By Fakunle Sheriff Ekundayo
When in 25th August 1921, the late Chief Amodu Tijani Oluwa and his entourage were received by fourty thousand people who came to celebrate with him following the historic victory against the British colonial government for stealing his land, which he won with compensation of 22,500.39. pounds. The victory became one of the judicial precedents and reference for land disputes worldwide, and it further asserted late Tijani, who was an Idejo Chief, the full control of villages and towns in Apapa of Lagos area, with the modern-day Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government inclusive.
It had been several decades after, and in 2009, the royal status of the Oluwa Family was approved, but waiting for the administrative and political will in order for it to be inducted into the monarchial institution of Lagos State. And while the family evolved and waited for the implementation of a new royal status, Ayoola Fatai Adekunle executive chairman of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government stepped in, making history in the process as the first democratically elected executive chairman in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government who brought monarchy into Ajegunle, writes Fakunle Sheriff Ekundayo.
The long walk to royal status cannot be more than this emotional and beautiful for the Oluwa family, like Saturday 27th May 2023 when the staff of office was presented to Olu of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom His Royal Majesty Oba Mohammed Moroof Oyekunle Amodu Tijani Oluwa {Amore II}, by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, through Mrs Kikelomo Bolarinwa the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs.
The moment afforded the family, being one of the Idejo and land-owning traditional white cap chiefs of Lagos to be inducted into the monarchial system of Lagos State with royal fanfare as a first-class Oba {King} in Lagos metropolis.
Moving forward to the crux of this historic article is the man behind the veil of authority in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government, Ayoola Fatai Adekunle. He made royal status a possibility for the Oluwa family.
He has etched his name respectably into the annals of Lagos State political and traditional institutions. These he has done with dedication and loyalty to the historical anthology of the late Chief Amodu Tijani Oluwa’s national breakthrough for Lagos, Nigeria, and Africa in 1921.
In trying to put into proper perspective, the foundation for the emergence of His Royal Majesty, Oba Mohammed Moroof Oyekunle Amodu-Tijani Oluwa, who is the Amore III, can be traced to the heroic feat of 1921, when the late Chief Amodu-Tijani Oluwa, along with Nigerian nationalist late Herbert Macaulay took British colonialist to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council {JCPC} in London over a case of stolen land.
Then, Chief Amodu-Tijani Oluwa posited that the British colonialists had no authority to take control over indigenous lands in Nigeria. He requested that the said land covering villages and towns in Apapa and neighbouring environs be returned to the rightful owners and be compensated accordingly.
The JCPC upheld Chief Oluwa’s argument. He, along with other chiefs, was recognized as the unconditional owner of their respective lands in Lagos. It was a landmark achievement that made Chief Oluwa gain control and maintain the lands in his domain.
According to documents obtained from the Encyclopedia of African History, once termed various Chiefs that ruled over lands in Nigeria as ‘nigger chiefs’. The victory was sweet revenge that made a local newspaper in Nigeria described the outcome of the legal tussle in the following manner: “Today, the dictum that ‘the white men Government make no mistake’ has been exploded and proved to be erroneous and untrue.”
And while the approval to upgrade the Oluwa family to a monarchial status in the committee of royal families in Lagos was effected in 2009, the long wait after 14 years was manifested by a politician who understands the value of traditional history and its benefit to the younger generation.
Ayoola Fatai Adekunle is a self-acclaimed homeboy who swore to deliver the homework for the general masses of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government when he assumed office in 2017. History and posterity will bear witness that Ayoola is the first politician who ensured that the journey and success recorded by late Chief Amodu Tijani Oluwa in 1921, is finally manifested with the crowning of His Royal Majesty, Oba Morrof Oyekunle Amodu-Tijani Oluwa, as the first Olu-Iwa of Iwa and Apapa in Lagos State.
His administration ensured that the Oluwa Royal Family became the head of chieftaincy matters in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government when in October 2022, the late High Chief Mukaila Kolawole Oluwa was appointed as the head of chieftaincy affairs in the local government.
Among communities under Olu of Iwa and Apapa kingdom inside Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government includes Onibaba, Alakoto, Tolu, Araromi, Dankaka, and Ibafon among others.
And to this end, Ayoola Fatai Adekunle has enabled the symbolic thunder to strike twice positively and with good omen in the Oluwa Royal Family, this feat will remain an indelible mark of honour to his personality and offspring in the history of the Oluwa Royal family eternally.
Congratulations to you Ayoola, this is your legacy, wear it till eternity!
Fakunle Sheriff Ekundayo is an author, columnist, news reporter, broadcast journalist, speech therapist, voice-over artiste, publisher, politician, and community development advocate. He is the Chief Press Secretary {CPS}, to Alhaji Ayoola Fatai Adekunle executive chairman of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government, and Secretary of All Progressives Congress {APC} Lagos-West II Senatorial District for the 2023 Presidential and Governorship Campaign Council in Lagos State.
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