After six years without a substantive monarch, Eruwa has once again witnessed the full splendour of its ancient throne, with the emergence and coronation of Oba Samuel Adebayo Adegbola, Ajobo Olurin I, as the Eleruwa of Eruwaland.
Another chapter has just been opened in the history of Eruwa, the headquarters of Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State, following the grand coronation of Oba Adegbola.
The monarch had earlier received the staff and instrument of office from Governor Seyi Makinde in March 2025, formally marking his emergence as the new Eleruwa of Eruwaland.
His official crowning and coronation followed on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the Eleruwa Stadium, Sango, Eruwa, in a colourful ceremony attended by indigenes, traditional rulers, government officials and dignitaries from within and outside Oyo State.
The coronation was not a one-day affair. Several activities were lined up throughout the week, including traditional rites, cultural performances, sporting events and other celebrations designed to showcase Eruwa's rich heritage.
The grand finale was further enlivened by the presence of legendary juju musician, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, alongside Ibadan-born Fuji star Taye Adebisi Akande, popularly known as Taye Currency, who provided musical entertainment for the gathering.
The huge turnout was hardly surprising. Eruwa had been without a substantive Eleruwa for about six years, making the return of a monarch to the ancient stool a significant moment for the people.
Behind the colourful ceremonies, however, lies a remarkable story of traditional succession, litigation and a royal journey that has lasted several years.
From Eleruwa In 1998 To A Six-Year Legal Battle
Oba Adegbola, a retired officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, is not new to the Eleruwa throne.
He was first crowned Eleruwa in 1998 but was later removed from the stool in 2019 following a Supreme Court judgment arising from a legal challenge involving another ruling house in Eruwa.
The development triggered a prolonged traditional and legal dispute over the appropriate process for selecting an Eleruwa.
Six years later, Oba Adegbola has returned to the throne, but he has been careful to describe his latest emergence not as a reinstatement, but as a fresh appointment resulting from a new selection process.
In a recent interview with the Nigerian Tribune, the monarch explained that his present emergence should be regarded as a new beginning rather than a restoration of his former position.
“My issue is not reinstatement, I am coming on board as a new Eleruwa of Eruwa with a new process. I am appointed as a new Eleruwa. I feel very glad by my appointment and I give all glory and adoration to God Almighty who has made it possible for me to be appointed this time around,” he said. His message has also been one of reconciliation.
Days before the coronation, Oba Adegbola took to Facebook to appeal to the people of Eruwa and the wider Ibarapa community to put the controversies of the past behind them and embrace the new chapter.
He declared that his emergence should not be viewed as a victory for one side over another, but as an opportunity for the entire community to move forward together.
“There’s no Victor and there’s no Vanquished in the royal journey so far, it is a victory for us all… it is indeed a Win for us all,” the monarch wrote.
He urged the people to work together to give Eruwa an enviable status and prayed for God's protection over the community.
What Led To The Previous Crisis?
The controversy surrounding Oba Adegbola's first reign centred largely on the interpretation and application of the traditional rules governing succession to the Eleruwa stool.
Eruwa's traditional succession structure involves the Akalakoyi and Olaribikusi ruling houses, with various families existing within the broader royal lineages.
A major point of contention in the earlier legal battle was the lineage through which Prince Adegbola emerged for the 1998 selection.
His maternal connection was to the Ajao family of the Olaribikusi dynasty, while his emergence in 1998 was challenged on the basis of the applicable chieftaincy declaration and the succession rights of descendants through the female line.
The relevant provision, as it was interpreted in the legal dispute, allowed a candidate from the female line to ascend the throne only where there was no qualified candidate from the male line.
That succession question ultimately became central to the legal challenge that culminated in the 2019 judgment and the vacation of the stool.
The latest development, however, followed a different route.
This time, Oba Adegbola emerged through his paternal lineage, tracing his claim to his father's family in the Olurin section of the Akalakoyi Ruling House.
That distinction is significant in understanding why the monarch himself describes his latest emergence as a new process rather than a reinstatement.
Who Is Oba Samuel Adebayo Adegbola?
Beyond the royal controversy, Oba Samuel Adebayo Adegbola has a long personal and professional history.
He was born on January 15, 1952, into the royal family of Pa Bello Ayinla Adegbola and Mama Olalonpe Abeni Adegbola of Olorin Compound, Oke-Oba Quarters, Eruwa.
His early education began at Islamic Primary School, Sango, Eruwa, where he studied between 1961 and 1966.
He subsequently attended Oke Ogun Baptist Secondary Commercial Modern School and Obaseku High School between 1967 and 1974.
According to his biographical account, he distinguished himself academically and recorded the best West African School Certificate result in his set.
Before proceeding to higher education, the young Adegbola also had an early taste of teaching.
Between 1975 and 1976, he worked as a teacher at Oke Ogun Baptist Secondary Commercial Modern School, Eruwa, now known as Baptist Grammar School, Eruwa.
He later proceeded to Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, where he obtained an Ordinary National Diploma in Business Administration and Management in 1984.
His Years In The Nigeria Customs Service
Oba Adegbola's professional career also took him beyond Eruwa.
He joined the Nigerian Customs and Excise Department in late 1976 and subsequently served in several important formations during his career.
His postings included the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Apapa Seaport, Tin Can Island Port, Borno State Command, Ogun State Command and the Federal Operations Unit, Zone F.
He eventually retired from the service in 1998 as a Superintendent of Customs.
Interestingly, that same year marked another major turning point in his life, as he was first installed as the Eleruwa of Eruwaland.
His return to the throne decades later therefore represents a significant new chapter in the life of a monarch whose journey has combined royal heritage, public service, legal battles and community expectations.
With his coronation now complete, attention is turning to the next phase of Eruwa's traditional history and to how Oba Adegbola's call for unity will translate into a new era for the people of Eruwaland.
Credit: City People
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