IPELE, ONDO STATE -The ancient town of Ipele in the Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State was last week thrust into the center of a brewing scandal following grave allegations against its traditional ruler, the Olupele of Ipele, Oba Samuel Oluwasola Daramola. A 21-year-old woman, identified simply as Grace, has accused the monarch of sexual misconduct within the palace and subsequent death threats which allegedly resulted in a forced abortion. These claims have ignited widespread outrage both within the community and across the state, coming only months after the town’s police station was targeted in a violent attack.
The recurring cycle of negative headlines has sparked deep-seated concern among indigenes, many of whom trace the town’s current chalenges to a fundamental departure from its ancestral succession rites. Chief (Dr.) Adewunmi Abitoye, a prominent high chief and former President of the Ipele Development Association (IDA), has identified a controversial shift in the selection process of the Olupele as possibly the root cause of the community’s ongoing challenges.
According to Abitoye, Ipele historically operated a “ladder system” of succession—similar to the Olubadan model in Ibadan—whereby chiefs ascended the throne in a structured progression. However, this system was altered following agitation by some indigenes who demanded a more educated monarch.
“I was the President of the Ipele Development Association (IDA) at the time,” Abitoye recalled. “On August 16, 1998 during my mother’s burial, youths protested, insisting that the town wanted an ‘Olómọ̀wé’—a learned person—as king. That was how the process began.”
He explained that the agitation led to a series of memoranda submitted to the state government, eventually culminating in a judicial inquiry into traditional matters headed by Justice Adeloye. The outcome was a restructured system that introduced rotational kingship among quarters of the town.
Further investigations into the town’s history reveal that prior to these late 20th-century reforms, Ipele does not have a rigid royal lineage system or a ruling House. Succession originally rotated among three primary quarters of the town which are; Okeriwo, Igemo, and Ilana. Meanwhile, five other distinct communities—Ofi, Isire, Ujan, Isolo, and Oko—maintained their own independent traditional authorities, such as the Olofi of Ofi and the Oloten of Ujan.
However, following the series of memoranda submitted to the state government, the IDA-led reforms of the 1990s controversially reclassified these independent leaders as “kingmakers” and their communities as “Quarters.” Despite this reclassification, the Adeloye Judicial Inquiry ultimately excluded these five communities from the Olupele stool’s rotation, noting that they were never historically part of the succession line as they possessed their own distinct traditional heads.
It was observed by many indigenes of the Town that the transition has been marked by instability. The first monarch under the new system, the late Oba Abel Alade, reportedly had a turbulent reign until his death in 2015. A seven-year interregnum followed—the first ever in the town’s history—before the installation of Oba Olusegun Agaun in 2022. Agaun’s reign was short-lived, ending just eight months after his coronation. Oba Daramola, installed in 2024 as the third monarch under the revised system, now faces mounting criticism amid the latest controversy.
As the community grapples with the criminal allegations currently facing the palace, elders and stakeholders remain divided over the modernization of their customs. While the call for a learned monarch was intended to bring progress, critics argue that the violation of long-standing customs has left the town’s leadership vulnerable to instability.
Many residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed concerns that the new system has not delivered the expected progress. Some argue that Ipele’s political influence within Owo LGA has declined describing the town as “a shadow of its former self.”
Chief Abitoye also recalled that “Ipele was bigger than some towns in Ondo State in the 80’s but unfortunately, all the towns have now developed than Ipele”
Some elders in Ipele also point to achievements recorded under the old system, including the construction of a federal highway and electrification of the town in the 80’s, as evidence that traditional rulers without formal education were still effective leaders.
“There is power in tradition,” one elder said. “A town that forgets its roots risks losing its identity.”
Further criticism has been directed at what residents describe as the commercialization of chieftaincy titles. Traditionally, chieftaincy positions in the town were pathways to the throne in the past before the new system and therefore, required rigorous screening and adherence to custom. However, some allege that titles are now conferred indiscriminately, eroding their cultural significance.
Concerns have also been raised over alleged interference in land matters involving communities such as Ofi, regarded as one of the original settlers of Ipele. Critics argue that a monarch who rose through the traditional system would have possessed deeper historical knowledge and cultural grounding as to never get involved in such
Calls are growing for a return to the ancestral ladder system. Many indigenes believe that restoring traditional practices is key to resolving the various challenges of the town.
“The town must retrace its steps before it is too late,” an elder warned.
