Clement Adesuyi Haastrup is now the Owa Adimula, the paramount ruler of Ijesaland. By tradition, he who wears the crown of Owa becomes the king of Ijesaland. The throne of Owa makes one the head of Ijesa, but the character and personality of the individual who occupies the throne affirm, validate, and acknowledge the position.
Becoming a king is a long road that is trekked with caution and guided by fate and destiny. Not all princes become kings. Not all ‘Obalola’ wear crowns of royalty. A prince who becomes king is not only favored by destiny but also by people and God. You can be called a future king and still not wear the crown of royalty. Whatever you did in becoming a king worked out because it has been authenticated and predetermined.
From vying with 20 prospective aspirants in the royal family to over 30 qualified candidates from the royal house, the struggle was real. It was a journey of thorns, conflict of interest, courts, and misunderstanding. After the demise of the late Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, arguments for a rich, wealthy, influential, and highly connected king who would put Ijesa in her rightful place in the comity of important towns dominate the kingdom.
The yearning for someone who could elevate the status of Ijesaland and a reasonable number of royals showed interest. They all came out with intimidating CVs and profiles. When a particular group of ‘godfathers’ discovered that their favorite was not the richest and most connected, they started a campaign of ‘allow a young Oba to lead Ijesaland.’ This campaign failed because it did not drive the wishes and aspirations of the Ijesa people.
A young Owa can not unite the kingdom. This is not the time for Ijesa to test run. An Owa must be someone that will be admired and respected by other Obas in the Ijesha kingdom. In the last 42 years, the kingdom experienced turbulence that threatened its unity. This turbulence led to the formation of the Ijesa North Traditional Council and the Atakumosa East/West Traditional Council.
To bridge the existing gap, the need for an Owa that would be a unifying figure of excellence and greatness is essential. The Ijesa kingdom needs an Owa who would earn, not command, respect. There are kings with beaded crowns in the Ijesa kingdom. There are prominent chiefs and illustrious sons and daughters in the kingdom. These important stakeholders need a leader, not a boss, as an Owa.
Ijesa people need someone they respect, not the one who thinks he deserves or commands respect. This led to the emergence of Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, a wealthy and influential figure, as the new Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland, who is expected to drive development and elevate the kingdom’s status. Ori ba mi se ki n de Ade owo. “Ori ba mi se. Kind Adeola. Ori ti gbe Clement, Ori ti ba se. O ti de Ade Owo” – His head favors him, and the ‘Lagos boy’ is now sitting proudly on the throne of his forefathers.
Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, born in Ilesa on September 19, 1948, lived a large part of his life in Lagos. He attended Eko Boys’ High School in Lagos from 1963 to 1967 and proceeded to the Federal School of Science for his A-levels. He later traveled abroad, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and graduated in 1974.
He practiced as a pharmacist before he ventured into politics. In 1990, he served as the Deputy Governor of Osun State. 12 years after he left office, he founded ENL Consortium Limited, a company specializing in power generation, port operations, real estate, mining, and more. He worked with federal agencies like the Federal Housing Authority and the Nigerian Ports Authority, among others.
Clement had not become a king when he started awarding scholarships to indigenous students, empowering the underprivileged in the kingdom. When he showed interest in becoming king, beneficiaries of his scholarship program at the old Osun State College of Education, Ilesa, now the University of Ilesa, were so elated and started running a free campaign-based strategy to sell him more to the public.
Fate and destiny helped Clement in becoming Owa of Ijesaland. Many do not know that there’s a little difference between fate and destiny. It is predetermined and authenticated by God that Clement Adesuyi Haastrup will become Owa Adimula of Ijesaland. But Clement knows the seat is open for all princes in the next ruling house to occupy the throne and allow destiny—a sense of direction and purpose shaped by his individual decisions and actions—to become the favorite or preferred choice when it’s time to lay claim to the throne. Truly, Clement is a man made king by God, people, fate, and destiny.
