In a remarkable twist of history, Oba Samuel Adebayo Adegbola, the Eleruwa of Eruwa, has reclaimed the ancient throne—this time through a fresh, legitimate process after being previously removed by the Supreme Court. His story is one of resilience, faith, and fortitude, marking him as the first monarch in Yorubaland to undergo such a rare judicial journey and return as a reigning king.
In this exclusive interview with Nigerian Tribune’s Yinka Oladoyinbo, Oba Adegbola breaks his long silence, offering deep reflections on life after dethronement, the pain of legal battles, the path to reconciliation, and how fate led him to re-emerge from a different ruling house. He also addresses swirling public opinions, clarifies misconceptions, and speaks on his commitment to peace and unity in Eruwa.
What follows is the gripping, honest account of a king who was once out—but is now back, and stronger.
How do you feel being reinstated to the throne after the Supreme Court judgment?
I want to correct an impression—I would not want the word reinstated. I am going to be installed. My issue is not reinstatement; I am coming on board as a new Eleruwa of Eruwa through a fresh process. I have been newly appointed, and I feel happy about it. I give all glory and adoration to God Almighty who has made it possible for me to be chosen again.
During the years you left the throne after the final judgment, what was the experience like? Were you still living in Eruwa town?
There wasn’t much difference in my life between 2019 and now, except that I stopped attending public functions as the Eleruwa. The government did not invite me to any official event, and I stayed away from community ceremonies. I kept to my home and focused on my small business.
I moved freely around town. Sometimes I drove myself to my business location. People greeted me. Some said “Kabiyesi o,” and I responded. Others called me by different names—I accepted them all. I remained a free man throughout those six years.
The court process that led to your removal lasted for many years. How did it feel being on the throne and dealing with that legal battle for so long?
My ascension in 1998 was God’s doing. Even then, there was an ongoing court case which eventually led to my removal in 2019. Despite the prolonged legal battle, the town remained peaceful, and I am grateful to God for that.
It’s important to note that the opposition wasn’t a collective decision by the ruling house. It was primarily one individual—Alhaji Rasheed Olasunkanmi Oyedepo—pursuing the case.
Our chieftaincy declaration allows a candidate from the female line to become Eleruwa when there’s no qualified male candidate. The keyword is “qualified,” and the authority to determine qualification lies with the kingmakers. They unanimously voted in my favour at the time. None of them were younger than me, and none of my opponents received a single vote.
With the new process, have those issues pointed out by the Supreme Court been addressed?
Yes. This time, I contested under my father’s family—the Olurin royal family of the Akalakoyi ruling house. In 1998, I came through my mother’s side—Olaribikusi.
Back then, there were six contestants; this time, there were 18. I won all 17 to emerge victorious again. So the process was entirely fresh and legitimate.
Some believe the new selection process did not comply with the Supreme Court judgment. What is your response to that?
The Eleruwa stool rotates between two ruling houses: Akalakoyi and Olaribikusi. Each house has sub-families. The Supreme Court judgment directed that the selection process begin with Olaribikusi and excluded me from contesting under that house.
The government acted accordingly. They invited Olaribikusi to begin the selection process and asked them to present their eldest family member to lead the meetings. Unfortunately, they couldn’t reach a consensus for over eight weeks.
The government then moved the process to Akalakoyi, which completed it within two weeks. That’s my father’s side. I didn’t even intend to reapply, but I submitted a simple, three-line application when approached.
Are you not afraid of another legal tussle if the other ruling house challenges your installation in court?
Anyone can go to court, but our focus now is reconciliation. We have engaged religious leaders and respected elders to help bring everyone together.
Many of my former opponents have reconciled with me and are participating in the coronation. We continue to appeal to those who may still hold grievances to join hands in moving Eruwa forward.
Are you open to reconciliation with all parties, especially those from the Olaribikusi ruling house?
Yes, absolutely. I have reached out to contestants from both ruling houses. In fact, some candidates from Akalakoyi are closely related to those from Olaribikusi due to intermarriage. That’s why some people refer to them as “double princes.”
I came through a legitimate and entirely new process. The government has now fully implemented the Supreme Court judgment.
Some believe the state government manipulated the process in your favour. What’s your take on that?
That’s not true. The key issue in the judgment was that the selection must begin with Olaribikusi and that I was disqualified from contesting under them. That part of the ruling was followed.
When Olaribikusi failed to nominate a candidate within the stipulated time, the government had no choice but to shift the process to Akalakoyi. Had Olaribikusi acted promptly, I would not have been part of the process.
This challenge of identifying the "eldest member" in Olaribikusi has been ongoing since before 1998. That’s why the Abidogun panel was set up, but it also failed to reach a resolution. The same issue had been taken to court years back. The government’s actions were only to avoid further delays.