Traditional rulers in Kemta, Ogun State, have thrown their weight behind Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly called Yayi, declaring him a legitimate son of Egbaland.
The chiefs, led by the Oluwo of Kemta and Baaye of Egbaland, Chief Abayomi Rotimi, made the declaration during a press conference at the Ile Ogboni of Kemta on Monday.
The traditional leaders also described as untrue reports that the Ile Ogboni was closed because of Adeola’s association with the community.
Rotimi said political differences should not be allowed to interfere with traditional institutions, stressing that Adeola’s political affiliation did not change his connection with Kemta.
“Yayi is one of us. He is our son. We have different political parties here. We have PDP, APC, Accord and others. Whoever is our son is our son, and whoever comes here for us to help, we accept him.
“Whoever wants to vote should vote for whomever he wants. But you cannot bring politics into this house,” he said.
Addressing the claim that the Ile Ogboni had been shut, Rotimi said the allegation was easily disproved, noting that the premises were opened during the briefing.
“They didn’t lock any place up. At least you have got here. It was in front of you that we opened it with the key, and we got inside.”
He also raised concerns over the circulation of allegedly manipulated photographs and AI-generated materials, saying such content could give the public a false impression of events.
Rotimi urged people to disregard reports that the traditional institution had rejected Adeola or that its activities had been suspended.
He further explained that his relationship with Adeola was not simply a political arrangement.
“I am not a politician. My father was a politician, but I wasn’t born a politician. If you get to my house, you will see photographs of people like Shagari, Akintola and others that my father worked with.”
The Oluwo also dismissed reports claiming he had been suspended, pointing to his recent meetings with the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo.
“I was still with the Alake on Friday and Saturday. I was coming from the Alake’s Palace right now. We went there to settle a township matter.
“If I am suspended, the Alake is the paramount ruler of Egbaland. He should know about it. And if I am suspended, I would have been tried by my people or by the Alake himself.”
Other chiefs present included Chief Oyedele Oladele Lanlemo, Chief Odeyinka Adeyemi and Chief Toheed Adefolakan, Bada Kemta.
They supported Rotimi and maintained that traditional institutions should remain separate from partisan politics.
The Baale of Kemta, Odutolu, Chief Aregbesola Anipupo, also rejected reports of disagreement between Adeola and the community.
“There is no truth to what they are saying about Yayi. Especially in Kemta Odutolu, where I am the Baale, nothing of such happened. Nothing could happen there that I would not know about or hear of.”
Anipupo also pushed back against allegations that the chiefs were supporting Adeola because of financial rewards.
“Whoever says that is telling a complete lie. We support him simply because we know he is our son in Kemta Odutolu. That is why we have stood by him from the very beginning.
“It is not because we are receiving a salary from him or taking things from him to do what we are doing. It is purely because we know he is our child. He is our son,” he said.
He explained that the chiefs’ visit was to formally inform the traditional leadership about Adeola’s emergence as the APC candidate for the 2027 Ogun governorship election.
Adeola had previously told the Alake of Egbaland that he was a bona fide son of Egbaland through his maternal family from Kemta Odutolu. He also pointed to his long-standing relationship with the community.
The debate over Yayi’s ancestry is not new. It became particularly prominent in 2018, when political opponents questioned his links to Ogun West and Yewa.
While supporters and traditional figures in Yewa have linked his paternal ancestry to Ago-Ishaga/Pahayi in Ilaro, his family also has ties to Egba land.
His background has remained a political talking point as he seeks to govern Ogun State, with his years in Lagos politics also featuring in the debate.
The controversy returned to the spotlight ahead of the 2027 election, with different groups arguing over whether Adeola should be regarded primarily as a Yewa or Egba politician.
In 2024, the Egba Lokan Agenda denied reports that it had endorsed Adeola as an Egba governorship hopeful. Former lawmaker Bode Mustapha later said in 2025 that Adeola’s father was from Yewa while his mother was from Egba, describing the combination as an advantage.
The issue resurfaced again this year, with the Yayi Intellectuals Forum accusing opponents of turning his ancestry into a political weapon while pointing to traditional rulers who had recognised his Yewa and Egba connections.