On Friday, December 27, 2024, Clement Adesuyi Haastrup was appointed as the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland. His announcement sparked controversies. Some argued that Clement is too classy and modern to actively partake in compulsory rites and rituals to avert calamity from the kingdom. Some argued that he’s the Owa of Ilesa because they thought he would not include other parts of the Ijesa kingdom in his plans. Some argued that Clement is old and would not get the strength to do rites and rituals.
Surprisingly, the same Clement abandoned everything for five months and submitted himself to the dictates of culture and traditions. For five months, he followed traditional demands strictly. He performed all rites and spent three months in Ipebi (traditional home for grooming kings). From Ipole-Ijesa to Ibokun to Ijebu-Ijesha to Erin-Ijesha, he did not miss any critical action. Oba Clement is 77 years old, but he had the vigor of a 20-year-old during the coronation rites. When curfews wanted to spite the people against the crown, he relaxed it and introduced a new dimension. “Curfew should not exceed roundabout and palace entrance,” Oba Clement advised. When people got angry over the decision of some disgruntled elements to commit crime under the umbrella of tradition, he allowed police to do their work and asked victims to come to the palace for restitution.
On Friday, May 23, 2025, Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup was crowned publicly in the ancient Obokungunsi Hall. Recall that he had previously been crowned in the dark in the presence of his predecessors and ancestors. Oba Clement, who arrived in a white Rolls Royce and Bentley, was welcomed by hundreds of residents and indigenes of Ijesaland. Although it had initially rained for two hours in the morning before the commencement of the program, people still waited inside the sun and followed the convoy of the king from the palace to Ilesa Grammar School, the venue of the reception.
As the king rode in his majesty, students of public schools across Ilesa were seen waving their flags, and the king, in return, waved his horsetail to appreciate the gesture of his children. From Roundabout to Ilesa Grammar School, everywhere got blocked. The first traffic gridlock Ilesa would experience despite the dualization of Brewery to Roundabout Road.
The coronation ceremony was attended by Governor Ademola Ademola, who hosted dignitaries from all walks of life, such as former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, former Governor Gboyega Oyetola (who represented President Bola Tinubu), former Governor Gbenga Daniel, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, foremost entrepreneurs and businessmen Deji Adeleke and Femi Otedola, and other prominent persons like Reverend Esther Ajayi, Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi, Owaloko of Iloko-Ijesa, Oba Akeem Olusayo Ogungbangbe, Elegboro of Ijebu-Ijesha, and Oba Moses Agunsoye, among others.
Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup put the Ijesa kingdom on the national map. He proved that he’s worthy of the stool and has the capability to put Ijesa in its rightful place through connections. As the people await industrial drive and infrastructure via communal development, Oba Clement instructed the construction sector of his ENL Consortium Limited to fix dead potholes on the Lagos-Ibadan-Ife Expressway and equally fix terrible potholes and ditches along the Osogbo-Ilesa road to ease the stress and discomfort of his guests to the kingdom. He recently organized a training on farming for selected youths with a promise of substantial funds to kickstart it.
You do not need to like Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, but you can not deny his passion for a better Ijesaland. His decision to fix terrible potholes from his personal purse without relying on government or prominent individuals in the kingdom or state shows that he is a king that is interested in the growth and development of his kingdom.
However, this is unsolicited advice. The stool of Owa Adimula is for the Ijesa kingdom, but the actions of its occupier would determine if it’s only for Ilesa or all towns in the kingdom during his reign. If Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup presides over and facilitates projects alone for Ilesa, he remains the Owa of Ilesa, but if he does so for all towns, he remains the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland. The title maketh one Owa, but actions maketh one Owa Adimula of Ijesaland.
A cerebral traditionalist, while conversing with some residents, disclosed that the two hours of rainfall was a sign from Olodumare that he’s in support of the coronation of the new king, and it signals abundance and prosperity. Another traditionalist reiterated that all deities in Ijesaland are unanimously behind the new king. This is a big plus for the people of Ijesaland. Prosperity and abundance have come to stay. Kafiyesi to Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup. The people of Ijesaland are waiting.
