There is no iota of truth in the news making rounds about Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s involvement in the Oniru stool tussle as Prince Gbolahan Lawal joined the race, a close source has revealed to Freelanews.
Recall that in November 2019, the race for who becomes the next Oniru of Iruland after the demise of His Royal Highness Idowu Abiodun Oniru was neck to neck between Aremo Segun Oniru, the eldest son of the immediate past Oba Oniru from the Akiogun Ruling House and Hakeem Ajasa, from Abisogun Ruling House and a former Chief Security Officer of the current Speaker of the House of Representatives.
According to the anonymous source, who didn’t want his name mentioned, Lawal was enlisted by the same kingmakers who were claimed to reject have rejected Tinubu’s offer in the other report.
“Contrary to what is been reported, it was actually the kingmakers who decided to choose Prince Gbolahan Lawal as the next king to avoid a lacuna in the kingdom,” the source claimed.
He revealed that since there is already a stalemate and the court has asked both parties to maintain status quo, the kingdom can’t continue to be without a head because two ruling houses refused to allow peace to reign.
“The kingmakers approached Gbolahan about ten days ago and told him their plan. He told them to give him 3 days to think it over and the result is what we are witnessing now,” he claimed.
It is on record that when the kingship tussle began, the former Aide-De-Camp to Tinubu and current Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives in Lagos, Prince Lawal, had been responsible in brokering peace between the two warring candidates in the past before the kingmakers decided to eventually pick him for the stool.
“I want to believe that he is a very appropriate choice because Lawal has given a lot to the good people of the kingdom in past. He has a scheme that for many years has been taking care of widows and many youths in this area can boast of scholarships to study even beyond Nigeria.
“So if the kingmakers, in their own wisdom, thought he would be a better choice to neutralise the tension and sit on the throne, then I guess the people are trying to compensate for his many years of selfless responsibility to his people,” he submitted.
Aside from working with the present Lagos government, Prince Lawal has worked as commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives under Babatunde Fashola administration from 2011-2015 and his impeccable public service record and his ability to address urban challenges also led to his appointment as the Honourable Commissioner for Housing by former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in October 2015, a position he occupied till 2019.
“Prince Lawal, a sports, music and arts enthusiast, was never interested in the stool but like a Yoruba proverb will say, ayanmo o loogun, ori lelejo (what is destined to be, would be),” he added.
Freelanews can authoritatively confirm that Prince Gbolahan Lawal is currently undergoing the king-making rites as he has been secluded in Ipebi.
Freelanews is the editorial byline of Freelanews.com, used for staff reports, news updates, press releases, and collaborative stories produced by the Freelanews Editorial Team.
