declare as unlawful the insistence of the Opeola ruling house to still produce the next Oniroko of Iroko and believing it was their permanent right to the exclusion of the other two ruling houses.

He informed the court that the respondents based their position on the 1976 gazette, which had been nullified by the court.

The claimant’s counsel told the court that it was the turn of the Falade and Adetunji ruling houses to produce the next Oniroko of Iroko after the death of Oba Ismail Olasunkanmi from the Opeola ruling house.

He urged the court to stop the Opeola ruling house from producing the next Oniroko of Iroko.

At the resumed hearing of the suit on Monday, Lana informed the court that further hearing on the suit could not proceed due to the death of second defendant, Olubadan of Ibadanland, the late Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.

He told the court that he needed to amend his processes by substituting Olakulehin’s name with the name of the present Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and subsequently requested for an adjournment.

The fourth defendant’s Counsel, H.I. Adeleke, a state counsel, who represented the Governor of Oyo State, did not oppose the application for adjournment.

The counsel to the first and third defendants, Fansanya and Akinyele LGA, were not present in court.

Justice G.A. Opayinka adjourned the case till December 1, 2025 for further hearing and issued hearing notices on the first and third defendants.