Temitope Majekodunmi, youth representative on the now-defunct Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS-Related Abuses and other matters, has been elected Olu of Ikeja.

The emergence of Majekodunmi, 33, as the unanimous choice to occupy the seat vacated by Oba Rauf Adeniyi Aremu Matemi, who passed away in July 2014, was confirmed in a letter dated January 24, 2022, and issued by the Osoja royal family, one of three royal families in Ikeja, Lagos State.

In the letter, titled ‘Letter Of Nomination Of Omo Oye To The Vacant Stool Of Olu Of Ikeja,’ the Osojas withdrew three names earlier submitted to the Ikeja Local Government Area for confirmation, replacing them with ‘Prince Temitope Adebowale Ibikunle (Idowu Aso branch of Osoja)’.

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It read in part, “Rising from the apex family meeting of Osoja Royal Family of Ikeja, we wish to communicate to your office the resolution of a meeting of the family held on Sunday, January 23, 2022 at the Family compound of the Osoja Royal Family, 1 Yunusa Street, Ikeja, Lagos.

“This is in furtherance to the vacant stool of Olu of Ikeja about which the family had in the past communicated three names: Prince Samsonideen Adeleye (late), Prince Nurudeen Adeleye and Prince Wasiu Adeleye.

“The Osoja Ruling house unanimously withdraws the list earlier presented for consideration containing the names of the three candidates listed above or any other list in the name of the Osoja ruling house.”

Confirming the development, Alhaja Risikat Bolanle Shittu, an elder in the Osoja family, told FIJ that the stool had remained vacant since Oba Matemi’s death because the previously nominated candidates for the position refused to amicably decide who was best to rule.

She said it was the turn of the Osojas to produce a king, as the Iyade family produced the late Olu, while the Amore family produced the king before him.

“We had three candidates from the same parents, so in the course of settlement, one passed away. We spoke to the other two for one to concede for the other as we did not want to take sides. That is why the seat has been vacant for so long,” she told FIJ.

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With no headway made in the past eight years, the Osojas decided to elect another member of the family to occupy the stool, leading to Majekodunmi’s emergence.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, one Tajudeen Muritala was rumoured to have been installed the new Olu.

In swift response, the Ikeja Local Government issued a disclaimer warning members of the public to disregard the information as it was false.

The disclaimer read in part, “The attention of the Ikeja Local Government has been drawn to publications making the rounds on social media with claims that one Tajudeen Muritala from the Osoja Royal family has been appointed as the Oba of Ikeja community, Lagos.

“We wish to notify the general public that the council knows nothing about the selection and has not appointed any person to fill the vacant stool.”

Majekodunmi (now Ibikunle as he adopts his family name), participated actively during the October 2020 #EndSARS protests, regularly liaising with the state government and leading marches at the Alausa Secretariat, and then went on to serve on the judicial panel of inquiry.