A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and long-term supporter of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Prince Abdul Waliu Oladimeji Sulaiman, has been selected by the Onikoyi Family as the Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Moba Land Oba-Elect.
His selection on Sunday at a well-attended open meeting of the Muti Onikoyi Royal Family, held at Iga Onikoyi, Lagos Island, followed the demise of Oba Patrick Ibikunle Fafunwa and was in line with the provisions of the Onikoyi Chieftaincy Declaration of 2006.
In year 2006, when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was Governor, the Lagos State Government, as part of efforts to resolve a protracted crisis over the number of ruling houses in the Onikoyi Royal Family, made the Onikoyi Chieftaincy Declaration.
Governor Bola Tinubu, as he was then, based on sound legal advice, supported by facts and incontrovertible evidence, signed the amended declaration to reflect just one ruling house but ten branches and ascension or selection Onikoyi of Lagos to be based on rotation between the branches.
The selection of Prince Abdul Waliu Oladimeji Sulaiman by the Muti Onikoyi Royal Family as Oba-Elect is in line with the provisions of the Declaration, since the Fafunwa branch was the branch which reign ended upon the demise of Oba Patrick Ibikunle Fafunwa, while the next branch in line is the Ojubiari branch.
After a rigorous and painstaking selection process, Prince Abdul Waliu Oladimeji Omogbolahan emerged the preferred candidate and has been presented to the entire family at the next Oba Onikoyi of Ikoyi And Moba Land.
He was presented by the head of the Ojubiari branch, Alhaji Akinyemi Eshinlokun and the head of the entire Onikoyi Royal Family, Otunba Abdul Ganiyi Kolawole Onikoyi, with the majority of heads of branches in attendance.
Prince Oladimeji Sulaiman is a card carrying member of the APC and a die hard supporter of Asiwaju Bola Ahmend Tinubu. He has over the years supported the party financially, especially at the grassroots level. He is an easy going, selfless and generous individual. In the last 10 years, the Prince has provided numerous sponsorship opportunities for students at all levels of our educational system.
Widely travelled and well read, Prince Sulaiman holds a Masters degree in Organisation Leadership from Arizona State University in the United States, and is currently a PhD student of Indiana Tech University, also in the United States.