Esa-Oke stands at a crucial crossroads as the search for a new Owa Omiran begins to shape conversations about the community’s future. Barely six months after the transition of the late Oba Adeyemi Akanbi Adediran, Atipa Owaji II, the succession process presents an opportunity to strengthen unity, preserve tradition and chart a new course for communal development.
In this thought-provoking article, “Esa-Oke at a Defining Moment: The Search for a New Owa Omiran,” Toba Adesunmiboye examines the weighty responsibilities confronting the kingmakers, the expectations surrounding the Gogodudu (Anaye) Ruling House and the qualities required of the next occupant of the revered throne.
Beyond the competing interests of prospective princes, the writer raises fundamental questions about character, transparency, traditional protocols and the need to prevent social media debates from degenerating into divisions that could outlast the succession itself.
Who should emerge as the next Owa Omiran, and what should ultimately determine the choice? More importantly, how can Esa-Oke ensure that the crown becomes a symbol of unity, reconciliation and progress rather than rivalry?
Read Toba Adesunmiboye’s compelling perspective on why the future of Esa-Oke depends not only on who wears the crown, but also on the wisdom with which the succession process is handled.
Esa-Oke stands at a defining moment in its history.
Barely six months after the transition of the late monarch, HRM Oba Adeyemi Akanbi Adediran, JP, Atipa Owaji II, the ancient community is once again confronted with a responsibility that goes beyond the mere selection of another occupant of the traditional throne.
The search for a new Owa Omiran of Esa-Oke is, in many respects, a decision about the direction the community intends to take in the years ahead.
If handled with wisdom, maturity, transparency and a genuine commitment to the collective interest, the process could herald a new chapter of peace, unity, communal cooperation, economic advancement and social development.
But if the process is allowed to become a contest driven by personal interests, misinformation, rancour or social media warfare, the consequences could extend far beyond the palace.
That is why Esa-Oke cannot afford to get this wrong.
The traditional institution remains an important symbol of identity, unity, heritage and communal authority. The Owa Omiran is not merely a titleholder. The occupant of the stool will inherit the history, aspirations and expectations of a people and will be expected to provide direction at a time when communities must increasingly compete for development, investment, infrastructure and opportunities.
The next Owa Omiran will therefore need more than royal lineage.
He will need character, wisdom, maturity, integrity, broad-mindedness, administrative capacity and the ability to bring people together.
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THE CONTEST AND THE RULING HOUSE
The process is currently focused on the Gogodudu, also known as Anaye, Ruling House, whose turn it is to produce the next monarch under the traditional arrangement involving the four ruling houses of Esa-Oke.
Several princes from the ruling house have indicated their interest in the revered stool.
Their willingness to serve deserves recognition.
But beyond the personalities of the contestants lies the bigger question: what kind of Owa Omiran does Esa-Oke need at this point in its history?
This is where the responsibility of the Kingmakers becomes particularly significant.
The people may express their opinions. Community leaders may offer counsel.
Social media platforms may generate intense debate. But the eventual decision must be guided by the established traditional and statutory processes governing the selection of the monarch.
An Owa Omiran cannot and should not be selected through social media popularity.
WHAT IS AT STAKE?
What is at stake is considerably bigger than the ambitions of individual princes.
Esa-Oke needs a monarch capable of becoming a unifying force, rather than another source of division.
The next Owa Omiran will inherit a community with enormous human capital, a proud history and a substantial population spread across Nigeria and the diaspora.
There is therefore an opportunity to reposition the traditional institution as a catalyst for development.
A forward-looking monarch can help galvanise the sons and daughters of Esa-Oke around common objectives, attract meaningful partnerships, encourage investment, support youth development and strengthen the community's voice in matters affecting its future.
This is why the selection process deserves seriousness.
CHARACTER MUST MATTER
The screening of prospective candidates should go beyond pedigree.
Royal ancestry is important, but the character of the individual who occupies the throne is equally significant.
The antecedents of the candidates should therefore be carefully examined. Their educational background, professional history, public conduct, community involvement, leadership experience and reputation should form part of the considerations.
The age requirement reportedly being advocated by the Esa-Oke Council of Elders, placing prospective candidates between forty and seventy years, together with good conduct and character, should also form part of a broader assessment of suitability.
The objective should not be to find the loudest candidate, the wealthiest candidate or the candidate with the largest following.
It should be to identify the most suitable candidate for the responsibilities of the stool.
TRANSPARENCY IS IMPORTANT
At a time when discussions surrounding the selection are already generating considerable interest across community platforms, transparency becomes even more important.
Where permissible under the traditional process, making the identities and profiles of the contestants known to the people would help reduce speculation and allow the community to understand the individuals seeking to occupy the throne.
People deserve confidence that the process is being conducted fairly and that every qualified prince is receiving equal consideration.
The Kingmakers, therefore, carry an enormous responsibility.
Their decision will eventually become part of the history of Esa-Oke.
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SOCIAL MEDIA SHOULD NOT BECOME THE BATTLEGROUND
The passion surrounding the contest is understandable.
People care deeply about who becomes their next monarch.
However, disagreement should not become hostility.
Social media should provide a platform for constructive discussion, not a battlefield for character assassination, insults, propaganda and the circulation of unverified claims.
Every prince deserves dignity.
Every stakeholder deserves respect.
And Esa-Oke itself deserves protection from a process that could create unnecessary divisions that may linger long after a new monarch has emerged.
The election of a monarch is fundamentally different from a political contest. There may be different interests and preferences, but ultimately, the objective should be the emergence of a traditional ruler capable of serving the entire community.
A NEW ERA IS POSSIBLE
Esa-Oke now has an opportunity to turn a potentially contentious succession process into a moment of collective renewal.
The community can choose to look beyond individual interests and ask the more important question:
Who can best unite Esa-Oke and provide the leadership required for the next chapter of its history?
That question should guide the process.
The Regent, the Owa Omiran-in-Council, the Kingmakers, the Council of Elders, the ruling house, community organisations and all other stakeholders must approach the exercise with wisdom and a profound sense of responsibility.
The princes who have offered themselves for service should also be respected for their willingness to serve their ancestral home.
But ultimately, the interest of Esa-Oke must remain greater than the ambition of any individual.
The community is at a crossroads.
The choice before Esa-Oke is not simply about who wears the crown.
It is about what the crown will represent.
Will it represent unity or division?
Progress or stagnation?
Reconciliation or rivalry?
A bridge between generations or another fault line?
The answers will depend largely on the wisdom with which the present process is handled.
Esa-Oke has a rich history.
It now has an opportunity to build an even stronger future.
The time to get the process right is now.
Esa-Oke deserves an Owa Omiran who will not only inherit the throne, but also understand the weight of the history, expectations and aspirations that come with it.
By Toba Adesunmiboye
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