Tension escalated in Esa-Oke on Monday as a violent communal clash left four people dead and 25 others injured, including police officers.
The crisis erupted following the appointment of Prince Timileyin Oluyemi Ajayi as the Olojudo of Ido-Ayegunle by the Osun State Government.
Ido-Ayegunle, a town located between Esa-Oke and Ijebu-Ijesa, has become the center of a fierce dispute over the legitimacy of the new monarch.
Residents of Esa-Oke opposed the appointment, arguing that Prince Ajayi hails from Ilesa, not their town.
The disagreement, which started over the weekend, escalated into open violence on Monday morning when individuals allegedly from Irojo Quarters in Ilesa attempted to install the new ruler.
A source described the situation as a “war” between Ilesa and Esa-Oke indigenes, with both sides refusing to back down.
“The resistance from the people of Esa-Oke led to the fracas, which resulted in the brutal killings of about four people,” Babafemi Adesiyan, a resident, said.
Amid the escalating crisis, the Owamiran of Esa-Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, urged residents to remain calm.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Police Command confirmed the clashes, with Public Relations Officer CSP Yemisi Opalola reporting that seven police officers sustained injuries while attempting to restore peace.
Security forces have been deployed to the area to prevent further violence, as residents remain on edge over the contentious kingship dispute.