Community News
Ondo: Oil-rich Ugbo kingdom warns Aiyedatiwa against proposed monarch appointment
Written By: Udo Inobeme
09 Nov 2025 08:57 AM
Ilaje, Ondo – Five communities in the oil-rich Ugbo Kingdom of Ilaje Local Government Area have issued a stern warning against the planned elevation of Felix Emayero Damilohun to the position of traditional ruler, or Oba, over the Erunna communities, citing risks of unrest and a breach of customs.
In a strongly worded letter to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, representatives from Erunna-Korigho, Erunna-Lagba/Odola, Erunna-Adun, Erunna-Asuku, Erunna-Ero, and Erunna-Uba declared their unanimous rejection of the proposal.
The representatives in the letter sighted by DAILY SOUTH NIGERIA, argued that Erunna is not a unified entity but a federation of six independent settlements with no shared ancestral lineage, making a single monarch untenable.
The controversy stems from an application by Oba Fredrick Akinruntan, the Olugbo of Ugbo, seeking to upgrade Emayero from Oloja (traditional head) of Erunna to full Obaship status under the state's ongoing review of Chieftaincy Declarations.
However, the dissenting communities, led by figures including Baale Ekujumi Olabode and others from Erunna-Korigho—the oldest and largest of the settlements insisted that Emayero's initial Oloja appointment was made without their knowledge or consent.
"Any attempt to impose Emayero as monarch over us will lead to a breakdown of law and order in these vital oil-producing areas," the letter stated, emphasizing that the promotion was unilaterally pushed by Oba Akinruntan within the Okoro-Ajiga clan without broader consultation.
The groups urged the Ondo State government to limit any potential elevation to the specific Erunna Okoro-Ajiga community, preserving the autonomy of Erunna-Ikorigho, the traditional seat of the Alagho title.
They positioned their stance as a defense of peace among the "law-abiding indigenes" along Ilaje's coastal belt.
As of now, the state government has not responded publicly to the appeal.
Community leaders called for dialogue to avert escalation in the resource-rich region, where traditional disputes have historically intertwined with economic stakes.
In a strongly worded letter to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, representatives from Erunna-Korigho, Erunna-Lagba/Odola, Erunna-Adun, Erunna-Asuku, Erunna-Ero, and Erunna-Uba declared their unanimous rejection of the proposal.
The representatives in the letter sighted by DAILY SOUTH NIGERIA, argued that Erunna is not a unified entity but a federation of six independent settlements with no shared ancestral lineage, making a single monarch untenable.
The controversy stems from an application by Oba Fredrick Akinruntan, the Olugbo of Ugbo, seeking to upgrade Emayero from Oloja (traditional head) of Erunna to full Obaship status under the state's ongoing review of Chieftaincy Declarations.
However, the dissenting communities, led by figures including Baale Ekujumi Olabode and others from Erunna-Korigho—the oldest and largest of the settlements insisted that Emayero's initial Oloja appointment was made without their knowledge or consent.
"Any attempt to impose Emayero as monarch over us will lead to a breakdown of law and order in these vital oil-producing areas," the letter stated, emphasizing that the promotion was unilaterally pushed by Oba Akinruntan within the Okoro-Ajiga clan without broader consultation.
The groups urged the Ondo State government to limit any potential elevation to the specific Erunna Okoro-Ajiga community, preserving the autonomy of Erunna-Ikorigho, the traditional seat of the Alagho title.
They positioned their stance as a defense of peace among the "law-abiding indigenes" along Ilaje's coastal belt.
As of now, the state government has not responded publicly to the appeal.
Community leaders called for dialogue to avert escalation in the resource-rich region, where traditional disputes have historically intertwined with economic stakes.
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