In a bold and uncompromising declaration, the royal family of Odo-Nla Kingdom, in collaboration with the Fidipote Royal Dynasty of Ijebu-Ode, has issued a public disclaimer disowning the Olajiga and Oke- Bello families, accusing them of falsely claiming royal lineage and rights to land and titles within the kingdom.
The disclaimer, signed by HRH Oba T.I.K.I Omotayo, the Onimope of Imope Kingdom and head of the Fidipote Royal Family, alongside Prince Aderibigbe Tunde, secretary of the royal family, was released to clarify longstanding disputes and “set the historical record straight” even as they rejected the “false genealogical claims”.
According to the statement, the Olajiga and Oke – Bello families have been falsely asserting descent from Oba Odeyemi Adeesho Ademuyewo (a.k.a. Ofiran)—the founding monarch of Odo-Nla Kingdom—as well as the Fidipote Royal Family of Idewon Quarters, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. “There is no record or proof of any son or descendant of Awujale Ademuyewo Fidipote who migrated to Ikorodu and established a lineage under the names Olajiga or Oke-Bello,” the statement read.
The royal family emphasized that these claims have no ancestral, biological, or marital foundation, and described them as an attempt to rewrite history and usurp traditional rights.
Oba Omotayo named the legitimate royal houses of Odo Nla reaffirming the structure of royal succession. They are Ogbodo, Raselu, Upoyenwa.
The family further announced that Prince Oluseye Mobolade Adedipe, FCA, from the Raselu branch, has been unanimously appointed as the Olotu Omo’ba Meta (Head of the Royal Family), a decision fully endorsed by all three ruling houses. “Any opposition or contradiction from the Olajiga and Oke – Bello families hold no legal, cultural, or traditional weight,” the statement emphasized.
In a midst of allegations of fraud and land disputes, the royal family accused the two families of engaging in fraudulent land dealings, including: the forgery of documents allegedly used in court, use of hoodlums to intimidate royal agents on community land, and illegal sale of 15 acres of land among many others in Oke Ogbodo, Ikorodu.
These actions, the family claims, will be vigorously challenged in court, with legal proceedings already in progress.
The royal family is hereby calling on the public and authorities to be on notice as regards this development even as it also called on traditional councils, government institutions, and the general public, urging them to disregard any land or chieftaincy claims made by the Olajiga and Oke- Bello families, treat any rulings or documents procured under false pretences as null, void, and fraudulent, refrain from supporting any “illegitimate declarations” of royal affiliation.
The Omooba Meta and Fidipote royal families also hinted at the possibility of traditional sanctions and legal action against any individuals or groups found aiding what they described as acts of “traditional fraud and disruption.”
Oba T.I.K.I Omotayo reaffirmed the importance of ancestral truth and cultural dignity, declaring: “You cannot foist yourself on a family when nobody knows your root, nobody knows your family history, your family tree… all that will be corrected very soon.
“This statement stands as a powerful declaration of royal integrity and a warning against impersonation, cultural distortion, and illegal land dealings.”