Culture

Eleruwa of Eruwa, Laribikusi Ruling House Rejects Re-coronation of Oba Adegbola

Published

1 year ago

June 27, 2025

The Laribikusi Ruling House rejects Oba Adegbola’s re-coronation as Eleruwa of Eruwa, calling it a breach of tradition and vowing to seek justice

Eleruwa of Eruwa re-coronation has sparked a major dispute as the Laribikusi Ruling House publicly dissociated itself from the reinstatement of Oba Samuel Adegbola.

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In a joint statement released in Ibadan on Friday, prominent members of the ruling house declared the installation illegitimate, accusing the state government of disregarding tradition.

The statement, signed by representatives from Omoni, Ajao, Sabi, and Agbaaragba quarters, including Prince Raimi Salawu and Prince Ijaola Adeseun, expressed outrage over what they described as an imposition.

Governor Seyi Makinde had presented Oba Adegbola with the staff of office on March 6, 2025, marking his return to the throne after a Supreme Court ruling dethroned him in 2019.

The town of Eruwa had been without a monarch for over five years.

However, the Laribikusi Ruling House insists the throne did not rightly belong to Adegbola.

We dissociate ourselves from the purported re-coronation of Adegbola as the new Eleruwa of Eruwa.

They allege that his original reign, from 1994 to 2019, was unjustly imposed by political forces and that his current return is an affront to the traditions of the town.

They further claimed that the titles “Akindele” and “Ajobo” — both previously adopted by Adegbola — have no roots in Eruwa’s royal lineage, asserting that his ancestry traces back to Igbo-Ora.

The group stated, “We want the world to know that we are not a party to any arrangement that seeks to impose a settler from Igbo-Ora on Eruwa town as our Oba. This is an affront to our customs.”

The Laribikusi family called on the residents of Eruwa to remain peaceful while they pursue legal and traditional channels to challenge the development.

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They concluded with a promise: “We will take all necessary steps to protect the interests of Eruwa town and ensure our institutions are respected. Justice will prevail.”

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Culture

WAKE UP! Art Exhibition Returns for a Second Act

Published

4 weeks ago

August 27, 2026

Mariam Balogun

The contemporary art and photography exhibition “Wake Up!” is back again for a second edition.

Curated by Awele Onwordi, Wake Up! 2 exhibition pays homage to the Nigerian youth and burgeoning street culture which many of its contributing artists reference in their works.

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Titled “Young, Wild, Free”, the exhibition celebrates the creativity, resilience, freedom and cultural influence found in Nigerian youth.

Taking aim at societal issues and economic concerns, the exhibit reflects the youth and their refusal to compromise or bow despite all the challenges stacked against them while charting youth culture through art, music, fashion, skateboarding, photography and community.

The exhibition will be held, once again, at the Angel and Muse Gallery at 25 Sumbo Jibowu street off Ribadu Road off Awolowo Road in Ikoyi.

It will open on Saturday 5 September 2026 and will run until 11 September 2026
This second edition which focuses on celebrating, nurturing and exploring artistic practices rooted in youth and street culture will feature works from DENCITY and SUPERGLIDER HOUSE.

Exhibiting artists include Ajilore Kehinde – their work is deeply influenced by Nigerian street culture and works of other artists like Slawn, Peters Ejiro, etc, Chuka Onwordi – graphic designer who embodies themes of death, melancholy and beauty in his works, ZIDYEP – Abuja based creative whose works move between digital and physical spaces through art, graphic design and air brushing , Franklyn Okoye – graphic designer and artist whose works explore themes of identity and hyper-reality, Awele Onwordi – founder & curator of WAKE UP and multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans character art, creative logo design, album covers and more , Oluchi Kogolo – digital illustrator whose work explores street culture, personality and storytelling through a raw and playful visual style and Kozetuo Apeji – multidisciplinary artists who work explores experimental approaches to problem solving through both digital and traditional art forms.

Commenting on the exhibition in her curatorial statement, Awele noted that “despite economic instability, limited opportunities and socio-political challenges, Nigerian youth continue to shape culture through music, fashion, art, skateboarding, raves, photography and community.”

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Continuing and harping on the raison d’etre of the exhibition she said, “Young, Wild and Free exists to celebrate Nigerian youth while also creating a platform that supports and amplifies them.”