Ataoja of Osogbo vows to reclaim the throne’s fourth place in Osun’s royal hierarchy, challenging the Oluwo’s current position

The monarch made the declaration on Monday during a lecture at Osun State University to mark his 15th coronation anniversary.

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Recounting past events, he said the shift in ranking occurred when his predecessor, Oba Iyiola Oyewale Matanmi III, lost the position while on a trip abroad.

“My father, King Iyiola Oyewale Matanmi III, travelled abroad, and before he returned, they moved his seat aside and placed the Oluwo there,” he explained.

The fourth position belongs to Ataoja. That was what I met. I am not fighting any king, but the seat of the Ataoja is fourth in Osun.”

Oba Larooye insisted his stance was not directed at undermining fellow monarchs but at restoring the historical status of the Ataoja throne. “There is no way we will cook inside, and the flame will not show outside,” he added, stressing his determination to pursue the matter.

Also speaking at the event, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Kunle Adegoke (SAN), popularly known as K-RAD, urged constitutional recognition of traditional rulers.

He warned that sidelining royal institutions weakens grassroots governance and threatens national security.

Adegoke called on the National Assembly to establish a National Council of Traditional Rulers, alongside state and local councils, with advisory and developmental functions.

He further recommended financial autonomy and constitutional safeguards to protect monarchs from political interference.

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The Ataoja’s comments reignite debates over traditional hierarchy in Osun and highlight renewed calls for stronger recognition of Nigeria’s monarchs in governance.