Governor Biodun Oyebanji has installed Oba Bamidele Oni as the new Owa of Oke-Ako, ending a 25-year vacancy that followed the death of Oba Omotayo Ogunbiyi on December 10, 2000.
The Resolute Forum has commended the governor for his courage in ending the prolonged legal battle.
A 25-Year Vacancy Finally Filled
There was jubilation in Oke-Ako, Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, on Monday as Governor Biodun Oyebanji installed the new monarch of the community, the Owa of Oke-Ako, Oba Bamidele Oni.
The stool had been vacant for more than 25 years following the death of Oba Omotayo Ogunbiyi of the Okediosan ruling house on December 10, 2000.
The prolonged vacancy was the result of a bitter legal battle that went all the way to the Supreme Court.
A Historic Installation
Governor Oyebanji, represented by his deputy, Monisade Afuye, presented the staff of office and instrument of appointment to the new monarch at the installation ceremony.
The governor described the moment as “victory at last”.
“I want to congratulate all of you today on this glorious moment. This, to us, is victory at last. You didn’t have a traditional ruler for over 25 years, but today, you are celebrating one after overcoming all past challenges,” the governor said.
Legal Resolution
The legal battle over the stool had been protracted, involving the three branches of the Aofin ruling house: Oke-Aofin, Odo-Aofin, and Afata. In December 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that every male member of the three ruling houses could contest for the stool.
Following the judgment, stakeholders entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to promote equity and preserve communal harmony.
Under the arrangement, the Oke-Aofin stock, which had never produced the Owa, was to present candidates for the current vacancy.
The process was conducted with due regard for tradition, including an Ifa divination exercise, culminating in the emergence of Prince Bamidele Olanrewaju Oni as the unanimous choice of the four participating kingmakers.
Group Commends Governor
The Resolute Forum, a socio-cultural organisation in Oke-Ako, has commended Governor Oyebanji for his courage in ending the prolonged legal battle.
“Oyebanji has done for Oke Ako what other administrations in the state had ignored for over two decades,” the group said in a statement signed by its president, Olaiya Kehinde, and general secretary, Abayomi Adekeye.
The forum appealed to the governor to establish a college of agriculture in Oke-Ako to boost agro-based training and industries in the state.
A Call for Unity
Governor Oyebanji urged other contestants to partner with the new traditional ruler to accelerate development.
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“The best way for you to do this is by allowing peace, unity and love. No town can develop without these,” he said.
He warned against unwarranted internal strife and acrimony, urging the community to “put years of uncertainty behind and build a future in which the palace becomes the centre of unity and development”.
A Lesson for Nigerian Youths
This story is a reminder that justice delayed is not justice denied. After 25 years of legal battles, the people of Oke-Ako finally have a monarch.
But the cost of that delay, the lost opportunities, the stagnation, the uncertainty, cannot be measured.
For Nigerian youths, the lesson is clear: do not wait for others to fight your battles. The politicians and traditional rulers who fight for power will never allow their own children to suffer.
The children of the elite are never on the frontlines of legal battles or political violence.
They are safely tucked away in universities or comfortable homes.
It is the children of the poor who are used as pawns. Be the change you want to see.
Build your own future. And never allow yourself to be used as a tool for someone else’s ambition.