By Ghazali Ibrahim
The formal installation of Oba Adefarasin Saheed Hassan (Ajanaku II) as the Alajede of Ijede Kingdom has generated both celebration and controversy within the community, following conflicting positions from political leaders and a ruling family involved in a long-running legal dispute over the throne.
On Friday, the Executive Chairman of Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo-Alogba, congratulated Oba Adefarasin on the presentation of his Staff of Office and formal installation. In a statement issued on behalf of the people of Ijede, she described the event as a historic milestone and praised the monarch’s dedication to community service, leadership, and wisdom. She expressed confidence that his reign would bring peace, unity, and sustainable development to the kingdom.
However, the installation has been questioned by the Oreshe Family, one of the ruling houses laying claim to the Alajede stool. In a separate statement, the Head of the family, S. O. K. Shillings Esq., said the matter of the Alajede chieftaincy has been in court since 2013 and remains unresolved.
According to him, a High Court judgment delivered in December 2024 was later nullified by the Court of Appeal, which ordered a retrial. He also recalled that the Lagos State House of Assembly, following a stakeholders’ meeting in September 2025, directed that no Alajede should be installed until the court matter is concluded or all parties reach a written agreement.
Shillings described reports of the coronation as troubling, warning that any installation while court cases and injunctions are pending would amount to disregarding both judicial processes and legislative directives. He maintained, however, that he still hoped the reports were only rumours.
As celebrations continue in parts of Ijede, the development highlights the tension between official recognition of traditional leadership and unresolved legal disputes, with many residents now watching closely to see how the situation unfolds.
