After months of intrigue and meetings, former Lagos State Governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu have succeeded in his plan to to foist his former ADC, Gbolahan Lawal on Iruland as the new King.
In the last few weeks, the race had been between Lawal (whose mother was an Oniru princess) against his Hakeem Ajasa, who is the chose of the Abisogun Ruling House and a former Chief Security Officer of the current Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Following the death of the last Oniru last year, the race for who becomes the next Oniru of Iru Land after the demise of Oba Idowu Abiodun Oniru was between Aremo Segun Oniru, the eldest son of the immediate past Oba Oniru from the Akiogun Ruling House and Ajasa, from Abisogun Ruling House.
The elders of the Abisogun Ruling House had voted unanimously for Ajasa as their preferred candidate to become the Oniru of Iru Kingdom, but they faced opposition from Segun Oniru, who insisted of being the anointed person to take over from his late father.
Oniru, a close associate of Tinubu and a former commissioner in the state under the Raji Fashola Administration, planned to use his connections to sway things his way and this led to the long delay in effecting the choice of the kingmakers.
However, things appeared settled early 2020 with reports that Segun Oniru had conceded the race to Ajasa, and an official announcement by the State Government of the latter as the Oba-elect of Iruland was been anticipated.
However, it soon became became clear that Tinubu was opposed to the installation of Ajasa as the new king. Reports said the National Leader of the APC then mandated the Baales and Chiefs of the Abisogun ruling house to nominate a new candidate.
It was in the midst of that the candidacy of Tinubu’s former Aide-De-Camp and recent Commissioner for Agriculture in Lagos, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, cropped up.
Lawal resigned as Commissioner on Thursday, sources say, ahead of his proclamation and he has since began traditional rites ahead of his coronation, which is likely to be this Friday according to a senior Lagos State official.
“Gbolahan Lawal is eminently qualified to be the Oniru. In fact Hakeem Ajasa and Gbolahan are first cousins as his mother was nee Ajasa,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Lawal, whose links with Iruland is through his mother, is a three time Commissioner in Lagos, having served as Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives under Babatunde Fashola administration from 2011-2015; Commissioner for Housing under Akinwunmi Ambode from 2015-2019 and now Commissioner for Agriculture under Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Baales and Chiefs from the Abisogun Ruling House, sources say, had been vehemently opposed to imposition of Lawal and had insisted on Hakeem Ajasa as their preferred candidate to ascend the stool as the next Oniru of Iruland.
However, they appear to have lost out in the power play and Lawal, a cousin to Hakeem Ajasa, has not clinched the job.