Princess Surah Animashaun, Chairperson of Epe Local Government Area (LGA) in Lagos State, has sent shockwaves through the coastal town by suspending the installation of the new Olu of Epe and cancelling all Eid-al-Adha (Ileya) and Jumat services within the council.
In a letter addressed to the Grand Chief Imam on Tuesday, she declared the dual installation of two self-styled monarchs—High Chief Adeniyi Kadri Odedeogboro and High Chief Iskilu Olajide Ikuforiji—“legally null and void”, citing security risks and potential public disorder as justifications for her decision.
Animashaun insisted that her intervention was imperative to “forestall security issues, unforeseen circumstances” and “public health concerns” that may arise from competing followerships if both claimants continued to parade themselves as Olu-Epe.
The untimely demise of 86-year-old Oba Shefiu Adewale on Saturday, 31 May 2025, left a void in Epe’s traditional hierarchy.
Adewale, who had risen from Otun-Balogun to Balogun before his coronation as Olu-Epe, was buried later that day amid customary rites.
His passing rekindled long-dormant rivalries among Epe’s ruling houses, as two prominent chiefs rushed to lay claim to his vacant stool.
While Adewale’s reign was generally regarded as steady, his succession process had always been tightly regulated by the four recognised ruling houses of Eko-Epe, ensuring orderly rotation of power.
The abrupt emergence of two parallel installation ceremonies on 2 June 2025 not only violated that tradition but threatened to ignite communal unrest.
Epe is unique in Lagos State for having two separate monarchical institutions—the Olu of Epe (Eko-Epe community) and the Oloja of Epe (Ijebu-Epe community)—each wielding influence over distinct quarters of the town.
Historically, the Olu’s authority traces back to the Najah lineage, which settled along the Lagos Lagoon in the early nineteenth century, assimilating refugees fleeing inter-royal conflicts in present-day Ijebuland.
Over time, the chieftaincy evolved to reflect a delicate power balance among the town’s four ruling houses: Oko-Epe, Adetona, Yesuhu, and Abina.
Any breach of protocol around succession has previously led to protracted litigations and occasional outbreaks of violence.
Indeed, this pattern is not unprecedented: in April 2023, the Court of Appeal affirmed Oba Kamoru Animashaun—current Oloja of Epe—and Chief Dada Yesiru (Agbon of Epe) as rightful owners of contested communal land after a bitter dispute spanning years.
Such judicial interventions underscore the volatility of land and leadership tussles in Epe, where chieftaincy titles ensure political leverage and control of communal revenue.
By attempting to crown two Olu-Epe candidates simultaneously, supporters risk repeating a cycle of rancour that drains public resources and erodes trust in traditional institutions.
Critics have questioned the legality of the LGA chairman’s edict. The autonomy of local government councils is constitutionally protected; any attempt by state actors to unilaterally nullify chieftaincy processes could be seen as overreach.
In February 2025, the Attorney-General of the Federation warned against unconstitutional interference in local council affairs, emphasising that “removal or suspension of elected officials is tantamount to treason” if done without due.
While Animashaun’s move targets purely traditional rites, her cancellation of communal prayers during a high-profile festival treads a fine line between maintaining public order and infringing on religious freedoms.
Many view the chairperson’s actions as politically motivated. Epe’s chieftaincy has often been entangled with partisan interests, as candidates rely on endorsements from powerful local politicians to secure the governor’s recognition and eventual “Staff of Office”.
The abrupt suspension of Sallah prayers has drawn condemnation from grassroots associations, who allege that sudden cancellations only serve elite interests by sowing discord among the rank and file.
Social media in Epe has erupted with hashtags demanding transparency—#EpeChieftaincyCrisis and #RespectOurCustoms are trending nationwide.
As temperatures rise, calls are mounting for the Lagos State government to intervene.
Traditionalists argue that the only path to stability is for the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to immediately convene a stakeholders’ conference, ensuring that recognised ruling houses adhere to the extant chieftaincy declaration and establish an impartial, transparent process for selecting the next Olu.
Critics warn that failure to defuse tensions quickly could morph a localised dispute into wider communal clashes, potentially drawing in cult groups already emboldened by boundary and land feuds.
Ultimately, the fate of the new Olu-Epe will test not only the resilience of Epe’s time-honoured customs but also the limits of local government intervention in traditional affairs.
Unless the state acts decisively to restore order—with due regard for both constitutional provisions and cultural protocols—Epe risks sliding into a distrustful limbo where rival claimants exploit popular sentiment to deepen divisions.
With Sallah prayers indefinitely shelved and two factions entrenched in power play, Epe’s denizens now watch anxiously, wondering whether the next chapter will be one of reconciliation or renewed strife.
Additional reporting from Taiwo Adebowale
