Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, may be heading for a showdown over the appointment of the State Iyaloja General, the head of markets in the state.

In a video that went viral on Saturday, Oba Oyetunji declared that Chief Awawu Asindemade, the Iyalode of Osogbo, had returned to office as the Iyaloja General of Osun State.

Asindemade previously held the position during the administrations of former governors Rauf Aregbesola and Adegboyega Oyetola before she was replaced by the incumbent governor in 2023 with Mrs Mary Oyebode.

Asindemade had largely kept her distance from the Adeleke administration and was mainly seen at events organised by the All Progressives Congress.

However, the Ataoja, who spoke in Yoruba in the viral video, said he had instructed Asindemade to support Adeleke’s re-election bid in the August 15 governorship election.

According to him, having complied with the directive, he decided to return her to the office of Iyaloja General.

At the event where he announced her return, the monarch said, “I am the only person who can appoint the Iyaloja General.

“I told her (Asindemade) to stay calm and work for the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke, and she did.

“Since she has done what I wanted, I have to do what she wants also. Now, I am returning her royal beads as the Iyaloja General. I want Governor Adeleke to be at peace with her.”

However, reacting to the development, Adeleke, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed and obtained in Osogbo on Saturday, insisted that Oyebode remained the duly appointed Iyaloja General of Osun State.

The governor maintained that the power to make appointments such as that of the Iyaloja General was vested solely in the state government.

“Any announcement from any other quarter, including the Osogbo Royal Palace, is null and void. Mrs Oyebode remains the legally appointed Iyaloja General under the authority of the state government,” the statement partly read.

Adeleke urged market associations and women across the state to disregard any purported appointment of a new Iyaloja General, stressing that Oyebode would continue to enjoy the full support and recognition of the state government as the duly appointed occupant of the office.

He also appealed to institutions and individuals to “be mindful of the law and their assigned mandates under the law,” urging them to desist from actions capable of disrupting the peace of the state.