The newly proclaimed Olujare of Ijare, Oba Adekolajo Aladeseyi (Okilorigbokun II), has been arrested alongside four chiefs for allegedly installing himself as king without state approval.
The controversial coronation took place on April 17, 2025, launching a 30-day traditional rite, cut short when state authorities intervened Wednesday evening on the orders of the Ondo State Government.
Ijare, a community in Ifedore Local Government Area, has been without a monarch since 2011, due to prolonged disputes among ruling houses and legal hurdles.
According to a petition sent to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa by Chief Oluwole Oni, head of the Sejeokun Ruling House, the installation was executed under duress, with kingmakers allegedly forced at gunpoint around 2:30 a.m.
Ondo State Police Commissioner Wilfred Afolabi confirmed the arrests, calling the act “illegal and fraudulent,” and warned it could have sparked a communal crisis.
“This should serve as a warning to others who take the law into their own hands,” he said. Oba Aladeseyi is expected to be arraigned today.
