Tension rises in Ise Kingdom as the Okuoye royal family opposes the installation of Ibrahim Saliu as Onise

A fresh controversy has erupted in Ise Kingdom following the alleged installation of Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu as the Onise of Ise, kingdom with members of the Okuoye royal family describing the development as a painful assault on their ancestral rights and a dangerous departure from the established traditional process of filling the vacant stool.

In a strongly worded petition dated August 25, 2026, addressed to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, representatives of the Okuoye royal family who were at the Assembly compound for a peaceful protest called for urgent intervention to prevent what they described as a potentially explosive crisis capable of threatening the peace and unity of Ise Kingdom.

The signatories insisted that Saliu was neither their choice nor the candidate for the royal position, arguing that he is not recognized by the Okuoye royal family, is expected to present a candidate for the position as a family member and therefore could not have emerged through the traditional family selection process.

Instead, the family said they unanimously chose Barr Ekundayo Babatunde Lana, also known as Esulana, as the sole candidate for the stool.

The family asks lawmakers to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged installation and determine whether the action was consistent with the rule of law, any existing court orders, and the circumstances surrounding the alleged installation and recognition of Saliu.

Among its demands is a review of the alleged installation and, if found to have been carried out illegally or contrary to due process, its withdrawal or cancellation.

The family also requested that Saliu not be recognized as the rightful Onise of Ise based on his claim that he was not the chosen candidate.

According to the petition, the Okuoye royal family is made up of three main branches: Ogunko, Oyafunke and Esulana, with Lana tracing her lineage to the Esulana branch.

The family described Lana as a direct descendant of Esulana, an old Oba of the Ise Kingdom and claimed that her appearance followed the procedure established by the royal family.

The dispute has taken on an emotional dimension because, according to the signatories, the issue is not simply about the identity of the next traditional ruler, but also about the survival of a strong traditional institution and the preservation of the history and lineage of the people.

The royal family has said it is particularly troubled by what it perceives as an attempt to circumvent its traditional authority in determining who should occupy the stool.

It argued that Lana’s unanimous choice could not simply be replaced by an individual who, according to the family, had been neither selected nor approved by it.

The signatories appealed to the Lagos State House of Assembly to protect the traditional institution from what they described as an improper process and ensure that the rights of the three branches of the Okuoye royal family were respected.

Another important question raised by the royal family concerns the composition of the royal body. The signatories argue that Chief Aro, one of the kingmakers, is currently the only gazetted and recognized kingmaker of Ise City, who has the legal rights to select an oba based on the family’s gazetted recommendation to produce the next king of Ise Kingdom.

The family claimed that Chief Aro initially supported Saliu but later withdrew his support after allegedly discovering that he had been deceived by three people purportedly posing as kings.

The accusation, if true, raises questions about the process through which Saliu emerged and the authority of those who participated in his selection.

The signatories therefore call for the royal body to be properly constituted before any legitimate succession process is completed.

The family specifically requested that the Lekki Local Council Development Area take legal steps to appoint four more qualified Warrant Officers, thereby creating what it described as the necessary odd-numbered regal body.

Aside from the alleged illegal appointment and alleged installation of Ibrahim, the family alleged that the authorities, particularly the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, violated the law by allegedly installing Ibrahim contrary to an order of the Lagos State High Court dated 13 August 2026 barring the government from the said installation.

The Okuoye royal family said that after becoming aware of an alleged plan to install a person it did not recognize as its candidate, it approached the court to protect its rights and prevent a breach of the peace.

According to the petition, the order was served on the relevant authorities and the Lagos State Government, however, the family alleged that despite the purported notification of the order, the Ministry of Local Government, Capital and Rural Development proceeded to install Saliu within its office as Onise of Ise.

The accusation heightened the anger of the petitioners, who questioned how a government institution could proceed with an action involving a disputed traditional stool while a court order was believed to exist.

They urged the House of Assembly to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged installation and determine whether the action was consistent with the rule of law and any existing orders of the court.

The Okuoye Royal Family is therefore calling on the Lagos State House of Assembly to urgently investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged installation and recognition of Saliu.

Among its demands is a review of the alleged installation and, if found to have been carried out illegally or contrary to due process, its withdrawal or cancellation.

The family also requested that Saliu not be recognized as the rightful Onise of Ise based on his claim that he was not the chosen candidate.

He further requested that Lana, who he described as the unanimous and sole candidate of the Okuoye Ruling House, be considered, subject to all applicable legal and statutory requirements.

The petition also calls for a review of Chief Aro’s status as a recognized and gazetted kingmaker and the proper establishment of the kingmaking body.

Despite the strength of its objections, the royal family has stressed that it does not seek violence or confrontation, but has appealed directly to the President and members of the Lagos State Assembly to intervene before the dispute deteriorates into a wider community crisis.

The signatories said their aim was to ensure justice, due process and respect for the traditional rights of the Okuoye royal family.

They warned, in effect, that failure to resolve the dispute could deepen divisions within the kingdom and undermine trust in the traditional institution.

The family said they want a peaceful solution that preserves the unity and stability of the Ise Kingdom.

At the heart of the dispute is therefore a question that goes beyond the personality of any individual claimant: who has the legitimate authority to determine who becomes the Onise of Ise, but the answer must begin with the ancestral structure of the royal house, the recognized branches, the correct process of king-making and respect for the rule of law.

The family maintains that its three branches – Ogunko, Oyafunke and Esulana – must be recognized in any decision regarding succession to the stool.

Insists that Lana’s candidacy be properly considered through a legitimate and transparent process.

The petition thus presented the Lagos State House of Assembly with a delicate challenge: balancing the preservation of traditional institutions and customs with the requirements of modern law, due process and judicial authority.

For the people of Ise, the hope is that the dispute does not become a further source of division in a community where the traditional stool should ordinarily represent unity, continuity and pride.

The royal family then appealed for urgent intervention, insisting that peace can only last where justice, transparency and respect for traditional legal processes prevail.

It remains to be seen what measures the Lagos State House of Assembly and the relevant authorities will take in response to their petition and the allegations therein.