OSUN State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has approved, with immediate effect, the appointments of both Prince Clement Adesuyi Haastrup as the new Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesha land and Prince Johnson Adekanmi Abikoye as the new Asaoni of Ora Igbomina.
Adesuyi Haastrup, a descendant of the Ajimoko Royal Family, served as deputy governor alongside the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke from January 1992 to November 1993. He will succeed the late Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran as the 49th Owa Obokun of Ijesaland.
A press statement issued by the Hon. Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, to that effect indicates that the approval of the two monarchs was ratified and approved during the sitting of the Osun State Executive Council presided over by its Chairman and Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke this afternoon.
The appointment of Prince Haastrup as the new Owa-elect was sequel to the demise of the immediate past Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesha land, Oba (Dr) Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II on the 11th of September 2024 while that of Prince Abikoye as the new Asaoni of Ora Igbomina followed the demise of Oba Tinuoye Atolagbe on the 19th of November 2023.
According to Oluomo Alimi in the press statement, Governor Adeleke, while congratulating the two newly approved monarchs whom he said their choices followed due processes in line with the Chiefs’ Law of Osun State 2002 (Cap 25), enjoined all sons and daughters of the two towns to cooperate with their new traditional rulers, particularly in allowing peace and unity to take the centre stage.
Prince Haastrup, born on 19 September 1948, hails from the Ajimoko royal family in Ijesaland, Osun State. He had his early education at Eko Boys’ High School (1963-1967) and pursued further studies at the Federal School of Sciences, Lagos (1968-1969). He later earned a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C., United States.
Upon returning to Nigeria in 1981, Haastrup ventured into politics and was elected Deputy Governor of Osun State in 1990. However, after his tenure ended, he decided to quit politics, focusing instead on business endeavours. In 2002, he founded ENL Consortium Limited, which has since evolved into a conglomerate with interests spanning power, port operations, estate development, hospitality, road construction, quarrying, and gold mining (currently under development) across Nigeria.
Prince Haastrup beat over 30 other contestants to the prestigious stool.
Recall that Oba Aromolaran, who was the 48th Owa-Obokun, passed away at the age of 86 after a remarkable reign of over 42 years.
In the meantime, Governor Adeleke also during the State Executive Council meeting on Fridays, the last in the year 2024, passed a vote of confidence on all members of his Executive Council for what he described as a job well done in about to be concluded year 2024.
The governor, who was glad and happy for their performance, however, challenged them to surpass the feats achieved by all of them in the coming year 2025 by being alive to their statutory duties and responsibilities as members of the Osun State Executive Council.
Eighteen-Eleven Media