Oba Tajudeen Babatunde Omotosho Akanni Abioye Ekanoye Olukoye III has emerged as the 14th Onijabe of Ijabe Land in Odo Otin Local Government Area of Osun State. The Osun State Government approved his appointment on 23 October 2026, and kingmakers installed him on Saturday, 24 October. However, ruling houses in the town have gone to court to challenge the government’s decision.
According to the Onijabe’s media directorate, the Abioye-Ekanoye Ruling House nominated him as the sole candidate. That followed the death of the last Onijabe, Oba Felix Olaniyan Oyeniyi Oyelade II, on 22 August 2026. The directorate says the other recognised ruling houses and the kingmakers backed him. Abioye, popularly known as TJ of Holland, is a businessman and philanthropist with interests in real estate, mining, hospitality, oil and gas, agriculture and education.
The Onijabe stool at a glance
| New monarch | Oba Tajudeen Abioye (TJ of Holland), 14th Onijabe of Ijabe |
| Location | Ijabe, Odo Otin Local Government Area, Osun State |
| Predecessor | Oba Felix Oyelade II, who died on 22 August 2026 |
| Government approval | Osun Executive Council, 23 October 2026 |
| Installation | Saturday, 24 October 2026 |
| Rites | Procession and seven-day Ipebi seclusion, per the directorate |
| Dispute | Ruling houses have challenged the decision in the Osun State High Court |
After his installation, the new monarch toured major roads in Ijabe and visited the ancestral homes of past Onijabes. He then entered the traditional seven-day Ipebi seclusion, where he underwent customary rites and consultations. The directorate says he has now fully assumed the responsibilities of the stool.
Commissioner for Information Kolapo Alimi said the Executive Council set aside the 2018 Amended Onijabe of Ijabe Chieftaincy Declaration. It then reviewed the selection process and approved the appointment with immediate effect. The directorate says the 1955 Onijabe Chieftaincy Declaration governs succession. It cites a 2017 judgment by Justice A.A. Aderibigbe in Suit No. HIK/43/1997 that upheld five recognised ruling houses. It also says the government acted after a petition from those houses in August 2024.
Not everyone accepts the decision. OsunDefender reports that ruling houses in Ijabe have asked the Osun State High Court to challenge the move to set aside the 2018 declaration. They argue that it remains the valid instrument for choosing the Onijabe. They also say an injunction application is pending, and allege that opposing parties influenced the Executive Council. Earlier, a group called the Ijabe Solidarity Forum objected to his selection and claimed his ruling house was not next in line.
The court has not ruled on the challenge. The account of the legal history comes from the Onijabe’s media directorate and has not been independently verified by Sojworldnews. We will update this story as the case moves forward.
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