Ise Chieftaincy Dispute: Families Urge Sanwo-Olu to Halt Installation of New King Pending Court Case

 Ise Chieftaincy Dispute: Families Urge Sanwo-Olu to Halt Installation of New King Pending Court Case

Lagos — Concerned families in Ise Town, under the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State, have appealed to the Lagos State Government to suspend any planned installation of a new king for Ise pending the determination of an ongoing court case over the traditional stool.

The families specifically appealed to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu; the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development; the Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government; traditional rulers and other stakeholders to intervene in the dispute and ensure that no installation takes place until the matter before the court is resolved.

The appeal is coming amid a disagreement over the legitimate ruling houses entitled to produce the next traditional ruler of Ise.

According to a historical account of Ise Town earlier presented by the concerned families, the town was founded by Okunoye and Prince Adebanjo, identified as brothers who migrated from Ise Ekiti and settled in the present-day Ise area.

The account states that Okunoye, regarded as the elder brother and an early settler, became the first Oba of Ise, while Prince Adebanjo established the second major lineage from which subsequent traditional rulers emerged.

The families maintain that the Adegbale Arijale Royal Family of Ise, comprising the descendants of the two founders, constitutes the recognised royal lineage from which the traditional leadership of Ise should emerge.

They further identify Isebitan and Olukoko as sub-families within the Prince Adebanjo lineage.

The concerned families are now challenging the eligibility of some individuals whose names have reportedly emerged in connection with the proposed filling of the vacant stool.

They specifically stated that Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu, from the Songodeyi Family of Imedu Village, and Mr. Babatunde Ekundayo, of the Esulana/Lana Family from Demolu Village, are not members of the ruling houses of Ise.

The families urged the state government and relevant authorities to carefully examine the historical and genealogical claims surrounding the stool before taking any administrative action.

They argued that proceeding with an installation while the matter is already before the court could further complicate the dispute and potentially undermine the judicial process.

According to them, the appropriate step is for the government to maintain the status quo and await the outcome of the court proceedings before recognising or installing any individual as the next traditional ruler of Ise.

The families also appealed to royal fathers and other traditional institutions within the area to intervene peacefully and encourage all parties to respect the judicial process.

They stressed that their position was not aimed at creating unnecessary tension in Ise but at ensuring that the traditional institution is preserved in accordance with the historical lineage and established ruling-house arrangements.

The dispute centres on the interpretation of Ise's history and the identity of the families legally and traditionally entitled to produce the monarch. The concerned families therefore called on Governor Sanwo-Olu and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development to exercise caution and put any planned installation on hold until the court determines the substantive issues in contention.

They expressed confidence that the Lagos State Government would act fairly and ensure that the eventual occupant of the Ise stool emerges through a process consistent with the town's history, traditional institutions and the rule of law.

The claims concerning the genealogy, ruling houses and eligibility of the named individuals are attributed to the concerned families and remain subject to determination by the appropriate traditional, governmental and judicial authorities.