Residents of Iresa-Adu town in Surulere local government area of Oyo State have raised concerns over what they described as intimidation and threats to their safety by a People’s Democratic Party (PDP elected councillor in the local government council, Mr. Adeniran Nelson.
The claims followed the release of a social media interview aired online under the auspices of Iresa TV.
The interview, which featured the Mogaji of the Emiolu Ruling House, Pa Julius Olanipekun, addressed ongoing concerns regarding the prolonged chieftaincy dispute over the Aresa-Adu of Iresa-Adu throne.
In a petition addressed to the Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, and the local police area command, Mr. Adeleke Adepoju Adelekan, Mr. Mayowa Abiodun, and Mr. Afolabi Oluranti, explained that Iresa TV’s mission was to promote the town’s cultural heritage. They further argued that the broadcast fell within their constitutional rights under Nigeria’s Freedom of Information and Freedom of Expression laws.
The interview, released in May 2025, featured Pa Olanipekun voicing concerns over what he referred to as internal sabotage within the Emiolu family. Notably, he named “Lasun Olaleye” as one of the alleged saboteurs—a name closely linked to the Oyo State Commissioner of Agriculture, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who also hails from the Emiolu family and is reportedly a contender for the disputed throne since 2019.
Following the interview, Iresa TV management and staff claimed they have faced online harassment and threats of physical harm from supporters of the Commissioner. The Commissioner has so far been unreachable for comments.
According to the Mogaji, the Emiolu family is currently embroiled in a court battle against Prince Adeyeye Oyerinde, who claims to be the rightful Aresa-Adu of Iresa-Adu. Pa Olanipekun accused certain family members of disrupting the case’s final hearing on April 30, 2025, by introducing a new lawyer and filing new motions, resulting in further delays.
A court document circulating online, dated April 2025, lists claimants including Lafenwa Popoola, Timothy Tuwagun, Kola Oladipo, and Oladele Olaleye. It alleged that they were unaware of the ongoing case that began in August 2024. Another elder, Prince Tunwagun, identified Oladele Olaleye as a brother to Commissioner Olaleye and suggested that the recent legal manoeuvres could indicate the Commissioner’s indirect involvement.
“It’s been almost seven years without a king. The family is fed up, the kingmakers are fed up, and Iresa-Adu town is fed up. That’s why our Mogaji has been forced to speak publicly,” Tunwagun said. Sources revealed that Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, while serving as Oyo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs from 2022 to 2023, failed to resolve the Aresa-Adu dispute.
Prince Oladipupo stated: “Lasun was the Commissioner and couldn’t solve this. The recent actions of his brother and others reinforce long-held suspicions about his role.”
The family’s legal representative, former Oyo State’s Attorney General, Chief Michael Lana, continued to represent the Emiolu family in the case at the Ibadan High Court. Prince Oladipupo highlighted that the family lost a related case, HOI/4/2019, in March 2023, coinciding with Governor Makinde’s re-election.
The interview has ignited strong reactions, particularly due to Pa Olanipekun’s mention of “Lasun Olaleye,” prompting Commissioner Olaleye’s supporters to mount online defences and issue threats. Councillor Nelson Adeniran is now under investigation by the police following a complaint alleging threats to the lives of Iresa TV staff and residents, in what is being viewed as an attempt to shield the Commissioner from public criticism.
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